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The Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

October 30, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

The Cover 4.com presents you with The Week 8 NFL Power Rankings! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

Well, we are already halfway through the 2013 NFL season. Just like any season in football, it has been filled with pleasant surprises and surprising disappointments. If your favorite team is not playing its best, do not fret because a lot can happen the next eight weeks.

Depending on what you think of commissioner Roger Goodell (probably nothing good), you have to give him credit for keeping this league fair and full of parity through various means. You can basically separate the league into three different tiers based on winning percentage, but even then different teams from different tiers blend together due to strength of schedule and/or good and bad breaks in games (Tampa Bay, as bad it is, should have at least one win). You’d be hard pressed to find someone who isn’t for parity in professional sports, unless you are me and how it is my job to attempt to rank these teams effectively. Four weeks in, the Denver Broncos seemed to be the clear cut No. 1 team. After the last two weeks, perhaps the gap isn’t as quite as large as we thought. Either way, after I name the team and its rank, in parenthesis will be the amount of spots they climbed or fell from my preseason rankings. This part will be especially funny when we get to TampaBay or the New York Giants. After that, I’ll give a brief explanation on why I put them there, and either me defending why I thought they would be good or me making fun of myself as I pull quotes from my late August column. Let’s get to it.

1. Denver Broncos (+2)

Through four weeks, Peyton Manning and the Broncos were the talk of the town with the most prolific offensive start in the history of the NFL. Armed with so many weapons, Manning looked unstoppable as he was dinking and dunking his way to the record books. The Broncos looked solid on defense even if they were doing it without the second-best defensive player in football, Von Miller, and their best cornerback, Champ Bailey. Well, a loss to the Indianapolis Colts and slow starts against the Washington Racial Slurs (in the first half) and Dallas Cowboys stopped their incredible progress and may have shown a blueprint on how to beat them, by targeting their weak offensive line and playing physical, hard-nosed defense. Using that strategy come December and January, and add in Peyton’s terrible cold temperature record in the playoffs (0-4 in games under 40 degrees), this team will roll through the regular season but might be more exposed than people expect come playoff time.

2. Seattle Seahawks (-1)

This team is probably best fit to beat the Broncos in the postseason (or Super Bowl, considering conference), and not just because it’s ranked second. The Seahawks have the punishing defense whose best asset is their secondary and a coolheaded quarterback who knows the best way to beat Denver is to not let them on the field. This team will always be in the top three, just because they are amazingly well balanced. Great defense, and good distribution of when to throw and when to hand it off to feature back Marshawn Lynch.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (+13)

We have our first double-digit jump! The Chiefs were the sexy pick in preseason to bounce back from a morbid 2-14 season last year, but no one could have predicted an 8-0 start. This team is your best bet to beat Denver in the AFC playoffs, only because it’s a slightly lesser version of the Seahawks. Kansas City’s defense is playing just as well as Seattle’s if not better, but the fall off is on the offensive side of the ball. Say what you want about Andy Reid’s game management (if you give me some time, I can say a lot) but this season he has remained relatively mistake free. Whether that is a fluke, it is nonetheless encouraging. Alex Smith is another great game manager, but just a step below Russell Wilson. He has conference championship experience, and can utilize weapons to overcome his shortcomings. The Chiefs defense, combined with the slow and plodding offense but sudden playmaking ability of Jamaal Charles, presents an underrated challenge to the Broncos.

4. Indianapolis Colts (+14)

The Colts made an even bigger jump than the Chiefs. I wrote about them last week, and how Andrew Luck is a one man regression fighter. In my preseason preview, I said the numbers pointed to the Colts overachieving last season and were bound to come down to earth, but this team is still very good because of who is under center. Well, I was half right. Surely, I didn’t expect them to beat the San Francisco 49ers, Broncos and Seahawks, all of which are incredible wins. One win is a fluke, two you might get lucky, but three wins against three teams in the (spoiler alert) top seven? That demands attention, and respect.

5. New Orleans Saints (+8)

With my initial ranks, the knock against the Saints was never against Drew Brees and his jolly band of bit piece scorers (besides Jimmy Graham) because Marques Colston is taking a fall vacation. I didn’t underestimate the return of Sean Payton either, who now has cemented himself as a top-three coach in the NFL with the dramatic turnaround from last season. Nope, I was dubious of how improved this defense could be under an obese homeless man Rob Ryan. Ryan, compensating for a (still) subpar defense by relentlessly blitzing (without “additional” instructions) has turned the Saints into an overall respectable force for which to be reckoned.

6. San Francisco 49ers (-4)

Through eight weeks, yes, the Saints are better than the 49ers. Colin Kaepernick looks lost without his wingman Michael Crabtree, and Anquan Boldin has not only come back to Earth, but may have tunneled half a mile underground after his hot start in the beginning of the season. Kaepernick is still a good quarterback, although he has been getting a lot of flak for his play, some of it undeserving. The defense has absorbed its fair share of losses, but nothing more significant than any other team. This team can still and will do damage come playoff time, and probably from the wild card spot which presents an interesting dynamic in the NFC playoff picture.

7. Green Bay Packers (-2)

This team moved back two spots just by the detriment of the Chiefs and Colts surprising me. Textbook Aaron Rodgers being Aaron Rodgers, lose your primary tight end (Jermichael Finley) and your main offensive weapon (Randall Cobb), your go to man in offseason (Greg Jennings) and your offense doesn’t miss a beat. The Packers will keep finding random wide receivers to fill in for them until they call me to suit up and I put up a 1,000 yard season. Their defense is average at best, but only needs to do enough to keep it close for Rodgers.

8. Detroit Lions (+14)

Another double-digit jump and we are still in the top 10. I said before the season this team doesn’t jump in my rankings “unless they smarten up on defense” and last time I checked Ndamukong Suh did not try to stomp on anyone’s private parts this season and their head coach hasn’t tried to fight another head coach yet in 2013. Their wins aren’t terribly impressive, but their defense does enough for them to win, which was my primary concern with them (Suh jokes aside).

9. Cincinnati Bengals (+1)

I was particularly high on the Bengals coming in. I still like them, but not as much as I did. They probably would’ve been bumped out of my top 10 (for whatever that’s worth) before Week 8, but then Andy Dalton threw five TD passes and I noticed he has actually strung together a nice set of games recently. If he can sustain his success and build on it, this is probably the fourth-best team coming out of the AFC if you factor in their stingy defense (although losing cornerback Leon Hall hurts).

10. New England Patriots (-4)

The Patriots fall from grace could be easy to blame on the injuries they’ve suffered; namely Jerrod Mayo, Aqib Talib (game to game), Vince Wilfork, Sebastian Vollmer, Danny Amendola, Shane Vereen and Rob Gronkowski. But it started earlier than that, when New England’s calculated risk of letting Wes Welker go ultimately backfired when they surrounded the visibly aging Tom Brady with subpar weapons to work with on offense. Even through eight weeks, this could already be chalked up to a lost season considering their significant losses and Brady’s surprising impotency under center.

11. Baltimore Ravens (-4)

Is it just me, or is this the first Super Bowl champion in the new era of technology to fly under the radar? I feel like I still can’t get a read on this team, nor do I care. Ray Rice got hit with the Shaun Alexander bug, rendering him pretty unthreatening and looking older than his age. His and Flacco’s contracts have hamstrung this team’s cap space, even if they have solid defensive players sprouting up like weeds to plug holes in their defense.

12. Dallas Cowboys (+6)

How ‘bout them Cowboys? I am at the point of feeling bad for them, and in particular Tony Romo. I will not defend Romo here, but the man just can not win. The Cowboys will always be a dangerous team, but I’ve been saying their poor mismanagement of their roster will always drag them down. Luckily, a recent article by Bill Barnwell can explain that much better than I can if you want the real breakdown.

13. Carolina Panthers (+9)

Last year, the Panthers probably lost two or three games due to their incompetent head coach Ron Rivera. Terrible in-game management and failure to pounce on calculated but aggressive decisions, it seemed like this team was already doomed from the start for its 2013 campaign. But Rivera opened his eyes and realized he had the best short yardage back (Cam Newton), despite their very pricey backfield. If the Panthers can add a legit receiving threat and get a worthy starter for their defense, this team has the potential to be dangerous next year.

14. San Diego Chargers (+14)

Boy, what a difference an offensive line does for a quarterback. Philip Rivers is looking good, Ryan Mathews hasn’t exploded into a million little glass pieces and the Chargers might look better than their 4-3 record suggests. They fell apart against Houston, lost to Oakland with that funky 11:30 p.m. Sunday night start time and lost another close game to Tennessee. They are a dark horse to grab a wild card spot.

15. Miami Dolphins (+6)

In the preview, I said both the offense and defense didn’t really improve, but moved more sideways despite them bringing in some well-known names. Although Mike Wallace has yet to answer the call, the Dolphins have been plodding along due to their stingy defense. They have lost four in a row, but wins and losses do not tell the whole story.

16. Tennessee Titans (+10)

I was surprised by the Titans success so far this season. Their last three games before their bye were especially tough; they faced KC, Seattle and San Francisco and managed to keep the first two close contests. That’s pretty much all you can hope for from a middling team.

17. Chicago Bears (-8)

Much like New England, this drop is due more to injuries than anything else. Losing Jay Cutler is obviously huge, but losses to the defensive line and Lance Briggs can not be overlooked, either. If Cutler can return in a timely fashion, this team is poised to make a late season run if the NFC North is still available for the taking, or at worst a wild card spot.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (+6)

I think we know by now that Chip Kelly’s offense is legit. I wrote earlier in the season that the key to their offense is Mike Vick’s health, and right now that situation looks pretty grim. This team is bound to drop in the rankings by the end of the season, just because they are forced to put Matt Barkley and Nick Foles under center. But if Kelly gets a quarterback he wants in this year’s draft that can effectively run his offense, watch out for the Eagles next year.

