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If you frequent the Falcoholic, you're probably someone who would balk at the idea of rooting for any NFL team other than the Falcons. There may be a handful of other teams in the NFL that you don't necessarily hate with the fire of a thousand burning suns, but not hating a team and actively rooting for them are two different things.
Unfortunately for all of us, rooting for the Falcons is not an option at this point of the season, unless you're really into rooting for Matt Ryan to perform well on the golf course. Yet, there is still football to be played. It's unlikely that Falcons fans are throwing their hearts and souls into rooting for any of these four teams today, but most people watch games with at least a mild preference for one team or the other to win.
For Falcons fans, the Seahawks are likely the easy choice in the NFC. Yes, the Seahawks have Pete Carroll and Richard Sherman, but they don't have Jim Harbaugh or Colin Kaepernick. The Seahawks have knocked the Saints out of the playoffs twice in recent memory, forever endearing themselves to many Falcons fans.
The Falcons actually beat the Seahawks in the playoffs last season, punching Atlanta's ticket to the NFC Championship Game. The Niners, on the other hand, crushed Atlanta's hopes for a Super Bowl appearance in that NFC Championship Game. Most importantly, the Falcons and the Niners were division rivals in the NFC West for many years, and throughout that time, Falcons fans viewed the Niners pretty much the way contemporary fans view the Saints. Rooting for the Niners will never be an option for most Falcons fans, myself included.
In the AFC, it's a more difficult decision. The Patriots beat the Falcons this season, and the Falcons beat Denver last season in spectacular fashion, so it may be a little easier for Falcons fans to stomach rooting for Peyton Manning and company today. Also, haven't we all seen enough of Tom Brady in Super Bowls? Probably.
Who will you root for today, Falcons fans?
