When people think of legendary NFL matchups, there are several which come to mind.

• Steelers vs. Ravens
• Cowboys vs. Washington
• Eagles vs. Cowboys
• Chiefs vs. Raiders

There are plenty others, but do you know what all those rivalries listed above have in common?

They’re all division rivalries. In other words, they are seen every year, most of the time twice a year.

I understand why those rivalries are considered some of the best the game has to offer, but these rivalries also tend to be cyclical and often watered down. With the league putting many of these matchups in prime time, it’s natural for fans of the game to get fatigue when it comes to some of these matchups.

But what about Steelers vs. Cowboys? Where would that rank among the spectrum of NFL rivalries?

Most would suggest it would be near the top, and I think almost all would put it in the Top 3 of non-divisional rivalries. But why is it so special? To me, it’s based on the fact it doesn’t happen often, and when it does it usually is memorable. These two teams have met on the biggest stage, the Super Bowl, on three occasions, with the Steelers winning two of those three.

But look at some of the stats surrounding this rivalry:

Overall Series Record: Cowboys lead 17-16-0

The last 5 games between these two teams have had the winning margin be 7 points, or less. Of the last 10 matchups, 6 have been within a touchdown of each other, with the Cowboys holding a 4-6 record in those 10 games.

So, they’re close games, but that isn’t what truly makes it special, in my opinion.

What makes Steelers vs. Cowboys special is the fact it doesn’t happen often. Like the divisional rivalries listed above, the Steelers and Cowboys face off once every four years, unless they meet in the Super Bowl. With the league’s new 17-game schedule, there’s a chance they meet more than that, but the current rotation has them playing every four seasons when the AFC North is paired up with the NFC East.

When I referenced the last 10 games between these two teams, the 10th game was in 1988. Think about that.

Let’s take it a step further. When you go outside of the game of football, a rivalry which once carried a lot of weight was Yankees vs. Red Sox. Again, another bitter division rivalry, but after the early 2000s, you just got sick of seeing it on the national stage. Looking at the guide on your TV had you thinking, “Oh great, another Yankees vs. Red Sox game on national television.”

The Steelers and Cowboys are far from that, and not just because they don’t play as often.

Want to know another crazy statistic? The last time the Steelers and Cowboys played on prime time was in 1982. For context, Terry Bradshaw was still the quarterback of the Steelers, and I wasn’t born yet.

This matchup is a rarity, and pits two of the NFL’s royalty together. And, for once, the league got it right by having this game not just a late afternoon protected game, but under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football.

There is a chance some will be looking at their guide and say, “Oh great, another Steelers game on national TV.” But they certainly aren’t saying it about seeing the Steelers and Cowboys facing off against one another. No, this should be a special event, and the hope is the Steelers find a way to even the all-time record with the Cowboys by winning in Week 5 and moving their record to 4-1 on the season.