The new National Football League (NFL) season is fast approaching which means residents from Lakewood will soon be making their way up the Garden State Parkway to the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford to support either the New York Giants or New York Jets.
Do Good Fences Make Good Neighbors?
The Giants and Jets do, of course, share the same stadium in New Jersey. However, despite, this unique arrangement, the rivalry between the two NFL sides is surprisingly subdued with fans of both teams often mingling with little animosity which is unusual for teams in such close proximity.
To grasp how rare the peaceful coexistence between the Giants and Jets is, one should consider the intense rivalry between Italy’s top soccer teams, Inter and AC Milan, who also share the same stadium in Milan.
While that is an extreme example, the reality is that the contrast with the harmonious relationship in New Jersey is striking.
Can the Jets Bridge the Gap in 2025?
Interstingly, the Jets have far better odds of winning Super Bowl LIX at +2,000 than the Giants do at +10,000.
Jets fans in Lakewood who think that Robert Saleh’s men can go all the way this season can access these promos for 2024 NFL season with BetMGM offering as much as $1,500 in bonus bets while Caesars Sportsbook is offering new customers a welcome bonus of $1,000 back in credits.
There will undoubtedly be many fans taking advantage of these new season promotions and betting on the Jets to fulfill their tag as this season’s dark horses.
Can’t Start a Fire Without a Spark
The main reason is that the Giants and Jets don’t play each other very often as they are in different conferences in the NFL – the Giants make up part of the National Football Conference (NFC) while the Jets form part of the American Football Conference (AFC).
This separation means that the two teams only play each other once every four years in the regular season. In other words, this infrequency helps prevent any bad blood from festering between the two teams.
Indeed, in sports, high-stakes games and a sense of jeopardy are often needed to build an intense rivalry that leads to grudges being hard to forget. Without this setup in the Garden State, the Giants and Jets are merely like ships passing in the night.
Additionally, the Giants have never felt particularly threatened by the Jets as they enjoy a far superior record of Super Bowl wins having lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy on four occasions while the Jets have hoisted it aloft just once back in 1969.
Ultimately, until that number gets closer, the Giants won’t lose sleep over their neighbors’ accomplishments though, as we’ve seen, things may change in 2025.
The Dormant Derby
While a Jets Super Bowl win will certainly make for thrilling viewing, it might also help to heat up the rivalry between them and the Giants.
For now, though, this will continue to be a dormant derby in New Jersey. Yes, the anticipation and potential for change in the coming seasons could bring new energy to this dynamic but until then, the Giants and Jets will remain distant rivals despite sharing a home.