Louisiana Represented in Super Bowl LI
If you're planning to make your Super Bowl pick based on which team has the most players from Louisiana, here's the team you're behind: The Atlanta Falcons.
The Falcons have three Louisianans on their Super Bowl roster, while the favored Patriots have just two, plus one player who played college ball in the state.
Louisiana players on Atlanta's list include two from New Orleans - both of whom played at LSU - defensive end Tyson Jackson and linebacker Deion Jones. And the third homeboy wearing the red and black? That would be running back and Hammond native Deion Jones, who stayed at home to play at Southeast Louisiana.
For New England, a pair of players hail from Baton Rouge: Running back Brandon Bolden (Ole Miss) and placekicker Stephen Gostkowski (Memphis). And would it be stretching it a bit to give the Pats one more Louisiana guy? Punter Ryan Allen hails from Salem, Oregon, but played just down the road in Ruston at Louisiana Tech.
So, here's the final tally: Falcons, three solid. Patriots, a good two and a half. An omen for Falcons success? Let's put it this way: If right after reading this story, a friend offers you Atlanta and half a point? Take it!