10 NFL 2015 Match-Ups With Personal Matters On The Line
8. Derby Day: New York Jets @ New York Giants
When: Sunday, December 6, 2015 (6:00pm GMT)
It doesn’t happen often, but derby day in New York City is a day to remember given it is the only intracity rivalry in the NFL.
The last time these two met didn’t end the way the Jets had anticipated. Eli Manning and his Giants romped home to a comfortable 29-14 victory on their way to winning their fourth Super Bowl title. In fact, the Jets have come up short on the last six meetings between the two since 1996.
Former Jets coach Rex Ryan tried his best to fuel the flames of this rivalry in a desperate attempt to get his Jets to right those previous wrongs. Just before their last meeting in 2011, Jets players entered MetLife Stadium (the shared home of both teams) and proceed to cover up the Super Bowl winning logos of the Giants, which stood proudly in front of the Jets’ locker room. This angered Giants players, most notably running back Brandon Jacobs, who after the Giants victory said, “it’s time to shut up, fat boy!” referring to Ryan’s then, larger than life flabby frame. The two reportedly came close to blows after Jacobs comments which will add an extra ingredient to this years match-up.
With Ryan now coaching over in Buffalo, don’t expect this city rivalry to tame. Remember, the Jets haven’t beaten the Giants since ’96 -- you'd think that should be enough motivation?