SB Nation Reacts: Seahawks-49ers ranked as NFL’s 4th best rivalry

It’s Rivalry Week here at SB Nation, and this is such a big week that we’ve actually stretched this out for two weeks!

We’ll have plenty of content to start this month about Seattle Seahawks rivalries, big moments, maybe some classic rivalries, and perhaps a classic Enemy Reaction? Just wait and see.

SB Nation Reacts conducted a poll on what is the NFL’s best rivalry, and the Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers were among the available options. After counting the votes, we have our final results...

In what can only be considered outrageous ballot stuffing, the Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers is #1, just ahead of the Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, which I’ve decided is the Seahawks vs. 49ers of the AFC. The Dallas Cowboys vs. Philadelphia Eagles comes in at 3rd, then you get Seahawks-Niners and then the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Denver Broncos.

Here’s the graphic to prove I’m not lying to you.

I mean, seriously? I think the Bears-Packers is the most overrated rivalry in the NFL. Even more than Cowboys-Giants. The tally through 200 meetings is narrowly in Green Bay’s favor, but oldest rivalry =/= best. Since the 1990s, the Packers have a 42-19 record over Chicago and the Bears have cycled through as many awful quarterbacks as humanly possible post-Jim McMahon.

Ravens-Steelers is obviously not for everyone because most of how many of their late 2000s and early 2010s games were low-scoring defensive struggles, but I loved the hell out of them. With Lamar Jackson now at quarterback in Baltimore and the Steelers rebuilding their defense to something formidable again, it’s still watchable for me.

Cowboys-Eagles has been an NFC East decider on many occasions late in seasons, and Dallas usually loses. Do you want to see former Seahawk Chris Clemons score a touchdown? Go to 10:45 and enjoy. Given the size of their respective fanbases I can see why this ranks so highly, and it’s likely that next season’s NFC East battle will be between these two teams. Also, none of these other rivalries had something called a “Body Bag Game.”

Chiefs-Broncos... honestly I’m surprised it’s even on here. With that said, if Drew Lock is finally the tall, good quarterback John Elway has been looking for, then this rivalry can reignite.

As for 49ers-Seahawks, it’s safe to say that the fan rivalry has remained strong even during years where the 49ers were cellar dwellers. Enemy Reaction routinely sees most of its fan engagement and traffic from wins over San Francisco. But with the 49ers finally returning to competence and indeed winning the NFC this past season, the 2019 pair of thrillers could be a sign of things to come with regards to the actual games being competitive and exciting again. Intensity means everything in great rivalries and I think it’s finally back.

By the way, it’s been over 25 years since the Niners won the Super Bowl. When Rick Mirer was the Seahawks’ starting quarterback. When “Creep” by TLC was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. When I was less than two years old. When John Ursua was 44 years old. Twenty-five years.

Ha ha ha ha ha.