'Madden NFL 13': Analyzing Which Cover Finalist Has Better Odds of Beating Curse

The voting for the cover boy of Madden NFL 13 is down to two players, and these two players should be concerned about their mortal well-being.

Whoever wins is going to be in the crosshairs of the dreaded "Madden curse."

The final matchup is between Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton and Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, whom we all know and love as "Megatron." It's not a huge shock that they would end up going against one another in the voting, as they're easily two of the most exciting players in the league.

But which one is more at risk of falling prey to the curse?

That's exactly what I'm here to discuss.

Cam Newton

Newton's rookie season was a wonder to behold, so it sure would be a shame if the Madden curse got to him in just his second season.

The question we have to ask is whether Newton is an injury risk; the curse often strikes by destroying a player's body—Michael Vick in 2003 comes to mind.

Newton proved to be pretty durable in his rookie season. He played in all 16 games, and the only injuries he battled all season were a sore right shoulder and sprained ankle. For the most part, he was a picture of health.

Despite this, I still feel safe labeling Newton as an injury risk. He's going to take off and run a lot throughout his career, and he'll be at risk whenever he does. It's true that he's as big or bigger than a lot of the defenders who will be chasing him, but all it takes is an awkward takedown for him to get hurt.

But, Newton doesn't need to get hurt to fall prey to the curse. The curse could target his production instead, and I'm of the mind that that's an even bigger threat.

After the kind of season Newton just had, it's going to be very hard for him to be even better in his 2012 sophomore campaign. He might be able to cut down on his turnovers, but he's not going to do better than 4,000 passing yards and 700 rushing yards. The only way to go after a season like that is down.

Plus, the rest of the NFL will be gunning for Newton, and he won't have the luxury of facing defenses that didn't get to come together during the offseason thanks to the lockout.

All things considered, I'd say Newton is exactly the kind of prey the Madden curse looks for.

Calvin Johnson

Johnson could not be stopped in 2011, as he pulled down 96 receptions for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Megatron also played in all 16 of Detroit's games for the first time since 2008, which is a very positive sign. He wasn't 100 percent healthy all season, though, as he was plagued by a chronic Achilles problem for a good portion of the season.

Achilles problems and football players are not a good mix, for the record.

So, that's a concern. And, just like Newton, you have to be concerned that the only way for Megatron to go is down after his big season in 2011.

Johnson owes a lot of his 2011 success to the fact that Matthew Stafford was able to stay healthy for the first time in his career. Stafford and Johnson established a good rapport early on in the season, and Stafford rarely failed to look Johnson's way when he needed a big play.

If Stafford gets hurt in 2012, Johnson will see his numbers drop. In that event, the curse will have gotten to him in an indirect fashion.

Even if Stafford doesn't get hurt, it's hard to imagine Megatron putting up such dominant numbers again. He's an amazing player, but he's going to have a very hard time catching defenses unaware in 2012.

Verdict

There's no real debate here. Between Newton and Johnson, Newton is the one who's more at risk of falling prey to the Madden curse.

You just have to worry about quarterbacks who spend a lot of time outside the pocket. Newton's a big, tough guy, but he's not indestructible. It's not hard to imagine him getting hurt while scrambling.

Plus, there's just no way Newton is going to put up such gaudy numbers again in 2012. Count on that.

Megatron is also due for a decline, but he won't plummet back to earth as long as Stafford stays healthy. Johnson is easily the most dominant wide receiver in the NFL and a physical freak to boot.

So, if you Panthers fans want to do Newton a favor, vote for Johnson.