19. Washington Racial Slurs (-8)

I think it is safe to say that Robert Griffin came back too early. He looks uncomfortable in the pocket, and continually overthrows his receivers. His porous defense lends him no favors, either. Still, we were saying the same thing about the Slurs last season, before they put together a great second-half run to make the playoffs. I am not saying it is out of the realm of possibility, but their remaining games alternate from easy opponents to hard/division opponents. However the NFC East is still somehow open to anyone who wants to take it.

20. New York Jets (+10)

How about Jekyll & Hyde Geno Smith, eh? Some weeks he looks like their new franchise quarterback, and other weeks he looks like a stopgap between trying to find the new franchise quarterback. For the short term however, the Jets are riding or dying with Smith. Luckily, the pressure on him isn’t too intense, Rex Ryan has yet again worked his magic to make the defense a top-five unit in the league. Now only if they can get offensive weapons with which to surround their quarterback.

21. Atlanta Falcons (-17)

Ouch, I definitely did not see this drop coming. Do not let the Julio Jones injury fool you, this team was in rough shape before the devastating injury. Granted, Roddy White and Steven Jackson were hobbled, but given Matt Ryan’s new contract and all the zeroes next to it; you kind of expect him to overcome those types of things. But when Jones went down, their defense giving up 26.3 points per game was just too much for Ryan to overcome. This team is in trouble for years to come.

22. Buffalo (+7)

This team is my darkhorse poised to make a second season run. They have an underrated front seven, and if they don’t end up trading Jarius Byrd, combined with Stephon Gilmore they could possibly make this unit top-five in the league. When EJ Manuel comes back, he will be in the same boat as the aforementioned Geno Smith. He will not be called upon to do much, and even less than Smith because of the weapons around him. Combined with a somewhat soft remaining schedule, consider me in on the Bills to climb to a 7-9 or 8-8 record.

23. Pittsburgh Steelers (-4)

Although injuries are nothing to make light of, I remarked after the Steelers lost Maurkice Pouncey that Pittsburgh was ahead of schedule on losing one critical offensive lineman in the beginning of the season. That being said, this line continually lets Ben Roethlisberger get pummeled. Their defense is rapidly aging at all the wrong places, and it looks like the Steel Curtain is starting to draw to a close on an era.

24. Arizona Cardinals (+1)

The Cardinals continue to frustrate me as they fail to get a quarterback to get Larry Fitzgerald the ball in his prime. No, Carson Palmer does not count. However, even if this team had a competent quarterback, two things would stand in their way of success: their miserable offensive line (half by design, half by injuries) and their tough division. Regardless, they have an opportunity to make a significant move in this year’s draft to snag a good quarterback because their defense is top notch and can pay a lot of attention to the other side of the ball.

25. Cleveland Browns (+2)

Oh, Brandon Weeden. Oh, Cleveland. If Cleveland is fully committed to this draft (the trade of Trent Richardson seems to indicate so) then they should us all a favor and just tank in front of our eyes by putting in Weeden. The Browns, like the Cardinals, can focus on their problems under center because of their solid defense and effective offensive weapons (Jordan Cameron and Josh Gordon).

26. Houston Texans (-18)

Oh sweet Lord. Matt Schaub is not having a good year, to say the least. Although I stand by this assessment pre-meltdown, this still looks pretty bad: “Matt Schaub is an above average QB. I’m not sure he can win you a Super Bowl, but he can certainly lead this team to 11-12 wins in a weak AFC South.” Well then. I don’t think the worst case for the Texans could have envisioned Schaub combusting this badly, but that is what happened and now the Texans are an astounding 18 points back from where they started in the beginning of the season of my rankings.

27. New York Giants (-13)

I love to pile on Eli Manning as much as the next guy, but his offensive line has resembled turnstiles, and some of his interceptions have been passes that went through his receivers’ hands. Nevertheless, this team is in a bad place on top of the bad quarterback play. David Wilson has taken a, um, step back and their defense is still pretty bad. Luckily, they play in the NFC East and are still in the playoff race.

28. St. Louis Cardinals (-8)

Admittedly hung with the Seahawks in the past iteration of Monday Night Football, but the long term injury impact of Sam Bradford hurts, even if he has supplanted himself in the “disappointment” category of first-round picks. Their defense isn’t half bad, but the lack of impact from Tavon Austin and their trio of wholly ineffective running backs does not bode well for the future.

29. Oakland Raiders (+3)

Hey how about Terrelle Pryor? He and Geno Smith are the new poor versions of Mike Vick. You ride with the highs and deal with the lows. If Darren McFadden can keep producing and their defense plays at a league-average level, if Pryor is on his game this team can sneak games out against lesser opponents. Still showing some spunk this season while GM Reggie McKenzie plans and builds towards the future is always encouraging.

30. Minnesota Vikings (-13)

Christian Ponder? Nah. Matt Cassell? Nope. Josh Freeman? Not a chance. Poor Adrian Peterson. Much like the situation our friend Larry Fitzgerald, AD is wasting away his prime against nine and sometimes 10 in the box but the Vikes still somehow find a way to eke out victories. The signing of Greg Jennings and drafting of Cordarrelle Patterson were nice, but how good do you expect them to be if no one can get them the ball?

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

“I love this team. Couple reasons: Josh Freeman is in a contract year, and I think he has some serious potential.” I am here for your entertainment, people. This description should stop and end at “Greg Schiano” but I will just add in that their MRSA outbreak, the fact you have the best cover corner in the league in zone coverage and Doug Martin’s disappointing season before it got cut short by his injury don’t help.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

This team is No. 32 by default, even though it doesn’t even deserve to be ranked. I will spare you all the hilarious stats, like the Denver Broncos two highest scoring games this season have more points than the Jaguars have all season. At this point of the dreadful Blaine Gabbert experiment, even if Jadaveon Clowney is a once in a decade talent, do the Jaguars take Teddy Bridgewater (or ‘best quarterback X’)? Believe it or not, I think they should.

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Filed Under: Football Tagged With: 22, 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, England, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City, New England, New York, New York Giants, nfl, Pittsburgh, Power Rankings, San Francisco, Tampa Bay, thecover4, Washington Racial Slurs

Projecting the USMNT 23-Man Roster for WC 2014

September 27, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

USMNT Lineup vs Mexico on September 10. Will all 11 be on the squad for Brazil 2014?

The Cover 4.com presents you with the Projecting the USMNT 23-Man Roster for WC 2014! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

The World Cup is still many months away, with more than half of the field of 32 yet to be finalized. The United States, however, is one of the few teams who have cemented their place in Brazil next summer. Now that qualification is assured, the guessing game begins: Who will be on Jürgen Klinsmann’s 23-man roster when the World Cup rolls around next June?

Predictions and projections this far in advance may be difficult, with changes in form and injuries forcing adjustments, but The Cover 4 is committed to keeping you up to date on who we believe are the best 23 players available and eligible to wear a United States jersey for the World’s greatest spectacle. From now until June, we will regularly predict that final roster and update you, our beloved readers, on who is tearing it up overseas that you may not know about, as well as any injury news that could create a spot for potential fringe players. In addition to this, we will highlight each positional battle equipping you with as much knowledge as possible leading up to Klinsmann’s final announcement next May.

So without further delay, here is the first Cover 4 roster prediction for the United States Men’s National Team leading up to the 2014 World Cup:

Goalkeepers (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa/England), Tim Howard (Everton/England), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake/MLS)

Outside Defenders (4): DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla/Mexico), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana/Mexico), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96/Germany), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC/MLS)

Center Defenders (5): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City/MLS), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/Germany), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/England), Omar González (Los Angeles Galaxy/MLS), Clarence Goodson (San Jose Earthquakes/MLS)

Outside Midfielders (3): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes/France), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim/Germany), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City/MLS)

Center Midfielders (4): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake/MLS), Michael Bradley (AS Roma/Italy), Jermaine Jones (Schalke/Germany), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht/Belgium)

Forwards (4): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland/England), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC/MLS), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy/MLS), Aron Jóhannsson (AZ Alkmaar/Netherlands)

A couple notes for clarification before defending the selections: Geoff Cameron is listed as a center defender but has also been used in center midfield and right back, so consider him under all three of those positions. Fabian Johnson has also played outside defender but Klinsmann’s preference is to play him as a left wing so that’s where we put him. Similarly with DaMarcus Beasley who has been a regular at left back for Klinsmann but plays left wing for Puebla in Mexico, we went with where he plays most for the National team. Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan are listed as forwards, though one or the other could line up behind Altidore while the other moves to the right wing as we have seen when Klinsmann shifts to a 4-4-2.

Now to the real business of explaining some selections, the first thing to address: Steve Cherundolo is projected in this lineup under the assumption he will finally be healthy by next June. He has struggled with injuries for the past several months and is currently sidelined following another knee surgery. However, since no one has stepped up and solidified themselves in his place, he will remain the projected starter at right back. Brad Evans has been the best of the replacements, but a change in form could see the likes of Timothy Chandler or Michael Parkhurst step up and take a spot.

German-American sensation John Brooks may also surprise some with his inclusion here as a center defender given his age and lack of international experience. With as much as Klinsmann has fought for him to commit his future to the US, it would be a crime for Klinsmann to leave him out this time around. Don’t be surprised to see Brooks on the field in one of the next two World Cup Qualifying matches that would permanently cap-tie him to the US, assuming he’s healthy, after leaving a recent match for his club early due to injury. He is also the top-rated defender on his team according to one reliable German football site that tracks and evaluates Bundesliga players, so expect to see him next summer in Brazil.

