We asked an NFL fan to reveal what it's really like to watch a game in the United States

“Who dat, who dat, who dat sayin’ they gonna beat them Saints?” rang around the concourses of the Superdome.

That very much represents the typical way of life in the southern states of America; faith and family come first, but football follows closely behind.

Every bar, front porch and local business is draped in banners, flags and signs of their beloved NFL or college football team. The Americans take sport fandom to a whole new level. There is no piece of merchandise they won't wear, no sound barrier they won't burst, to ensure their passion and support is on full display.

Drew Brees led the Saints to the quickest overtime win in NFL history against the Dallas Cowboys and the Superdome erupted. The noise was ear-splitting. As I submerged myself in the jubilant atmosphere my Dad, a lifelong Cowboys fan, swiftly headed for the exit. It was all I had hoped the NFL experience in the States would be, and was a complete contrast to the week before in Miami.

The Sun Life Stadium was a more subdued atmosphere for a variety of reasons. Mainly because the Dolphins were having an example made of them by their divisional rivals and were thoroughly destroying all of the preseason hype just three games into the campaign.

Then there's the half-empty stadium aspect. American football struggles to excite the uniquely diverse city of Miami, and even a $400 million stadium renovation and the signing of the league's best defensive tackles on a $114 million contract could not bring in a sell-out crowd. The bulk of the fans appeared to be bored by the game within the first quarter of the home opener, which is a worrying sign for the future of football in Miami.

Undeterred, we hit the road for Louisiana in the hope that we would find a proper football city. And while New Orleans is not traditionally football-driven, like Cleveland or Philadelphia, the Saints play a huge role in The Big Easy's society. There is a statue of Steve Gleason's infamous punt block in 2006 entitled 'The Rebirth' to signify the rise of the city from the ruin of Hurricane Katrina.  

The Superdome is an arena fit to serve a city like New Orleans. It is essentially a spaceship that has taken up residence among the skyscrapers of the city's financial district. Rarely will you enter a place with a more spectacular view. And this provides a unique match-day experience with every street surrounding the Dome filled with tailgaters, rather than the wide open industrial-sized car parks offered in South Florida, where movement is free but the sense of community and unified identity is missing.

The Americans love their football. It is their game that has been passed through families for generations, and will continue to do so. We should be grateful they share it with us for three games a season.