Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaepernick

[Steve_OS]

Richard Sherman, Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick have advanced to Round 3 of the Madden NFL 15 cover vote. No real surprises here, except for maybe a few Shady fans. Andrew Luck squeaked out a win over LeSean McCoy by 8 percentage points. None of the others were very close.

Place your vote here. Round 3 voting ends on May 30th.

For those of you that are into this sort of thing, who are you pulling for?

Press Release

Sherman, Kaepernick, Newton and Luck Continue Their Quest for the Cover

The Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote has reached the semi-finals, and four of the NFL’s most-talented young players vie to be the face of the storied franchise. The NFL’s hottest rivalry reignites, as Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman battles San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick once more. On the other side of the bracket, dynamic QBs Cam Newton and Andrew Luck go toe-to-toe for their shot at the final round. Will Kaepernick earn some measure of vindication after last year’s NFC Championship game, or will Sherman once again deny him the glory? Can Newton become the only player to ever reach the finals of the Madden Cover Vote twice, or does Luck prove he’s just as capable at winning off the field as he is on it?

The answers to these questions are in the hands of the fans, as they can go to ESPN.com/maddenvote to determine who they want to see in the finals. They can also campaign on behalf of their favored winner by using the hashtag #MaddenCover. The finalists will be revealed Friday, May 30, at 4:00pm ET on NFL Live on ESPN. The two finalists will appear and the overall winner will be announced live from LA LIVE Plaza in a special segment during the 6 p.m. hour of SportsCenter on Friday, June 6.

Madden NFL 15 delivers everything fans need to own their rivals on both sides of the field, including the most immersive defensive gameplay control in franchise history. Like the Super Bowl XLVIII champion Seattle Seahawks, you can pave your way to the Lombardi Trophy by building a stout defense fit to challenge the best offenses in the game. Fans will also experience an entirely new broadcast presentation that delivers Madden NFL game day like never before with dramatic all-new camera angles, as well as dynamic pre-game and halftime features. It’s not just football, it’s Madden Season.

Madden NFL 15 is developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon and will be available on August 26 in North America and on August 29 in the EU for Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation®3 entertainment system. To learn more about Madden NFL 15, visit http://www.easports.com/madden-nfl.

[MossMan84]

If its going to be a game that has much improved defense then Sherman is cool. Plus Seahawks are the champs so it works out pretty well. I said Sherman would win from the beginning and still have no doubt but my other vote will go to Luck! Luck isnt too far away from being league MVP and Super Bowl MVP.

[DKHardee]

Anybody but Sherman. I'm a Niner fan so there's the obvious reason I don't want Sherman on the cover. Then when it comes to Kaepernick, I'm just not sure he's worthy. Running skills are second to none but he is far from an all around QB. To me Luck is... Boring. I'd have to go with Cam Newton as my pick.

- I wish Bowman or Willis was available

[XxJustAguessxX]

I say Sherman or Cam. They are the most polarizing figures left, Cam and his bravado and Sherman and his mouth LoL. Luck is pretty straight forward and boring in my opinion. I don't think they would put Kap on the cover because of his recent situation with the law and women's groups would have a baby if they put him on the cover so in closing I expect the cover to go to Sherman or Cam.

[The JareBear]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

I think it will be Sherman. Like him or love him, he's one of the "faces of the NFL," even though I hate that phrase.

[XXstormmXX]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

Voted for Kap to keep Sherman off the cover and for Luck because Cam played for Auburn.

[rtkiii]

Shreman...what a dousche. Luck would be a great cover athlete but I do not want him to get injured...so sherman the curse is all yours..

[FaceMask]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

I don't care about the cover vote. But, I'd like to see John Madden on one last cover. It would've been nice to have had him on the cover of Madden 25, what with the 25th Anniversary concept and all.

[SageInfinite]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

Sherman got this. Good money.

[mestevo]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

I'd prefer Cam, and while I voted against him to be a contrarian it'll be Sherman, most popular player in the NFL at the moment... so that's where the votes will go.

I don't care about the cover vote. But, I'd like to see John Madden on one last cover. It would've been nice to have had him on the cover of Madden 25, what with the 25th Anniversary concept and all.

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[Gridiron]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

I don't care about the cover vote. But, I'd like to see John Madden on one last cover. It would've been nice to have had him on the cover of Madden 25, what with the 25th Anniversary concept and all.

That's what I thought they were gonna do. The dude is 78. At least give him one more for the road, y'know?

[DKHardee]

That's what I thought they were gonna do. The dude is 78. At least give him one more for the road, y'know?

If the road was to come to an end... Would it still be called "Madden"?

