Each year, Harris Interactive conducts a poll about NFL fan loyalty. This year’s poll, which was conducted online between September 11 and 18, 2007 among 2,392 U.S. adults (of whom 1,182 follow professional football), shows some interesting results… and some quite obvious ones.

First, it should come as no surprise that the Dallas Cowboys are the most popular team in the NFL. For reasons beyond me, year after stupid-ass year, the Cowpukes cruise into the top-5 in terms of popularity. Thanks mainly in part to the early 90’s glory years of Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, “America’s Team*” continues to dominate both my workplace and the Harris Poll.

Also not surprising, the Green Bay Packers have never been any less than 4th place among fan loyalties since the poll originated in 1998. How an upper Midwest team can hoard so many fans is mind-boggling. I blame #4 and his chiseled good looks.

The biggest movers and shakers in the Harris Poll are the Indianapolis Colts. I guess that’s what getting a legitimate QB and offense can do. To further point out the sheer number of bandwagoners, take a look at where Indy was prior to a winning record:

1998 - 23rd (3-13 season)
1999 - 27th (tied) (3-13 season)
2002 - 23rd (tied) (10-6 season)
2003 - 23rd (12-4 season)
2004 - 11th (12-4 season, AFC Championship Game vs. New England)
2005 - 9th (AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Pittsburgh)
2006 - 3rd (Elusive Super Bowl finally captured)
2007 - 2nd (Peyton Manning’s commercial appeal reaches critical mass)

I rest my case.

So, how does Baltimore rank in the hearts and minds of football fans everywhere? I’ll run a comparison similar to how I presented the Colts:

1998 - 27th
1999 - 25th (tied)
2002 - 32nd (Thanks a lot, Elvis Grbac)
2003 - 25th
2004 - 29th
2005 - 28th
2006 - 30th
2007 - 26th (tied)

I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I root passionately for one of the least popular teams in the NFL. That’s fine. But what if Baltimore put the pedal to the metal and went 16-0 in 2008? What if they won another Super Bowl in 2007? What if fans finally realized that the Ravens went 13-3 in 2006?

I’d be firmly convinced that nothing would change. The Cowboys, Steelers and Packers have a choke-hold on the rest of the NFL. It would take 3 Super Bowl victories in a decade to move Baltimore towards the middle of the pack (much like it took New England 3 Super Bowl victories in a decade to move from the middle of the pack to the front), and even then I wouldn’t be convinced that fans would take too kindly to Ravens football. ‘Dems the breaks, I suppose.

Here are the final 2007 rankings, in order. The BOLD text preceded by a Roman Numeral represents a Super Bowl winner since the poll was first conducted in 1998.

1. Cowboys
2. Colts (XLI)
   
3. Steelers (XL)
   
4. Packers
5. Bears
6. Patriots (XXXIX, XXXVIII, XXXVI)
   
7. Giants
8. Eagles
9. 49ers
10. Chargers
11. Raiders
12. Redskins
13. Browns
14. Dolphins
15. Panthers
16. Broncos (XXXIII, XXXII)
    
17. Jets
18. Bengals
19. Vikings
20. Seahawks
21. Saints
22. Buccaneers (XXXVII)
    
23. Rams (XXXIV)
24. Chiefs
25. Lions
26. Titans
27. Ravens (XXXV)
    
28. Falcons
29. Cardinals
30. Bills
31. Texans
32. Jaguars

* “America’s Team” is the biggest bunch of BS I’ve ever heard. That would be like Detroit calling itself “Hockeytown” while staring at Ontario across the water. Oh, wait.