Some of you may also wonder where Mix Diskerud and Jose Torres are on this list, who were regulars for Klinsmann this summer during the Gold Cup. Both of those players deserve to be on the team, especially given Diskerud’s performance as a substitute against Mexico, but there are only so many places. Sacha Kljestan is on this team right now because he has been absolutely on fire for Anderlecht in Belgium scoring goals at an incredible rate, so he gets the nod over Diskerud, though he has been in good form for Rosenborg in Norway as well. However, we saw Kyle Beckerman effectively used as a replacement for Michael Bradley in the Mexico game, and that performance combined with Klinsmann’s confidence in him give him preference over Diskerud or Torres, while Kljestan’s ability to score goals gives him the edge in the final spot there.

Few would argue with Alejandro Bedoya, Fabian Johnson, and Graham Zusi on the wings. Bedoya has been a regular starter for Nantes and played well when he got his chance against Mexico, while Zusi has proven himself more than capable in prior World Cup Qualifiers despite struggling against Costa Rica. Brek Shea is currently on the shelf for Stoke City after picking up an ugly leg injury during a preseason friendly, and was not overly impressive during the Gold Cup, though he could challenge for a spot when healthy and at his best.

The final tough decision came at forward. Both Terrence Boyd and Aron Jóhannsson are unstoppable right now for their club teams. Boyd has been attracting serious attention playing for Rapid Vienna in Austria, scoring 22 goals in 51 appearances since joining the club last year, and has teams like Lazio (Italy) and West Ham (England) hungry to add him during the January transfer period. Jóhannsson has been equally impressive with nine goals in 12 games so far this season for his club including a hat trick in the team’s Domestic Cup game this week to lead AZ Alkmaar to victory in extra time.

For the first time in recent memory, the United States has a good problem to have: They have several quality players to choose from and depth at numerous positions. As the year goes on, it will be important to track who is getting healthy and who is playing well at the right time. A player on a hot streak is extremely dangerous in tournaments, especially when it is the World Cup, so an in-form player may get chosen over a more talented player that is out of form.

Be sure to check back with the Cover 4 as we continually update this squad list and analyze the positional battles over the coming weeks and months, and leave comments on who you feel we left off the list that should be on, as well as who you think should not be on the team that we have projected a spot to, and begin to catch World Cup fever with us!

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Filed Under: The Other Sports Tagged With: Alejandro Bedoya, back, Brad Evans, Brazil, England, Fabian Johnson, fc, Germany, Graham Zusi, injury, Italy, Kyle Beckerman, Man Roster, mexico, mls, Steve Cherundolo, thecover4, time, United States, USMNT, WC, World Cup

What should we make of the Philadelphia Eagles offense?

September 15, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

If you didn’t watch the Philadelphia Eagles versus the Washington Offensive Slurs on Monday Night Football, you definitely missed out. ESPN was relentless with its pimping of the return of RGIII, but what stole the show was Chip Kelly and Philadelphia’s supercharged offense. The plays were explosive, the formations were wacky, and I loved every minute of it. At the end of the half, the Eagles were up 26-7. Those seven points were lucky for the Slurs, as Mike Vick threw a backwards pass inside the 10 that was returned for a touchdown. So really, it could have been 33-0. That point aside, the question begs: is this the offense of the future? Well technically, Bill Belichick already implemented it last year at times for New England, but now that the mastermind Kelly jumped to the NFL, it’s the creator himself putting it to use on the biggest stage. His offense ushers in a new era of how we think of the offense, but I don’t think the Eagles can sustain their success they had in their first game. Here’s why:

Did you notice how I only talked about the first half? Once the Eagles got out to such a comfortable lead, it would be detrimental to their goal (winning) to keep playing at a breakneck speed. Their plan should be to draw out the clock and give as little time as possible for Washington to mount a comeback. Well, the plan looked good on paper, but the Eagles couldn’t execute a simple based offense. The offense looked confused and Vick did what he usually does when he is bad: holds the ball too long and tries to make plays when they are not there. The loss of Jeremy Maclin was glaring in the second half. Philadelphia has very explosive weapons, but Vick needs a reliable receiver to go to on third down when they are in a pinch. DeSean Jackson is no doubt talented, but his talents start and end with speed and the ability to run a straight line downfield. However, the Eagles offense isn’t totally to blame. Their defense was mostly in prevent mode, which basically equates to a bend but don’t break mentality. They’ll give up the easy underneath stuff to make sure they are not burnt deep, but unfortunately they didn’t prevent much in the way of touchdowns either because the Slurs made it a game in the second half.

The second reason why this type of success is not sustainable for Philadelphia is Vick himself. Vick as a quarterback puts a lot on the table – but also takes a lot off of it. Kelly chose the Eagles job because his offense needs a mobile quarterback to implement its read option, and he thought he could mold Vick into the terrifying force he has the potential to be. However, his bad decision making (stretching plays, slinging balls into tight coverage and not sliding or going out of bounds and causing fumbles) and his chronic ability to get injured could cripple the offense before it even gets a chance to lift off. Given Vick’s history, this has more than a good chance of happening.

For number three, every offense introduced in this age is a fad. Look what happened to the famed Wildcat. The Patriots were completely dumbfounded(much like Washington on Monday) when the Miami Dolphins unveiled it for the first time in a regular season contest in 2008. Now the Wildcat is merely an afterthought, unless you’re Brian Schottenheimer and bring in Tim Tebow to run an offense everyone already knew how to defend two years ago. However, I’ll admit the Wildcat was more gimmicky than what Kelly is currently running. In the Wildcat, the play was predicated on a running back or wide receiver taking a direct snap or lining up in a quirky position, which is obviously not realistic for an entire game. The offense Philadelphia is running is based on receiver route trees and the read option between the quarterback and the running back, which we already know is an established wrinkle for offenses around the league. If there is a counterpoint to be had, Vick said after the game that the Eagles only ran 60% of their playbook. You can read into that as much or as little as you want.

Opinions aside, let’s dive into some numbers to get some objectiveness into this argument. The Eagles’ closest comparison in terms of the speediness of their offense would actually be last year’s New England Patriots. Obviously Philadelphia’s one game is about as small of a sample size as you can get, and in the grand scheme of things the 16 games that New England played last year is also a small sample size. Regardless, let’s compare the two. First off, the Patriots were first in plays per game (74) and yards per game (427.9) in 2012. Those are the only two stats I focused on because that is what everyone was talking about after the game. Against Washington, the Eagles ran 77 plays and gained 443 yards, which are better marks than New England’s average. However, some Patriots observers (admittedly, me) would say they didn’t break out their speed offense against every opponent. Taking this into account, New England ran their most amount of plays against four teams: Denver, Seattle, Miami and San Francisco. In those games, the Patriots ran an average of 85 plays for 416 yards, beating Philadelphia’s play total but not surpassing their yardage. But looking at those teams, we can deduce a couple things. For one, three out of four of those teams were elite teams last year, finishing with a winning percentage of .740 (which roughly equates to a 12-4 record). The Patriots went 1-2 in these contests, albeit losing only by a combined eight points. Also, of those previously mentioned three teams, two have elite defenses (San Francisco and Seattle) and one had an above-average defense (Denver) so obviously the Patriots realized the best way to beat these teams was to keep them on their heels. The logic is there, but the execution wasn’t.
After that onslaught of numbers, let’s recap everything that was brought up. Do I think the Eagles’ offense is sustainable? Not at the level they performed at on Monday Night Football, but I think their offense is more than just a gimmick. I also think Philadelphia can’t be as nitpicky about when to turn up its offense like the Patriots. New England’s defense wasn’t spectacular last year, but it also forced the second-most turnovers which in turn let the offense dictate the pace of play. The Eagles don’t have that luxury because their defense is horrible, so they need to score as much as possible to take the pressure off their defense. I believe in this offense, but not in the health of Vick. If Vick can stay healthy, this team has more than a respectable shot to make the playoffs, given how wide open the NFC East is. All that being said, the Kelly offense is legitimate and here to stay.

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Michael Devarenne
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Filed Under: Football Tagged With: Against Washington, back, Bill Belichick, England, Jeremy Maclin, Miami, Mike Vick, Monday Night Football, New England, nfl, Philadelphia Eagles, quarterback, San Francisco, thecover4, time, Vick, year

NFL Power Rankings: The Race for the Lombardi

September 2, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Well, the NFL season is almost upon us. In 2013, you would have to try really hard to avoid any type of coverage on upcoming season. This season looks to be a doozy (as always) with a bunch of storylines that are both extremely interesting and extremely annoying because it has been replayed over and over again (the Robert Griffin saga and the New York Jets sitcom). Before I present to you my nfl power rankings, I should mention that the entire team’s preseason play had no effect on their placement. However, I do pay attention to individual performance and think that is something tangible that carries over to the regular season. So without further ado, here we go:

1. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks claim the metaphorical throne of the inaugural 2013 NFL Power Rankings. They may have lost Percy Harvin before he actually got to see real action on the field for them, but almost all of the teams in the top 5 have suffered significant injuries/suspensions before the season even started. Speaking of suspensions, let’s hope the Seahawks stingy defense stays away from the deer antler spray and other performance enhancers. Just blame it on the Adderall, though. That little tangent aside, Russell Wilson should look to improve in his second season at quarterback, even if he might not put up as good of numbers he did in his rookie campaign. This team is solid all the way through.

