Should The NFL Create Annual AFC-NFC Regional Rivalries?

Despite the fact that the Rams and Chargers not only share a city but also a stadium, should the NFL adopt cross-conference rivalries?
Aug 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) carries the ball against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Shaq Quarterman (58) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Aug 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) carries the ball against Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Shaq Quarterman (58) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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In the current NFL, each team plays 17 games in an 18-week season. They play six divisional games, breeding natural rivalries while playing four games against a division in the opposing conference on a rotating cycle. In their seven remaining games, the teams play one opposing conference opponent and six opponents in the same conference.

For example, in the 2024 season, the Rams played their three NFC West divisional rivals twice. They also played the AFC North, picking up wins against the Patriots, Jets, and Bills. On top of that, they played the Las Vegas Raiders as their addition AFC verses NFC game.

While the Raiders represent a regional opponent, that isn't always the case in the NFL. The thought about creating natural interconference annual rivalries came about after former Rams OC Liam Coen became the head coach of the Jaguars and due to the events surrounding his hiring, there is now a rivalry brewing between the Jaguars and his former employer, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The problem is that the teams are set to play each other every four years unless they get the one interconference game slot.

Despite a natural rivalry between two teams in the same state, they've only played against each other eight total times in NFL history. That needs to change. Despite sharing a stadium, the Chargers and Rams do not play each other often.

Intensity drives interest in the product and rivalries drive intensity. With that being said, the NFL should make that extra game for interconference rivalries and to promote it, those games should be played on the same weekend. The matchups are as followed.

Los Angeles Rams Vs Los Angeles Chargers

San Francisco 49ers Vs Las Vegas Raiders

Arizona Cardinals Vs Kansas City Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks Vs Denver Broncos

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vs Jacksonville Jaguars

Atlanta Falcons Vs Miami Dolphins

Carolina Panthers Vs New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints Vs Tennessee Titans

Dallas Cowboys Vs Houston Texans

New York Giants Vs New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles Vs Pittsburg Steelers

Washington Commanders Vs Baltimore Ravens

Minnesota Vikings Vs Cincinnati Bengals

Green Bay Packers Vs Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears Vs Indianapolis Colts

Detroit Lions Vs Cleveland Browns

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Brock Vierra
BROCK VIERRA

Brock Vierra, a UNLV graduate, is the Los Angeles Rams Beat Writer On Sports Illustrated. He also works as a college football reporter for our On Sports Illustrated team.