[PantherBeast_OS]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

One I don't want Cam to be on the cover of Madden. And yes I sort of believe in the curse. 2 Let either Kaep or Sherman have the cover. Sherman more the anything. Hope Sherman enjoys his year in the NFL. Maybe!! (Madden Curse) But at the end of the day I could careless about the cover vote. I care only see how decent Madden 15 might be and hope it will be this coming year.

[ForUntoOblivionSoar∞]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

Anybody but Sherman. I'm a Niner fan so there's the obvious reason I don't want Sherman on the cover. Then when it comes to Kaepernick, I'm just not sure he's worthy. Running skills are second to none but he is far from an all around QB. To me Luck is... Boring. I'd have to go with Cam Newton as my pick.

- I wish Bowman or Willis was available

One thing I don't get about Kaepernick critics. They just make assumptions. Who had better PASSING numbers this year, Kap or Newton?

Passer rating:

Kap: 91.6

Newton: 88.8

Conclusion: Kaepernick is a bit better game manager.

Yards per Attempt:

Kap: 7.7

Newton: 7.1

Conclusion: Kaepernick is more dangerous through the air on a per pass basis.

Touchdown percentage:

Kap: 5.0

Newton: 5.1

Conclusion: Newton is slightly more likely to throw a touchdown per pass.


Interception percentage:

Kap: 1.9

Newton: 2.7

Conclusion: Kaepernick is far better at protecting the ball in the air.



Adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt:

Kap: 6.65

Newton: 5.69

Conclusion: Kaepernick is unquestionably a more dangerous passer on a per pass basis.


Total Pass Attemps (~ and this is why you think so poorly of Kap in comparison to Newton, although you don't realize it).

Kap: 416

Newton: 473

Conclusion: Newton isn't on the team who threw the ball fewer than any other team, unlike Kaepernick.


When I look at these statistics, I see that Kaepernick not only is more careful with his passes, but he is also asked to do more DOWN THE FIELD (look at yards per attempt, which is extremely high, among the top ten).



Basically, the numbers indicate that Kaepernick is actually more of a complete passer than Newton. But the public perception does not. You can go with public perception, I'll go with observable reality.

As for all this talk about "one read," it is over blown. The fact is the 49ers have several passes where the pre-snap line up determines where the ball is supposed to go, and on the plays that they don't and Kaepernick sticks with one receiver, it isn't because he can't go through progressions. It's because he's too greedy and tries to make the big play all the time. He tries to do too much, and needs to take a lesson from Steve Young and let the players around him win the game.

[kjcheezhead]

Re: Madden NFL 15 Cover Vote Advances to Round 3 with Sherman, Cam, Luck and Kaeperni

One thing I don't get about Kaepernick critics. They just make assumptions. Who had better PASSING numbers this year, Kap or Newton?

Passer rating:

Kap: 91.6

Newton: 88.8

Conclusion: Kaepernick is a bit better game manager.

Yards per Attempt:

Kap: 7.7

Newton: 7.1

Conclusion: Kaepernick is more dangerous through the air on a per pass basis.

Touchdown percentage:

Kap: 5.0

Newton: 5.1

Conclusion: Newton is slightly more likely to throw a touchdown per pass.


Interception percentage:

Kap: 1.9

Newton: 2.7

Conclusion: Kaepernick is far better at protecting the ball in the air.



Adjusted Net Yards Per Attempt:

Kap: 6.65

Newton: 5.69

Conclusion: Kaepernick is unquestionably a more dangerous passer on a per pass basis.


Total Pass Attemps (~ and this is why you think so poorly of Kap in comparison to Newton, although you don't realize it).

Kap: 416

Newton: 473

Conclusion: Newton isn't on the team who threw the ball fewer than any other team, unlike Kaepernick.


When I look at these statistics, I see that Kaepernick not only is more careful with his passes, but he is also asked to do more DOWN THE FIELD (look at yards per attempt, which is extremely high, among the top ten).



Basically, the numbers indicate that Kaepernick is actually more of a complete passer than Newton. But the public perception does not. You can go with public perception, I'll go with observable reality.

As for all this talk about "one read," it is over blown. The fact is the 49ers have several passes where the pre-snap line up determines where the ball is supposed to go, and on the plays that they don't and Kaepernick sticks with one receiver, it isn't because he can't go through progressions. It's because he's too greedy and tries to make the big play all the time. He tries to do too much, and needs to take a lesson from Steve Young and let the players around him win the game.

Neither one is in the top 10 in any passing category. I don't know that either player is statistically worthy compared to other qbs in the league. Foles and Luck had better numbers while Brees, Manning, Brady,Rodgers weren't in the mix at all.
The cover vote is a popularity contest tho and those two were easily more popular than the players they were up against in this bracket. I thought McCoy could've beat Luck, but otherwise this final four was very predictable based on who EA chose to be included.