Every NFL Team's Opposite Conference Team to Root For

Something I've discovered is that there's basically a match across conferences in the NFL for each NFL team.  And by match, I mean teams that have similar backgrounds and fans that like their teams for similar reasons.  I'm going to pair up each NFL team across conferences, so no same-conference pairs.  Also, I'll try to stay away from pairs that have played each other in the Super Bowl, because there's bad memories for at least one side.  Basically, this shows who fans of each team should root for in the opposite conference, if they're looking for a second team.

1. Seattle Seahawks and Buffalo Bills
Heart-breaking Super Bowl losses?  Check.  Passionate fans through thick and thin?  Check.  Braving the elements?  Check.  Bills and Seahawks fans have a lot in common, and really have very little reason to dislike the other.  They also share a mutual disdain for the New England Patriots.  

2. Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns
Does this one need to be explained?  It can be easily argued these are the two longest suffering fanbases in the NFL (or even in sports).  But both fanbases remain loyal.  Both organizations, for the most part, have struggled to find franchise quarterbacks in their history.  

3. Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs
I know I said I'd try to stay away from Super Bowl matchups, but these two matched up in Super Bowl I over 55 years ago, so it's not like any current fans harbor any ill will towards the other team.  Anyway, both teams have passionate and loud fans that brave the cold for their teams.  They also are two very exciting teams to watch with stellar QB play, usually.  Both can hate on the Broncos together, too.  

4. Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars
They came into the league at the same time, so this was a gimmie.  Both have had strings of success with QB's/coaches (Panthers with Newton and Rivera, Jaguars with Brunell and Coughlin) and had a smaller amount of success outside of that with a less stellar QB (Delhomme, Bortles).  

5. Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans
Now the histories aren't even close because the Cardinals have existed for WAY longer, but I had to match up a few older NFC teams with younger AFC teams because all of the old teams in the NFL are in the NFC.  Anyway, both teams tend to mostly have losing seasons and poor management.  They've each wasted the career of a superstar receiver (Fitzgerald, Johnson/Hopkins).  They also play in climate-controlled stadiums that have hosted multiple Super Bowls, so they're both used to watching other teams celebrate Super Bowls in their stadium.

6. San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots
Both fanbases are fortunate to have so many Super Bowls to look back on.  Both teams have the best case for the best two-decade stretch in NFL history (49ers in the 80s and 90s, Patriots in the 2000s and 2010s).  Both teams are storied franchises that don't really have a reason to be mad at the other as they've never matched up in the Super Bowl... yet.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baltimore Ravens
If you love defense, you'll love these two teams.  Both won Super Bowls in the early 2000s with an all-time defense and a QB that was less than stellar (Dilfer, Johnson).  Both have won another Super Bowl since then over a team in a Western division.  Both teams also employ pyrotechnics and play in milder climates.

8. Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins
Now the climates are nowhere near similar, but they have similar histories.  The Bears and Dolphins both excelled in the 70s and 80s and haven't had much luck since.  Both have struggled to find franchise quarterbacks in the last 25 years.  And if you think about it, one could argue the two single greatest seasons in NFL history belong to these two teams ('72 Dolphins, '85 Bears).  

9. Dallas Cowboys and Las Vegas Raiders
Now this is probably my most controversial pairing, but both teams have widespread fanbases and high-tech fancy stadiums.  Both fanbases would probably be ranked near the bottom of NFL fanbases by an unbiased poll.  Both have had success in their history, but not a lot in recent memory.  Both fanbases will be unsufferable once they finally win it all again.

10. Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Chargers
Both play in fancy new stadiums, both have had mild spurts of success but never winning it all.  Both organizations have had some of the greatest offensive players in NFL history.  Both play in milder climates and stadiums that have hosted a Super Bowl.  

11. Philadelphia Eagles and New York Jets
Both play on the East Coast and wear the color green.  Both organizations have been through some rough years.  Both have won just one Super Bowl.  And it's not exactly a mark of pride to say you're a fan of either of these teams.  

12. New York Giants and Denver Broncos
Both teams succeeded in the 90s, resulting in Super Bowl wins.  Both won at least one Super Bowl this millennium, thanks to a Manning.  Both have struggled to find the successor to Manning.  Both organizations are storied franchises that have fans across the country.

13. Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers
Hear me out.  If we were in the late 90s, this would be without question.  However, they have not had the same success in recent years.  But I would still argue that if the Steelers fan wanted a "baby brother" type team to root for, it'd be the Commanders.  And if a Commanders fan wanted a more successful team to root for, it'd be the Steelers.  Both teams had success many years ago, and you can't talk about the history of the NFL in the 70s-90s without bringing up these two teams.  And hey, they can both hate on the Cowboys.

14. Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals
Neither has won a Super Bowl, although they've both made it to multiple Super Bowls.  They've seen some great offense in the last 20 years, although only a few division titles and fewer playoff wins.  They each have a big brother in their division, a storied franchise they would love to see struggle (Packers, Steelers).  They each have a little brother who always seems to struggle (Lions, Browns).  

15. New Orleans Saints and Tennessee Titans
They both play in the South and in the past 20 years are generally competitive.  They both currently have amazing running backs (Kamara, Henry) and don't have the most success in their history, so neither can really gloat.  And both have loyal fans whose jerseys you'll typically only see in their home state.

16. Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts
The biggest similarity I see is both teams had one of the best offenses in NFL history in the early 2000s.  Both have shown the ability to score on artificial turf.  Both have had amazing running backs throughout their history.  Both have drafted a QB #1 overall in the last 15 years who battled injuries throughout their career and did not win them a Super Bowl (Luck, Bradford).  Both have moved west in their history.  

Well, those are all the matchups I see.  These could change throughout the years.  I almost wanted to put the Bills and Vikings together, as they've seen the most Super Bowl losses, but I didn't know who to put with the Seahawks, then.