2. San Francisco 49ers

What a competitive division. I gave the Seahawks the slight edge because I think their defense is a little bit better well rounded. San Fran lost their safety Dashon Goldson to free agency and cornerback Chris Culliver to injury, depleting their secondary. Additionally, the 49ers are in a similar predicament with their star wideout, Michael Crabtree, who is also out for an extended period of time. I am expecting Colin Kaepernick to develop into a better, more complete quarterback just like Wilson. Don’t get me wrong, the 49ers are an awesome team despite me picking nits with their secondary. On paper Seattle might be the better team, but if these two teams come face to face in the playoffs, it will be a toss up.

3. Denver Broncos

I thought the Broncos were overrated last season. After having the toughest first five games in the league, they had a ridiculous cupcake-y schedule the rest of the way through. But this is 2013, and I think Denver is going to be really good. No matter how much Wes Welker has left in the tank, that signing was great. Their running game should be better also, because I think Manning knows the ideal times to rush with his amazing ability to read defenses and adapt. If he can make Knowshon Moreno look good, I’m pretty sure Montee Ball/Ronnie Hillman will be fine. The big problem I have with them is their defense. Even if Champ Bailey continues to defy Mother Nature’s aging process, losing the NFL’s second best defender (Von Miller) for six games is a glaring hole; not to mention the whole Elvis Dumervil contract disaster. Even though I like the Kansas City Chiefs as a bounce back team this year, the Broncos have a very easy road to another division title and possible first round bye.

4. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons just re-signed quarterback Matt Ryan, who is in the prime of his career. Needless to say, their window to win is now. The knock on Atlanta is that they can’t win the big game, which they somewhat proved wrong last year but not completely. People tend to forget San Francisco got just a couple more breaks to go their way to make it to the Super Bowl. Everyone knows how potent and capable this offense is, so I won’t go into that with much detail though I will say I liked the Steven Jackson signing. The offense will have to lead this team to the big game, because the defense certainly will not. They took a step back this year; losing their best pass rusher (John Abraham) and losing a serviceable corner (Dunta Robinson) which depletes their already suspect secondary. Asante Samuel is nice, but he can barely tackle a scarecrow. This team is almost a 100% guaranteed playoff lock, but it will be up to Matt Ryan to see how far they go once they get there.

5. Green Bay Packers

Notice a trend? The NFC is stacked. The conference has three out of the four most promising young quarterbacks in the game, and they also boast the best one in the league. Aaron Rodgers should look to have another MVP caliber season. Everyone knows Randall Cobb is the new breakout star, softening the blow of losing Greg Jennings to the division rival Minnesota Vikings. They also drafted running back Eddie Lacy, who unfortunately slimmed down after training camp and limited my ability to draw comparisons with my ‘Eddy Curry is overweight’ jokes. No matter, now that they have some semblance of a running game, this offense should be better than their 2012 version. Another NFC trend: great offense, mediocre defense. Of the four teams in the top five, the Packers have it the worst. Who knows if they’ll be able to stop the vaunted read option after sending all their personnel to Texas A&M to be better acquainted with that type of offense. We’ll see if they improve, but this defense doesn’t impress me.

6. New England Patriots

Full disclosure: I’m a huge Pats fan. But it should be known that I was trying to decide rankings it was basically a coin flip between them and the Baltimore Ravens, until I realized this was the regular season power rankings. The Ravens always seem to have the Patriots’ number, but I think New England is ultimately the better team. Everyone loves to talk about their offense, so you probably already know the details about it. My two cents: people are overreacting to letting Welker walk, and New England’s offense will adapt as they always do. Their rookie wide receivers will hit a few speed bumps as expected, but with Tom Brady under center they will be just fine. To their defense, real quick: I think they will be better than people expect. The lynchpin of this is Alfonzo Dennard, however. If he misses time due to violating his probation, it moves Devin McCourty to 2^nd corner (he’s much better as a safety) and forcing either incompetent Tavon Wilson or unproven rookie Duron Harmon to safety.

7. Baltimore Ravens

At first glance, you think their defense has taken a big step back. Granted, they let Darnell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger go and the loss of their two defensive leaders Ed Reed and Ray Lewis are obviously huge. But they still have Terrell Suggs and Haloti Ngata and lost amidst their Super Bowl run was the massive blow of losing Ladarius Webb early in their season. Additionally, the Ravens are known for having bench and situational players step up big when they’re promoted to full time. Know how I know that? Because Kruger and Ellerbe just got a ridiculous amount of money to play for the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins, respectively. For their offense, people are overreacting to the loss of Anquan Boldin. Not taking away from his fantastic postseason, but his regular season was remarkably average. The loss of Dennis Pitta is huge because he was Joe Flacco’s security blanket, but the offense as a whole should be fine assuming there are no significant injuries.

8. Houston Texans

Again, this is regular season rankings. I like the Texans, but they aren’t going far if Gary Kubiak doesn’t stop being stubborn about sticking to his offensive gameplan regardless of how the game is going. That aside, Houston drafted DeAndre Hopkins who should look to finally compliment All-Pro Andre Johnson lined up across from him. Owen Daniels is a good tight end and Arian Foster is Arian Foster. Matt Schaub is an above average QB. I’m not sure he can win you a Super Bowl, but he can certainly lead this team to 11-12 wins in a weak AFC South. Their defense is still above average, even though they lost Glover Quin. Ed Reed is obviously a big name but it is unknown how much he has left in the tank. JJ Watt will still continue to wreak havoc, which will always make this team dangerous on the defensive end.

9. Chicago Bears

I like the Bears a lot this year and will be a very strong wild card team (same division as Packers). I think Jay Cutler is primed for a big year this year for a couple reasons. One is that he’s in a contract year, but also he has a new offensive coordinator (and head coach). I’m assuming that means Brandon Marshall won’t be targeted 194 times, which is absurd. Everyone knows how good Chicago’s defense is, even if less intelligent people are convinced they won’t be the same without Brian Urlacher. He was a shell of his former self the last couple years, so it’s not that big of a loss. The biggest question mark of this team is if their offensive line can improve to even be a league-average line.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

Yep, the Bengals! Did you know they had the 8^th best scoring defense last year? You already know they have Geno Atkins (who is threatening to be overrated because of how many people love to call him underrated) but they also have a solid secondary and an underrated linebacker core. However, Andy Dalton needs to step up in a massive way. This organization surrounded him with enough weapons to make it out of the first round of the playoffs at least, and if can’t show he has what it takes, this team isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

11. Washington Redskins

By the time I started writing this, Robert Griffin III is confirmed a go for Week 1. Obviously he is the entire key to this team, so let’s move on. Alfred Morris is a great story, but he is definitely a product of Mike Shanahan’s running scheme. Regardless, that is incredible value at the 6^th round. Their defense is average, but they virtually played the entire season with elite pass rusher Brian Orakpo. Paired along side Ryan Kerrigan, this pass rush is one of the best in the league.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I love this team. Couple reasons: Josh Freeman is in a contract year, and I think he has some serious potential. An overlooked storyline last year was that Tampa Bay lost their two best lineman early in the season, making Doug Martin’s already impressive rookie year last year even more legitimate. A certainly well discussed storyline was their acquisition of Darrelle Revis, a trade I would make 100 times out of 100. Also they signed Dashon Goldson, albeit at a pretty high clip but give them credit for fixing the weakest spot on their team.

13. New Orleans Saints

Man, another stacked conference in the NFC. Sean Payton is going to make a huge difference to this team and Drew Brees and all his awesomeness doesn’t need to be rehashed here. This defense is pretty miserable, but I am also pretty confident that their offense will be able to cover for their mistakes and missteps.

14. New York Giants

The reason this team isn’t higher is because they are not a good a regular season team, historically. Eli Manning will be his normal, hot & cold self. This defense, who has an above average defense line and secondary, also has an atrocious linebacker core that could end up being their Achilles heel.

15. Indianapolis Colts

This team is a popular pick for a regression season, for good reason. They exceeded their Pythagorean expectation by 3.8 wins (you can read more about that here) and should fall into the 8-8, maybe 9-7 category. Pushing stats aside though, this team does have a fight in them, winning numerous close games last year because Andrew Luck is the real deal. Despite the evidence pointing towards a regression, they certainly didn’t help their case by making questionable free agent signings (Erik Walden and the marshmellow man LaRon Landry)

16. Kansas City Chiefs

Alas, we are halfway through the rankings. Are you surprised by my pick of the Chiefs? Don’t be, I think this team is legit. Everyone points to the Andy Reid signing as a big event, which it is, but I think this is a secondary point. The upgrade from the Matt Cassel/Brady Quinn debacle to slightly above average Alex Smith could be potentially huge (as Bill Barnwell explains). Besides, he has Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe. The defense is really good also, their 2-13 record was more of a product of their quarterback play, or lackthereof.

17. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings season hinges on Christian Ponder. He’s a tough read as a signal caller, considering Minnesota handedly beat Green Bay last year as Ponder scored all their touchdowns that game. And then there’s the other Ponder that we are typically used to. He doesn’t have Percy Harvin this year, who was an early MVP candidate before he got hurt. Adrian Peterson is great, but there is almost no way he replicates his year from last year. For the defense, long time cornerback Antoine Winfield isn’t there anymore, and their linebacking core is spotty. We’ll see if they hold up.

