NFL history has presented us with great battles in recent years between the New England Patriots, a dynasty once led by Brady and Belichick, and the Baltimore Ravens, always a contender.
The debate now centers around whether this particular matchup between the AFC East and AFC North teams could be considered one of the strongest rivalries in recent times. According to Julian Edelman, one of the last great figures of the Pats, it undoubtedly is.
In a recent episode of the ‘Games with Names’ podcast, the historic New England wide receiver stated that these matchups didn’t receive the recognition they deserved. “[The Patriots and Ravens] were a rivalry, that’s what people don’t realize,” Edelman said h/t BaltimoreRavens.com writer Kyle Phoenix.
“Because we would play each other because we always won our divisions in the regular season so all the ‘ones’ play each other and then we’d always play each other in the playoffs. And the Baltimore Ravens were never scared to come to Foxborough. There were teams that used to [crap] their pants when they had to drive on Highway 1 and get up in there where we used to play the game. Baltimore came in in ’09, they didn’t give a [crap]. And they beat our [butts] right from the jump of that game. I hated it.”
The recent matchups between the Pats and Ravens
Both the Patriots and Ravens have been the protagonists of great battles in recent years in the NFL’s American Conference. On one sideline, Bill Belichick; on the other, John Harbaugh. While the Pats secured the most victories, Baltimore’s win proved to have a greater impact on the final outcome of the season.
It turns out that in their last four playoff matchups, the New England Patriots came out victorious in three of them, while the other was a win for the Ravens. The team, led at the time by Joe Flacco, defeated Tom Brady’s squad 28-13 on the road.
What was decisive about this last game is that it allowed Harbaugh’s team to reach Super Bowl XLVII, where they eventually crowned themselves champions after defeating the San Francisco 49ers, led by Colin Kaepernick, in New Orleans.
Edelman’s titles with New England
Julian Edelman became a living legend in New England, playing a crucial role in many great feats. Alongside Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, he helped lead the Foxborough team to multiple Super Bowl titles, with the wide receiver winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy three times.
The former Kent State player was a key figure in Super Bowls XLIX, LI, and LIII, with the notable distinction that in the latter, he was named the game’s MVP.
SURVEY Will the Ravens and Patriots meet again in the playoffs?
Will the Ravens and Patriots meet again in the playoffs?
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