Ranking the 25 biggest NFL rivalries of all time

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 03: Chase Young #99 of the Washington Football Team rushes the passer against Matt Pryor #69 of the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 3, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

17. Top NFL Rivalries – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Washington Football Team

All-Time History: Washington leads 88-80-6
First Meeting: Oct. 21, 1934 (Redskins 6, Eagles 0)
Last Meeting: Jan. 3, 2021 (Football Team 20, Eagles 14)
Postseason History: Washington leads 1-0

It’s time for another NFC East rivalry as the focus this time shifts to Philadelphia and Washington. These long-time rivals first met in 1934, when the Redskins’ franchise was based in Boston, and they have met twice annually ever since.

The close geographic proximity of Philadelphia and Washington has certainly heightened the stakes of this rivalry. Unlike a lot of the rivalries covered to this point on the list, these teams have been pretty evenly matched over the course of their history, with Washington holding a slim eight-game lead in the series that has narrowed considerably over the past 20 years.

The most infamous game between these two rivals came in 1990, when the Eagles knocked out nine Washington players, including both of the team’s active quarterbacks, in what became known as the Body Bag game. That set the stage for the only playoff meeting between the two storied rivals in the Wild Card round, where Washington got its revenge by knocking out Philadelphia with a 20-6 win at Veteran’s Stadium.

The rivalry has seen better days thanks to the recent futility of Washington since Daniel Snyder took over as the team’s principal owner but the Football Team did sweep Philadelphia last season on its way to a stunning division crown.

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