18. Dallas Cowboys

Ah yes, the Cowboys. What a miserably run franchise. Anywho, let’s push their playoff drought out of our minds for a second and focus on the regular season. Although the new 100 million man Tony Romo led the league in interceptions last year, he also led the league in comebacks in 4^th quarter with five. Jason Witten is still his same old All-Pro self, and Dez Bryant is emerging as a legitimate top 5 wideout. Their defense is another story, though. Sean Lee is back, who is an underrated linebacker. DeMarcus Ware is also a premier pass rusher, but that’s where the praise stops. The rest of this defense is bloated with bad contracts and replacement level players at critical positions. I think America’s Team misses the playoffs again this year though.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are one or two seasons away from being a full blown mess. We saw last year how abysmal they can be without Ben Roethlisberger, and even if I believe that Mike Wallace is badly overrated his loss is still big. As of right now, Heath Miller is on the PUP list also; a favorite target of Big Ben’s in the redzone. Can Emmanuel Sanders be a number one receiver? I don’t think so, but Steelers fans should certainly hope so. Even worse than their offense is their rapidly aging defense. Troy Polamalu is a shell of his former self and their once feared linebacker group is also showing its age. Bad times this year, but even worse years in the future for the Steel Curtain.

20. St. Louis Rams

I like the Rams, but they are stuck in a very good division. Tavon Austin is as safe of a bet as you can get for a rookie playmaker, but we know what we’re getting with Sam Bradford: a slightly above average quarterback. Their running game has the chance to be good or be really bad with two young guns platooning.

21. Miami Dolphins

Miami went on a big spending spree this offseason, paying big bucks to the previously mentioned Wallace and Ellerbe. Interesting decisions to say the least, because they let Reggie Bush walk to free agency and he was big for them last year. Their defense is better than people give them credit for; Cameron Wake is a beast but they did lose Sean Smith, a pretty reliable cornerback.

22. Detroit Lions

The Lions were absolutely putrid last year for all the talent they have. Obviously we all know about Charles Rogers Roy Williams Mike Williams Calvin Johnson, but they also finally got a running back (Bush) to help out Matt Stafford. Their defensive line is awesome but the rest of their defense is pretty bleak. This team doesn’t move up in the rankings until they smarten up and stop taking dumb unsportsmanlike conduct penalities.

23. Carolina Panthers

This is a tricky team. As always, their success or lack thereof depends on their quarterback, Cam Newton. The talent is there, but the intangibles are not. He’s not a leader on the field, and that inevitably grounds the Panthers from being successful. On top of that, this team is bloated with bad contracts and that hinders them from being more successful. Like Newton, you can see the potential in this team but it isn’t going to come to fruition this year.

24. Philadelphia Eagles

Oh boy. I don’t necessarily hate the Eagles, but I know a lot of people like to make a hobby out of it. I will admit though they deserve everything they got last year, after that bonehead Vince Young painted a target on his team’s back with the “dynasty talk”. The nightmare of Nnamdi Asomugha is over, but their defense is still awful. Worse yet, that’s not even their Achilles heel. That would be their offensive line; and if it’s not improved this team is going absolutely nowhere. Chip Kelly is probably a good offensive coach, but if the line can’t block it doesn’t matter what offense he has the Eagles run.

25. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals’ record this year will not reflect the talent of this team because the division they are in is so good. But much like the Chiefs, the fact that even a competent quarterback is under center instead of the train wreck of last year is a big jump. However, the Chiefs have a great offensive line while the Cardinals are the complete opposite. Arizona’s defense is top notch, and will keep them in a lot of games and not force Carson Palmer to play above his talent level.

26. Tennessee Titans

As we get to the bottom feeders of the NFL, you start to see a pattern. Much like the Panthers, this team has some bad contracts. Chris Johnson is a good running back, but I can assure you he’s not worth $13 million a year. The Shonn Greene signing was just an atrocious decision, excuse me because I just threw up my lunch thinking about it. I like Jake Locker as a QB, but he’ll never be anything more than a league average signal caller.

27. Cleveland Browns

Surprisingly, Brandon Weeden had a pretty good end of the year last year. I’m not trying to vouch for him, because anytime you can draft a 29 year old quarterback in the first round you have to pull the trigger (kidding). Regardless, they’re under new management and are off to a solid start. They admittedly overpaid for Paul Kruger; but when you are the Browns you don’t have much say in free agents to start rebuilding with.

28. San Diego Chargers

Alright, last five. Philip Rivers fell off the map fast, and the team did as well. Ryan Mathews is a walking porcelain doll, and despite some well known names, the wide receivers produced terribly last year. Their defense is entirely forgettable save for Eric Weddle who is criminally underrated. Thank me later for sparing you a Manti Te’o joke.

29. Buffalo Bills

Not much to say here. Their pick of EJ Manuel was curious, but it wasn’t as preposterous as people made it out to be. CJ Spiller is a nice player, but I am dubious of him replicating his great year last year. Their defense has some bright spots (Mario Williams and Jairus Byrd) but as a whole the unit is below average.

30. New York Jets

I hope everyone is as sick of the Jets as I am, so let’s power through this. The Jets are straight up awful. A once respectable defense has lost their top cornerback, and they resigned above average players to salaries that paid them like stars. Now they’re old and slow and overpaid with no end in sight. Obviously it gets worse, because their offense is almost impossible to watch. Everyone loves to bash Mark Sanchez; but seriously can New York throw him a bone and get him some weapons to work with? They’re under the impression that Santonio Holmes is actually good, and Dustin Keller (Sanchez’s security blanket) is gone. This is going to be another miserable season for them.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

This is Blaine Gabbert’s year. If he’s successful, then it will be his job for the future. If he plays like, well, Blaine Gabbert, then we’ll probably be seeing Teddy Bridgewater suit up for the Jags next season. Besides that little storyline, I can’t think of one other topic involved with this team that warrants a mention.

32. Oakland Raiders

Jadeveon Clowney, step right up! God, where to start? By all accounts Matt Flynn should be charged for robbery because his 480 yards 6 TD passes on the Packers was the biggest fluke of the century. So Terrelle Pryor step right up as the Raiders QB? Sorry you are being subjected to this. All joking aside, GM Reggie McKenzie is doing the best he can, by signing cheap veteran players and rebuilding through the draft which is the right way to do it. This team is going to be bad for a while, but if McKenzie can push all the right buttons, relevance could be in the future for Raider Black.

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So that concludes the 2013 NFL Power Rankings. There was some praise for the top organizations, but definitely more uncalled for jokes about teams. The NFL is the definition of parity so after a couple weeks there could be some major moves either up or down on this list. Anyways, let’s hope this upcoming season is one to remember and thanks for reading.

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Your Quarterback is Which Actor?

January 25, 2013 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Your Quarterback is Which Actor?

There are always comparisons between quarterbacks, ranging from Andrew Luck to Peyton Manning or RG3 to Cam Newton. It is quite popular to compare an incumbent to their contemporaries to paint a picture to the public for the future.

Are we going to do that here? Nope. In lieu of comparing current NFL quarterbacks to their predecessors, we are going to compare them to actors. Yes, actors.

For a little appetizer, think of Jamarcus Russell like Lindsay Lohan with all the potential and tools, but caught up in out-of-work trouble. Purple Drink!

Here we go:

NFC East

Eli Manning – Joaquin Phoenix

Both are extremely eclectic people that find ways to put on great performances in crucial times. They are recognized as the most important person in their biggest career moments. In Gladiator, Phoenix supported the role of Russell Crowe, much like Manning managed the Giants to their first Super Bowl win. Next, each person rose to the starring role with Manning guiding the Giants over the Patriots for a second time and Phoenix presenting a remarkable performance in Walk the Line.

Tony Romo – Mark Wahlberg

Ever see someone begin from nothing but, when given their first shot, show such immense potential? Much like Romo, Wahlberg began great with the Italian Job, and continued to show prominence in Invincible and Shooter, but follows up with Ted and The Other Guys. It is head scratching as much as Tony Romo, but it is undeniable that both men expose themselves to seriously low moments in their career that make you question them.

Michael Vick & Nick Foles – Jackie Chan & Chris Tucker

We have a flashy stunt man, who really does not know how to hone or master his craft (whether it be either acting or quarterbacking). Their counterpart is serviceable, by carrying the traditional acting techniques, and although either are unproven or average, both Tucker and Foles show flashes of having potential. Ultimately, neither actor nor quarterback is taken seriously in their profession.

Robert Griffin III – Justin Timberlake

Each person was successful in the early phase of their career, and transferred that into the next level of exposure and immediately succeeded. RG3 won the Heisman at Baylor and JT went from the front man of Nsync to a prominent solo music career. At their transition phases, RG3 led his Redskins to the playoffs in his rookie year, and Justin hit the big screen with a splash in The Social Network. Great things are still to come from these two.

NFC North

Aaron Rodgers – Leonardo DiCaprio

Both of these men are at the top of their respective profession right now and are a must see on the big screen or the football field. Rodgers continues to get better and better playing the position at such a consistent high level. Concurrently, Leo manages to remain in elevated form by rolling out Catch Me If You Can, The Departed and Inception just to name a few.

Jay Cutler – Robert Downey Jr.

The overall “I don’t give a $h*!” attitude resemblance between these two is very uncanny. At the same time, when focused and motivated, Downey and Cutler can put together stretches of absolute brilliance that remind you they are formidable in their respective fields.

Christian Ponder – Josh Hartnett

Essentially, both of these men peaked way too early. Ponder was drafted well before he should have ever been considered and Hartnett has been on a steady decline since Black Hawk Down. However, they both have capabilities to present manageable performances with Ponder being efficient and Hartnett with 40 Days and 40 Nights.

Matthew Stafford – Ben Affleck

Affleck and Stafford flourish with talent around them and in the right setting. Stafford has been fortunate to have Calvin Johnson and numerous weapons to generate his massive yardage seasons. As much as Affleck has captured us with Good Will Hunting and The Town, he has released some big flops like Gigli and Daredevil, resembling the disgusting sidearm sling Matthew Stafford continually resorts to.

