Every new NFL Rivalries uniform ranked from instant classic to total miss

A new tradition continues with eight "NFL Rivalries" uniforms from Nike, which will be worn once by each team in designated rivalry matchups throughout the season: Indianapolis vs. Houston, Jacksonville vs. Tennessee, Green Bay vs. Chicago and Minnesota vs. Detroit.

These uniforms pay special mind to each team's history, interwoven with details from the communities in which they play. New uniforms are always a lightning rod for criticism and debate, especially given Nike's suspect track record of "new ideas" in recent years.

8. Indianapolis Colts: Total miss

Debut: Week 3 vs. Texans

The look: A sleek slate-grey take on the Colts' uniform, with references to their pregame anvil ritual

Why it doesn't work: I think we should retire all grey or grey-adjacent alternate jerseys until further notice. Bonus points for the metallic blue helmet, which is a total vibe, but the Colts' uniforms are classics for a reason — simple but effective. While other Rivalry jerseys harken back to history, Indianapolis clearly wanted to modernize and reinvent. There's nothing wrong with finding a new spin on an old favorite, but too many "new-age" aesthetics feel glossy and cheap. This is a broader societal trend that we need not interrogate in this forum, but the Colts' colors are blue and white. Have been since the 50s! Why are they grey!?

7. Detroit Lions: These are Panthers uniforms

Debut: Week 8 vs. Vikings

The look: Hailed as the "Defend the Den" uniforms, meant to embody the hard-working and resilient spirit of Detroit. How exactly? I could not tell you.

Why it doesn't work: These are not bad uniforms, really. The blue helmets stand in nice contrast to the all-white jersey and pants, and I'm a fan of this particular shade of blue. It pops. My main thought, however, is that it feels like a Carolina Panthers kit. In fact, I attempted to find an example on Twitter by searching "Panthers blue helmets" and found a long list of complaints from Lions fans saying these are Panthers uniforms, so I am clearly not alone. But literally, these are the Panthers' home uniforms with "Lions" stitched on the front.

6. Tennessee Titans: Solid enough, rock on

Debut: Week 10 vs. Jaguars

The look: An ode to Music City, with numbers fashioned as neon lights and six strings on the sleeve, meant to represent guitar strings.

Why it works: Indianapolis, take notes. Just shift the tone sliiiightly over to navy blue! These are solid. As someone who has spent exactly one night in Nashville for a comedy show, I feel particularly qualified to comment on the city's vibrant music scene. Paramore is a Nashville band (hell yeah), though it's hard to find the Haley Williams inspiration here. ESPN cites Elvis Presley and Justin Timberlake. Those folks are pretty good, too, I guess (please note, for the record, that they are very good). The navy jerseys and Carolina blue helmets work on me. These aren't the most exciting uniforms ever conceived by man, but it should all flow nicely when the Titans are on your television screen.

5. Chicago Bears: Old-school charm

Debut: Week 16 vs. Packers

The look: Homage paid to George Halas and the 1930s Bears, with classic orange pants and helmets, plus the vintage three-stripe design on the sleeves and orange numbers with white trim.

Why it works: A lot of 1930s-inspired looks don't really translate to present day and Chicago's past endeavors at orange-heavy uniform revivals were not terribly successful. The clash of the top-and-bottom orange, with navy jerseys sandwiched in between, will be off-putting to some. This does away with all "modern" pretense, aside from perhaps making the orange a bit sharper than it appears in grainy, black-and-white photos from last century. Still, I find these to be mostly successful and I admire the unabashed sentimentality.

4. Houston Texans: Above average

Debut: Week 11 vs. Colts

The look: All-white cut by lines of chromatic blue and red, inspired by car culture and street art in Houston, with specific reference to the now-iconic "Be Someone" bridge, painted in 2012.

Why it works: It's hard to pull off the all-white helmet, jersey and pants combo, which feels very "alternate uniform." But again, Colts, you do this all the time and do it successfully. It is possible. Why are the Colts uniforms grey! To focus on the Texans, though, the color scheme works like a charm. The chromatic blue and red accents pop, and the 'H-Town' logo is probably better than Houston's actual logo. The brick-layered stripe on the sleeves and pants are an especially nice touch.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Good not great

Debut: Week 15 vs. Lions

The look: ESPN describes the purple as "deeper, more intimidating" than Minnesota's usual garb, with references to the Gjallarhorn, an instrument used to summon the gods in ancient Norse mythology. Inspired by the literal vikings, essentially.

Why it works: Most of these uniforms are fine, and these are the most fine. The Norse references are cool, especially for those of us who liked mythology as a kid (or watched The Northman seven times upon release). Viking lore and cold, unforgiving tundra go hand-in-hand, so this is a helpful reminder of why they are the Minnesota Vikings to begin with. The "Viking knot" on the sleeves and thread on the helmet are particularly effective touches, although for my personal taste: These are extremely purple, to an extent I cannot fully endorse.

2. Jacksonville Jaguars: Fortune favors the bold

Debut: Week 8 vs. Colts

The look: Jaguar-spotted black pants, a teal helmet and a white jersey, with what ESPN describes as "historically influenced" script for the numbers and an attempt to capture the beach-y feel of the Florida coast.

Why it works: With "Bold City" inscribed on the neck line, these uniforms at least live up to their stated intention. There is a lot going on here and I've already read a great many complaints, so consider this my own attempt to live boldly. In general, the Jaguars' teal-gold-black colorway is deeply underrated, one of the most aesthetically pleasing combos in the sport. The old-timey script, particularly the dashed "7," is one of my favorite touches of this entire slate. It's not unfair to call these gimmicky and a bit strange compositionally, but look man: It's Jacksonville, Florida. It all fits.

1. Green Bay Packers: Instant classic

Debut: Week 5 vs. Bears

The look: Faded green with a Lombardi-era "GB" logo, with white pants and helmet, featuring trim inspired by past stock sales and the tag line "making history since 1919" — a reference to the Packers' unique history as a publicly traded company.

Why it works: Green Bay takes the cake, with a much-needed course correction after last year's abysmal throwback uniforms. The 1920s, Lombardi-era logo is tastefully placed, with a threaded sleeve design inspired by stock certificates, which highlights Green Bay's unique relationship to the community as the NFL's sole publicly owned and traded company. The Packers' white helmets are always a hit in my book, and this uniform manages to combine the vintage and the modern in impressive fashion.

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