How Falcons and Patriots fans are not alike

Falcons fans Sharon Vickery (left) and Diane Page (right), both from Canton, have some good-natured fun with Patriots fan Jesssalyn DiManno in Houston. They were all taking in the pro football interactive theme park the NFL Experience. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Falcons fans Sharon Vickery (left) and Diane Page (right), both from Canton, have some good-natured fun with Patriots fan Jesssalyn DiManno in Houston. They were all taking in the pro football interactive theme park the NFL Experience. Curtis Compton/ccompton@ajc.com

There is more that separates us than the hue of our belly paint.

In the spirit of our nation’s present political polarization as well as our fixation on anything that smells of the Super Bowl, let’s dissect the distinctions between Atlanta Falcons fans and fans of the wrong team, bless their hearts.

Here's what Nielsen Sports found when it crunched data on followers of the New England Patriots versus the Atlanta Falcons:

1. They have followed their team more than we have. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of the people in the Boston area have embraced their Patriotism by attending, viewing or listening to a Patriots game. Just under half (48 percent) of Atlanta Falcons fans have done the same with our team (which, for reference, is that local football organization that’s not the Georgia Bulldogs).

2. Their top alcoholic beverage is wine, whereas we choose beer first.

3. They eat at Mexican restaurants way less than we do. But they edge us a bit when it comes to dining at Chinese restaurants during a month.

4. They are not as accepting of frozen pizzas as we are.

5. We are more likely to be younger homeowners with kids. Millennials Rise Up! (I like pretending I’m still 32.)

6. We are more likely to have contributed to religious organizations (50 percent versus 31 percent). Just saying, God.

7. OK, more of them have contributed to military/veterans organizations than we have (23 percent compared to 15 percent).

8. More Patriots fans than Falcons fans said they had eaten ice cream, frozen juice bars or frozen yogurt in the seven days before they were surveyed (64 percent vs. 58 percent). Weird, right?