NFC South

Matt Ryan – Jeremy Renner

Matt Ryan revitalized a struggling franchise with his first NFL pass going for a touchdown and he has not looked back since. The same can be said for Jeremy Renner, who really hit us with The Hurt Locker and continued to get better with The Town. Each of these men is on the rise and aimed for greatness with their professions.

Cam Newton – Gerard Butler

Utterly mind-blowing physical specimens from their initial roles from 300 or Cam’s rookie year, but their dropoff cannot be argued. It seems both get complacent with their initial success, and relies on their physical tools rather than developing their craft.

Drew Brees – Brad Pitt

Brees’ career began very prominent and flashy in San Diego, which is very reminiscent of Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Although, each of them went through a dry spell or injury span, they both developed their potential into either a Super Bowl winner or hits with Benjamin Button and Inglorious Bastards.

Josh Freeman – Chris Hemsworth

The physical traits of both men naturally set them above the rest from the beginning. Additionally, they have displayed moments of brilliance in key moments. Hemsworth separated himself from the bottom feeders of the comic remake world, and lined up multiple runs of Thor. Freeman has shown to be more than clutch in critical moments leading the volatile Bucs to come from behind wins and fourth quarter drives.

NFC West

Alex Smith & Colin Kaepernick – Tobey Maguire & Jesse Eisenberg

Smith came in as a number one overall pick with the expectations to revive a franchise, but failed to do so. The same result can be seen from Tobey Maguire’s attempt at the Spiderman series; an utter disaster. Maguire was capable of carrying a movie throughout with Pleasantville or Seabiscuit, but failed to present anything spectacular. Conversely, Colin Kaepernick has come in a thrived as an absolute star much like Eisenberg in The Social Network. Look for both Kaepernick and Eisenberg to entertain us for the next generation of professionals.

Russell Wilson – Joseph Gordon Levitt

Levitt’s respectable beginning in TV started with 3rd Rock from the Sun and that can be comparable to Wilson’s stint in minor league baseball, but their adaptation to the professional level has better utterly amazing. Whether it be Inception, Looper, or leading a Seahawks franchise to the playoffs with utter poise and composure; both of these future stars will be around for a long time to come.

Sam Bradford – Chris Pine Can

Chris Pine showed he was capable of supporting Denzel Washington in Unstoppable and left the public wanting more for the recreated Star Trek franchise. Similar to Pine, when Bradford gets comfortable and gains weapons around him, the Rams will continue their positive direction to a reputable franchise again.

Kevin Kolb & Crew – Jon Heder, Jon Gries, Aaron Ruell

Coach put Uncle Rico in and we saw how that went….

AFC East

Tom Brady – Denzel Washington

Thriving in roles with good looks and masterful performances symbolizes these two dynamic personalities perfectly. Denzel began his career being acclaimed in a supporting role and prospered into a top leading man for an extended duration from Training Day to recently released Flight. Brady stepped in for an injured Drew Bledsoe and never looked back creating a decade of dominance for the New England Patriots.

Ryan Tannehill – Zac Efron

With a limited sample size with one year in college and a rookie NFL year, Ryan Tannehill has shown to have immense potential with absolutely no talent around him. Looking past Efron’s High School Musical days, he has displayed some notable performances with 17 Again and Charlie St. Cloud by showing he can exceed expectations and carry a movie throughout. It is early, but both Tannehill and Efron have shown glimpses of having a reputable future in their industries. Plus have you seen their girl friends or wife? Bonus points!

Ryan Fitzpatrick – Vince Vaughn

Vince Vaughn’s natural sarcastic humor resembles the intelligence of a Harvard graduate like Fitzpatrick. Essentially both are serviceable in their industry with spotty high moments, but won’t produce anything award winning.

Mark Sanchez – Colin Farrell

They try so hard but it does not work. We can equate SWAT to Sanchez’s early years with nice playoffs runs, but it has been a steep decline ever since. Sanchez tried to be an efficient manager but failed. Farrell tried to match Brad Pitt’s Troy with Alexander, but that was a disaster. They will remain in their industries, but will never prevail to anything special.

AFC North

Joe Flacco – Matt Damon

Damon’s character in the Ocean’s Eleven series represents Flacco beyond a reasonable doubt. Damon struggled to be acknowledged as a main contributor, but gradually was given more respect as each movie continued. At the same time, Damon carried an entertaining Bourne series for almost a decade and, although it wasn’t award winning, it was very entertaining. Flacco has shown utter moments of brilliance in big moments, much like Damon in Good Will Hunting and The Departed.

Andy Dalton – John Cho

You may know Cho has Harold from the Harold and Kumar series, but he quietly has strung together a few noteworthy performances with American Beauty and Star Trek. He looks to still be a constant within the revitalized Star Trek series, resembling Dalton’s potential lengthy and serviceable NFL career. It is hard to tell what each person will ultimately become, but each has shown potential that they can be taken seriously looking forward in their future.

Ben Roethlisberger – Christian Bale

Bale and Big Ben can cause some controversy outside the office, but when focused, they compete to be the best in their fields. Bale transformed the Batman series and was outstanding in The Fighter, while Roethlisberger led the Steelers to Super Bowl appearances and a victories after years of Tommy Maddox and Kordell Stewart.

Brandon Weeden – David Caruso

This one may be self explanatory. Both were given a shot at an older age and it may work out for Weeden, but if it does expect nothing more than a Lieutenant Horatio Caine performance in CSI: Miami.

AFC South

Matt Schaub – Alec Baldwin

Neither was intended to take on a leading role at the highest level. Baldwin is perfect at 30 Rock and Schaub was an effective back-up for an injury prone Michael Vick in Atlanta. Schaub has never quite lived up to a franchise starting quarterback, much like Baldwin in the main character role of a major motion picture. Both have had memorable moments from big games to priceless lines in The Departed.

Andrew Luck – Tom Hardy

Luck and Hardy came in with all of the physical and mental tools to be successful from the beginning, and lived up to the hype. Luck led a 2-14 Colts team to the playoffs and Hardy thrived inInception, Warrior and The Dark Knight Rises. Future success exudes from both of these professionals in such a short sample size already.

Blaine Gabbert & Jake Locker – Taylor Lautner & Robert Pattinson

Gabbert & Locker have proved they are products of the combine hype and beneficiaries of tremendous arm strength, as their on-field product has not been worthy of first-round draft picks. Translate the aforementioned sentence to motion pictures, and you have Twilight. The CFL and ABC Family cannot wait for these guys.

AFC West

Peyton Manning – Tom Hanks

Starting as the number one pick in the NFL draft and winning best actor in a children’s movie just conveys the early success of the methodical and surgical (Trent Dilfer talk) careers for Peyton Manning and Tom Hanks. Both men bring extremely dedicated and intellectual approaches to their roles transcending generations that made up for any physical deficiencies.

Phillip Rivers – Sam Worthington

Has anyone hit the big screen faster and harder than Sam Worthington? In the blink of an eye, he starred in Terminator and Avatar, but then dramatically took steps down with Clash of the Titans and Man on a Ledge. This sounds eerily similar to Chargers’ quarterback Phillip Rivers, with his tremendous start under Marty Schottenheimer to his most recent two season decline. Both began to enter the “elite” conversation, but have quickly entered the above average.

Carson Palmer – Nicholas Cage

This is one of my favorites. Cage showed some flashes of brilliance when next to Sean Connery in The Rock similar to Carson Palmer surrounded with weapons in Cincinnati. Both of them believed themselves to be far more talented than what they really are, but show their true worth either in Oakland or anything Nicholas Cage does. Cage is veteran garbage like Palmer.

Matt Cassel – Seann William Scott

Do you remember Steve Stiffler from the American Pie series? He was barely in the first one, but his roles progressively grew in an entertaining fashion. Unfortunately, Seann William Scott cannot be a lead actor. He was amazing in Role Models because he fed off of Paul Rudd. The Chiefs gave Cassel the keys to the car and how did that turn out?

Note from the Chief : I believe this to be one of the coolest and funniest articles I have ever seen. I would appreciate it if you would help us spread the word on this article more-so than others. With the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl upon us, this is a perfect time to bring some excitement to the game. Thank you

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Our Final Installment: Week 17 NFL Predictions

December 28, 2012 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Like it or not, all eyes are on Tony Romo this week.

Can you believe it? We are already in week 17 of the NFL season and the new year is right around the corner. The smell of playoff football is in the air; who will be peaking at the right time to make it to the Super Bowl?

I will commend the NFL on doing the scheduling changes a few years ago, I love watching meaningful games in the last week of the season. Dallas v Washington for the division?! Two years in a row Cowboy fans. Is this year going to be different?

For fantasy reasons, I love watching players play meaningful games in week 15, 16 & 17 because it allows me to win my fantasy football league. Won 1 of 4 – not bad. Pay me Long Island Sound!

From the Cover 4 to our readers, thank you for following along this season; it has had its ups and downs and plenty of changes to meet the demands of our fans but we have enjoyed every minute of it.

THE COVER 4: PHI, CHI, GB, WAS

We hope that you continue to read our website and follow along for some of the best, and most interesting, sports articles out there right now. We aren’t your typical mainstream sports website ; we are for the fans, by the fans. Period!

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New York Jets @ Buffalo Bills (-3)

Jesse – NYJ – Both teams are terrible, so I’ll take the points.

Long Island Sound – NYJ – Sanchez will provide a good performance versus a below average defense to prove his worth.

Plumb – NYJ – With McElroy out and Sanchez back, this may be Sanchez’s last time to prove he can play in the big leagues.

James – NYJ – Mark Sanchez is going to play the best game of his life…… maybe?

