:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/11985111/159803654.0.jpg)
The 2013 NFL season holds highly anticipated games for the Ravens, including the Week 16 match-up against the New England Patriots.
The Ravens and Patriots have a building rivalry, something that will not break down anytime soon. These two teams have met in the past two AFC Championships, splitting the wins at 1-1. There are people on both teams that cannot stand one another. Most notorious is the conflict with Ravens' LB Terrell Suggs. After last year's AFC Championship, Suggs had this to say about the Patriots:
"These are the most arrogant pricks in the world. Tell them to have fun at the Pro Bowl, arrogant [expletive]. That's funny, ever since Spygate, they can't seem to get it done. I don't know what it is."
Suggs went on to talk about how well the Patriots organization was, and how great of a "rivalry" this is.
After this, Patriots fans decided to take their own shots at Suggs. Many fans made fun of him and talked about how cruel, rude, and un-classy he was. Suggs is a fan favorite among Ravens fans, and we [Ravens fans] always love when he goes on his small trash-talking rants.
Unfortunately for the Ravens, they have lost Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard, two of the players that put fear into the Patriots' minds. Ed Reed was a ball-hawk when it came to Tom Brady. Bernard Pollard was known as the "Patriot Killer," as he injured players like Tom Brady, Wes Welker, and Rob Gronkowski.
Hopefully the new group of Ravens' defenders will grow into the tradition of Patriot hating, as they will be taught by the masters on the Ravens. Although, Suggs did have this to say about every team in the NFL:
"There are 32 teams in the NFL. I guarantee the other 31 hate the New England Patriots. It ain't just me. Why did Bart Scott say the same thing? You think it's just us? You think it's got something to do with us? No."
According to this statement by Suggs, the new guys on the block may have already had a dose of Patriot hating, but will experience it differently in the city of Baltimore.
The fans of both teams make the so-called "rivalry" very special. The fans bicker, fight, argue, and taunt each other. They may not go to the extreme like when they are dealing with Steelers fans, but it is still hatred nonetheless. There are two fan-bases most Ravens fans hate: Steelers fans and Patriots fans. That's just the way it is.
Overall, other than the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens have a hatred like no other for the New England Patriots. Fortunately, the "rivalry" will continue in Baltimore on December 22, Week 16. It is sure to be one of the most fun match-ups of the year. The Ravens have gone 2-1 in the past two seasons against the Patriots, one of which was in Week 3 last season, where the Ravens won 31-30.