!@#$ the fish, !@#$ the *cheatriots, !@#$ the jests and !@#$ the colts. Anyone thats been in the AFC east since i've been watching football is a rival in my book.
I think rivalries do matter and I know as a fan that the games verses the teams I mentioned get my blood running a little hotter than the rest of the league.
Rivalries have changed in that way for me too, I don't hate the opposing players as much as i did during the time you mentioned. Now its just the teams.