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Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots (-10)

Jesse – MIA – I expect Miami to play New England tough and cover the 10 points.

Long Island Sound – NE – Hate big lines, but Miami going to NE never works out well for them.

Plumb – MIA – Well last time around New England overlooked Miami and division games are always tough to win, let alone cover. Dolphins make one last push to cap off a decent season.

James – NE – I like Coach Billy in this matchup; coach always wants to send a message.

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Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals (-2½)

Jesse – BAL – Baltimore destroyed the Bengals back in their Week 1 meeting, and they should be playing for playoff momentum after their drudging of the Giants last week. Baltimore’s the better team & getting points.

Long Island Sound – CIN – Baltimore is a pretender that faced a Giants team that has been rolling over for the last 2 weeks.

Plumb – CIN – After coming off impressive wins and clinching playoff berths, Cincy is the only team in this matchup that has something to play for.

James – BAL – Maybe its my perception, and familiarity, with the AFC North but I know that when it matters Baltimore will beat the Bungals. I like AJ Green a lot but I think the Ravens cover in this one.

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Cleveland Browns @ Pittsburgh Steelers (No Line)

Jesse – PIT – Pittsburgh is out of the playoff hunt, but I don’t expect Tomlin’s team to quit. They should cover whatever number the casinos put up with Cleveland starting Thaddeus Lewis (who?) at QB & Montario Hardesty at RB.

Long Island Sound – PIT – Cleveland’s 3rd string QB versus a disgruntled Mike Tomlin.

Plumb – PIT – Tomlin will have the team ready for this week after last week disappointing loss. Expect Steelers blowout.

James – PIT – Steelers rarely lose to the Browns; it won’t happen twice in one year….

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Houston Texans (-7) @ Indianapolis Colts

Jesse – HOU – Houston NEEDS this win to lock up #1 in the AFC while Indy is locked into the 5th-seed no matter what. On top of that, Houston was flat-out embarrassed by the Vikings at home last week. If they want to prove to the nation that they’re a true contender, it starts this Sunday.

Long Island Sound – IND – Andrew Luck at home.

Plumb – IND – Both are jocking for seeding but Indy is tough at home and getting points makes it even more enticing. The Colts have Luck on their side.

James – HOU – I like Indy but I think Houston takes care of business this week and gets things rolling into the playoffs. If Houston doesn’t cover, it will be because the Colts get a garbage td or two.

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Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans (-4½)

Jesse – JAC – Jacksonville showed life last week vs. Patriots, while Tennessee wet the bed at Green Bay. I refuse to lay more than 4 points with this Tennessee squad after last week’s performance.

Long Island Sound – JAC – Henne has this team playing hard.

Plumb – JAC – Well the worst game on the schedule this week and someone’s gotta win. I’ll take the points just because Henne is showing he can still play and will be fighting for a job next season.

James – JAC – Toilet Bowl of Week 17.

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Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants (-7½)

Jesse – PHI – One of Philly’s 4 wins this season was against these NY Giants and came with Vick at the helm & McCoy in the backfield. Well, they’re back & there’s no reason they can’t keep this game close and cover the TD+ or even perhaps win.

Long Island Sound – PHI – Giants at home against a divisional opponent. Vick gives the Giants trouble.

Plumb – PHI – After Philly lost Nick Foles last week to injury, Vick is back which means two things: unpredictability and dog fighting (j/k PETA). Tough division matchup and the ½ is always a favorites kryptonite. This is a dog’s game (Corny Mike Vick humor). Eagles cover and Vick proves he is still a starter in the League.

James – PHI – This game scares me because the Giants are so unpredictable. I think Vick comes out and takes care of business in his last game in Phili.

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Chicago Bears (-3) @ Detroit Lions

Jesse – CHI – Chicago needs this win +MINN loss to make the playoffs as the 6^th-seed, so they’ll be ready for this contest. Pro-bowl CB Tim Jennings (shoulder) should be back & RB Forte (ankle) is optimistic about playing while Detroit is reeling having lost 7-straight.

Long Island Sound – CHI – Cutler and Marshall are in a groove that will not be stopped by the Lions D.

Plumb – CHI – Tough defense, must win game, and Brandon Marshall. Too many factors against the home team in this one.

James – CHI – MUST WIN. Time to put up or shut up Chicago.

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Green Bay Packers (-3) @ Minnesota Vikings

Jesse – GB – Green Bay is ready for their playoff run & earning a 1^st round bye would bode well for them. Since starting the season 2-3, Packers have only lost 1 game. They’ll get Minnesota’s best efforts, but they won’t be enough. Green Bay will represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

Long Island Sound – GB – Finally healthy and Rodgers is back to his unreal form.

Plumb – GB – A very important game for both teams in this matchup. Minnesota fighting for the last playoff berth alongside AP attempting to break the single season rushing record, and Green Bay attempting to clinch a first round bye with a W. Expect this to be a hard nose and close game. Deciding factor: Aaron Rodgers dominant play in domes.

James – GB – I really hope AP can break this record but my PRESEASON Super Bowl pick is looking pretty good right now. I think Rodgers gives the Viking defense his discount double check.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons (No Line)

Jesse – TB – There’s no line on this game because Atlanta might rest their starters. They’ve locked up home-field in the NFC and have no reason to play for anything. I’ll take Tampa, especially if they’re getting points.

Long Island Sound – ATL – Ryan and the Falcons at home. Don’t believe they will sit starts much based on previous playoff woes.

Plumb – ATL – Atlanta is tough at home as they are undefeated in the Georgia Dome.

James – ATL – I don’t care if Chris Chandler is going to be playing quarterback this week, I can’t take the shaky and free-falling Buccs. ATL will play its players for the majority of this one as they aren’t going to rest for two weeks.

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Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints (-5)

Jesse – CAR (ML +205) – I personally think these two teams are relatively even. Carolina’s actually been playing better of late –winners of 3-straight — so I’m getting value with the Panthers, as the spread should be NO -3. Carolina will win this game outright saving Ron Rivera’s job.

Long Island Sound – NO – Should be a shoot-out, but Brees should cover here.

Plumb – CAR – Panthers defense > Saints defense. Plus Carolina has won 3 straight.

James – CAR – Carolina may not get the W but they cover in this one.

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Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos (-16)

Jesse – KC – I cannot get myself to lay 16 points, even if it’s with the perceived “best team in the NFL.”

Long Island Sound – KC – Too big of a spread.

Plumb – KC – Wow this spread is high. I expect Peyton and Co. to play till halftime and call it a day. If this happens, expect KC to capitalize.

James – KC – I know the Chiefs are bad, and I mean bad. I realize the Broncos are really good. I just don’t wanna put 16 on this game. I’ll stay conservative and take KC.

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Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers (No Line)

Jesse – SD – Oakland has quit. Before beating KC two weeks ago, Oakland was losers of 6-straight. They didn’t score a single TD in their 15-0 win over KC in that aforementioned meeting & failed to score a TD last week vs. Panthers. To add insult to injury, Terrelle Pryor will be starting for the injured Palmer (ribs).

Long Island Sound – SD – Just a bad game with a bad team and a very undisciplined team. I’ll take the potential versus the bad.

Plumb – SD – Are you putting your hard earned money on the Oakland Raiders? Yeah, neither am I because I can’t trust them.

James – SD – Norv Turner and AJ Smith get a W in their last game with the organization; Turner has already said he is okay with being an OC again after this year. Smell Yah.

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Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers (-16½)

Jesse – SF – Ok, I lied; I will lay -16 in certain situations. Maybe this is me betting with my heart; maybe not. This season following a loss or tie, the 49ers have beaten their opponents by a combined score of 106-26.

Long Island Sound – ARI – Not taking that line in the NFL out of principle.

Plumb – ARI – This is probably the hardest game to pick this week. On one hand you have the Niners who must win to clinch the division as well as a potential second seed in the conference. My only question is how hard are they going to play the Cards without risking injury? Then you have the Cards who may or may not show up at home let alone score a point. The gut wants the Niners but the numbers say Cards.

James – ARI – 16+? What? Luckily its week 17 and this will be the first, and last, time I think the Cardinals will do something good.

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St. Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks (-10½)

Jesse – SEA – If Seattle wins this game and 49ers somehow slip up and lose vs. Cardinals, then Seattle wins the NFC West and the #3 seed in the NFC. They have everything to play for, and are playing extremely well especially down in the trenches.

Long Island Sound – STL – This team finds ways to cover.

Plumb – SEA – I made this mistake last week and it burned me. SEAHAWKS AT HOME = WIN.

James – SEA – I don’t think I can go any other way with the way this team has been playing.

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Dallas Cowboys @ Washington Redskins (-3)

Jesse – WAS – Stop me when you’ve heard this before: Dallas in a must-win? I’ll take the other side.

Long Island Sound – WAS – Washington looking to capture a division title will be ready to play.

Plumb – WAS – Dallas Cowboys! Big Games! Tony Romo fumbling meaningful snaps! Means one thing: Choke artists. Skins win and take the Division.

James – WAS – Maybe this is the year the Cowboys finally win a meaningful game at the end of the season? Naw, I’m going RGIII.

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Thanks for checking out our picks. Dont forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.
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Week 15 NFL Power Rankings: Is Anyone Really Good Besides New England?

December 13, 2012 by James Kaikis 1 Comment

Can anyone stop Tom Brady?!

