There are many rivalries between coaches within the PML. Whether they are former division opponents that hold a grudge, or have been matched up in the playoffs for multiple years, s*** runs deep here.
We could dive into these rivalries and have discussions for hours….. But what about rivalries between players?
Which players this cycle will be circling the dates and looking forward to getting one up on their counterpart?
Here are the top 5 (no particular order) player rivalries for this cycle in PML so far.
Joe Mixon v Kyle Hamilton
Why not start with a division rivalry that found itself in the AFC Championship?
Kyle Hamilton has found himself in the box on a majority of snaps for Baltimore’s defense. He is a key part in containing a dynamic weapon in Joe Mixon. While Mixon won the battle with all 3 matchups by averaging 143 all-purpose yards and a TD per contest, Hamilton won the war by earning a trip to the Super Bowl. I doubt either of these guys will be seeing the trade block, so it is a safe bet that this will be a cycle-long rivalry.
Trey Lance v Tariq Woolen
While the outcome of these rivalries may not have playoff implications, it still is an exciting thing to watch. An absolute unit like Tariq Woolen is not someone to test in the passing game, yet Trey Lance continually takes jabs. The heavy passing attack has kept Trey Lance looking upfield for huge chunk plays. In the one matchup that they had(Lance was benched due to…. reasons), Woolen came out on top with two takeaways. While Lance still had 300 yards passing, it certainly didn’t come from Woolen’s target. Lance is finding himself teasing the trade block as of late, but if he stays in San Fran then he will have to get through Woolen to see the playoffs.
Terry McLaurin v Trevon Diggs
Playoff caliber teams with a top tier player at WR & CB. McLaurin scorched last season with multiple triple-digit games and 12 TDs on the season. In those games, he had 4+ receptions and at least a TD. However, something looked a bit different when Washington played against their division rival Cowboys. Trevon Diggs held McLaurin to 4 receptions and 100 yards for 2 TDS…. in 2 games. This will definitely be a matchup to wanna watch every time they are head to head.
Zach Wilson v Justin Herbert
Huh? Two offensive players.. Not even in the same division? Yup. These two guys had the highest passing volume in attempts and yards. It is clear that they are pushing for a season record, but they have a bit to go. Wilson was 55 yards short of a 5,000 yard season and Herbert was close behind, but neither has crossed that finish line yet. While both of them can get it, it’s a matter of who gets it first or who has the most at the end of the season. Or will someone else kick one of these two out of the rivalry?
Jalen Reagor v Justin Jefferson
Ok, what gives? Now two teammates are rivals? YUP! After seeing the first season with CEO at the helm (get it, Vikings? Helmet? Ha), it is clear that Jalen Reagor is the #1 receiving target on the team. Why would this make them rivals though? Well, it’s because Justin Jefferson is on a contract year. Is Reagor’s success going to cost Jefferson money? Now we all know not to mess with a man’s cash flow. We will see how this holds up next season, we are keeping a close eye on that trade deadline.