Who doesn’t like end of the season power rankings? Everyone wants to know who is the top dog right now and how would you rank the teams after 14 games of the season. Heres how General Peppers of The Cover 4 ranks them:

1. New England Patriots

And it isn’t even close. After a slow start, including a loss at home to the NFL Record Holding Worst Blowout Ever Arizona Cardinals, the New England Patriots have distanced themselves from the rest of the NFL. They’ve beaten the other best teams in the AFC, The Broncos and Texans, by an average of nearly 20 points. They’ve dropped 50+ twice. They lead the league in both yards and points, and this with both of their elite tight ends missing extensive time on the field. They can run the ball efficiently, beat you deep, short, over the middle, in the red zone. This offense has no weaknesses and is lead by quite possibly the greatest quarterback of all time. What makes them scary is that their defense is finally clicking on all cylinders. Their first round picks, Dante Hightower and Chandler Jones, have given the Patriots their most athletic defense in nearly a decade. Fun stat: Did you know the Patriots are 21-0 over the past 2 and a half years in the second half of the season. Belichick’s ability to improve a team is legendary.

2. New York Giants

Colin Cowherd said it best, “I Trust the Giants.” It’s the greatest compliment one can give a football team. I know they’re gonna lose ugly games to bad teams. I also know they’ll probably lose to the Falcons on the road this week. But with everything on the line, do you think the Falcons are within 10 points of the Giants? Me neither.

3. Denver Broncos

Fact: This is the best defense Peyton Manning has ever had.
Opinion: Demaryius Thomas ight be the most athletically gifted player Peyton Manning has ever had on offense.
Fact: The Denver Broncos have beaten 2 teams with a winning record.
Fact: Both those teams are 7-6 and in the AFC North.
Fact:The Broncos 3 losses all came against teams leading their divisions
Fact:The Broncos were down by 14+ points in all three games.
Opinion: I have no clue how good the Broncos really are but it’s Peyton Manning and that’s better than 95% of the league.

4. Houston Texans

Two blowout losses to two high powered offenses. The Texans have distinct problems, but a majority of them are chalked up to injuries. The one truth is this: Texans cannot get behind early. They need to be able to run the ball and achieve big plays through play action. No play action and this offense shuts down.

5. San Francisco 49ers

The AFC’s Houston Texans. With a lead this team is nigh unbeatable. But if you are able to beat or stalemate them at the line of scrimmage you can bring this offense to a stand still. Still, elite players at every defensive position and depth at all offensive skill positions.

6. Green Bay Packers

Do not be shocked when the Packers make it to the Super Bowl. This is, without a doubt, the most injured team in the NFL. These players are slowly coming back. Aaron Rodgers will not forget how quickly you buried him.

7. Seattle Seahawks

There are 4 things we know about the Seattle Seahawks:
1. Pete Carroll, despite his flaws, knows how to coach a defense. His teams tackle in space, don’t give up big plays, and are efficient at all 3 levels.
2. The Seahawks have the best secondary in the NFL. Ask New England. Ask Green Bay. They also have a top 5 special teams. This combination has a history of working well.
3. The Seahawks have the best home field advantage in all of sports. In a league where parity rules, the Seahawks, no matter how bad they may be, always win at home. If they get a home game in the playoffs they will win it. Ask the Saints.
4. Russel Wilson has gotten better every week and so has the Seattle Offense. Sidney Rice is recovering from his knee(finally) and Golden Tate has exploded in his third year(the typical break out year for WRs). Lynch looks stronger than ever.

8. Atlanta Falcons

Giants v. Falcons. In Atlanta. 2nd Round of the Playoffs. Atlanta -2. Who here isn’t taking New York on the Money Line? Exactly. This is the worst best team I’ve ever seen. They are average to below average in all facets excluding throwing the ball, and even that has slipped recently. They’re gonna win this weekend and I won’t move them an inch.

9. Baltimore Ravens

There isn’t more talent on any team in the NFL outside of New England. For the Ravens it’s about putting it together. Oh yeah, and Flacco not throwing up ducks in the playoffs. Good luck with that.

10. Indianapolis Colts

If I have to hear one more person talk about how RGIII has thrown fewer picks than Andrew Luck I’m going to start breaking things again. Andrew Luck has been given the entire playbook. No babysitting, no holding back. They didn’t craft a college offense around him and ask him to throw bubble screens and safe passes. He’s asked to throw it 50 times a game down the field to rookie receivers and tight ends. He is, without a doubt the greatest rookie I’ve ever seen. Rookie of the Year shouldn’t even be a close vote.

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Week 14 Predictions! ALL GAMES VERSUS SPREAD!

December 6, 2012 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Can AP lead the Harvin-less Vikings to a victory against Chicago?

Yes Cover 4 fans you read that title correctly! We will be predicting all games this week against the spread. Not only will we be looking at betting lines but you will get opinions from all of the cover 4 activists!

Why the change? Well, we wanted to switch it up near the end of the season. We know our predictions and analysis are doing us justice but we want to give you, the cover 4 fans, a chance to make a little money and see the diversity behind our staff. Additionally, we have had a number of request to predict games versus the spread. I wasn’t giving in earlier in the year but we will now. Going 12-2 and 13-1 is sometimes just too easy!

All of our spreads are from the Las Vegas Hotel (LVH) and are as of Wednesday, December 5th. All favorites will have the (spread) on their team name. Also, all picks were made individually without conversation prior to choices. Each will include a small analysis by myself (James).

We encourage you to join in on the discussion at the bottom of this post!

Denver Broncos (-10) @ Oakland Raiders
James: Broncos
Jesse: Broncos
Long Island Sound: Broncos
General Peppers: Broncos
Analysis: I hate large spreads in divisional match ups but the Broncos are clicking.

St. Louis Rams @ Buffalo Bills (-3)
James: Rams
Jesse: Rams
Long Island Sound: Bills
General Peppers: Bills
Analysis: I really like the Rams defense despite being away. Better defense getting points? Sign me up.

Dallas Cowboys @ Cincinnati Bengals (-3)
James: Bengals
Jesse: Cowboys
Long Island Sound: Cowboys
General Peppers: Cowboys
Analysis: This game can go either way but the Cowboys don’t show up for non-division games; however, they need this W to stay in playoff contention.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Cleveland Browns (-6.5)
James: Chiefs
Jesse: Chiefs
Long Island Sound: Chiefs
General Peppers: Chiefs
Analysis: The Browns are almost a touchdown favorite?! When was the last time that happened? Emotional Chiefs cover this one.

Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts (-5)
James: Colts
Jesse: Colts
Long Island Sound: Colts
General Peppers: Colts
Analysis: Luck is just too much to handle right now.

Chicago Bears (-3) @ Minnesota Vikings
James: Bears
Jesse: Bears
Long Island Sound:: Bears
General Peppers: Bears
Analysis: Ponder gives the Bears points.

San Diego Chargers @ Pittsburgh Steelers ~~NO LINE~~ (-7½)
James: Steelers
Jesse: ~~Steelers~~ Chargers
Long Island Sound: Steelers
General Peppers: Steelers
Analysis: No line on this one with quarterback issues. We will take Pit tho!
UPDATE: With Big Ben expected to start in this match-up, Jesse has decided to take the TD & hook and jump on the [not so] Super Chargers to cover.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7.5)
James: Buccaneers
Jesse: Buccaneers
Long Island Sound: Eagles
General Peppers: Eagles
Analysis: Josh Freeman will take advantage of the Eagles defensive woes.

Baltimore Ravens @ Washington Redskins (-2.5)
James: Ravens
Jesse: Redskins
Long Island Sound: Ravens
General Peppers: Ravens
Analysis: I really like RGIII but I can’t see the Ravens losing two in a row.

Atlanta Falcons (-3.5) @ Carolina Panthers
James: Falcons
Jesse: Falcons
Long Island Sound: Falcons
General Peppers: Panthers
Analysis: The first matchup between these two teams was a fluke as the Panthers are inconsistent as they come.

New York Jets (-2.5) @ Jacksonville Jaguars
James: Jaguars
Jesse: Jaguars
Long Island Sound: Jets
General Peppers: Jets
Analysis: After watching the Jets win 7-6 last week, the Jaguars are a must bet here.

Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers (-10.5)
James: 49ers
Jesse: 49ers
Long Island Sound: 49ers
General Peppers: Dolphins
Analysis: Dolphins offense won’t be able to get anything done against the 49ers defense who just suffered a tough loss (Jim Harbaugh’s 3-1 ATS following a loss).

New Orleans Saints @ New York Giants (-5)
James: Saints
Jesse: Saints
Long Island Sound: Saints
General Peppers: Giants
Analysis: Drew Brees versus a weak secondary. Advantage Brees

Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks (-10)
James: Cardinals
Jesse: Cardinals
Long Island Sound: Cardinals
General Peppers: Seahawks
Analysis: We know the Seahawks are good at home but 10 points? Can’t do it. John Skelton, who beat the Seahawks earlier this season, is back at QB & stud corner Brandon Browner will be suspended.

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers (-7)
James: Lions
Jesse: Packers
Long Island Sound: Lions
General Peppers: Lions
Analysis: Something is just telling me stick to the Lions in this one. Calvin Johnson is unstoppable.

Houston Texans @ New England Patriots (-3.5)
James: Patriots
Jesse: Patriots
Long Island Sound: Patriots
General Peppers: Patriots
Analysis: New England in December is a tough place to play.

As you can see, we are on the same page on a number of picks. Seriously, we didn’t do this together!

New to our site:
For our COVER 4 play of the week, we parlay: Bears, Cardinals, Chiefs & Colts.

Lastly, the NFL Play 60 commercial with Cam Newton is one of the best I have seen in a very long time. Here it is! Check it out

Thanks for checking out TheCover4.com

______________________________________________________________________________
Thanks for checking out our picks. Dont forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.
James Kaikis
Chief Sports Activist for The Cover 4
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Week 13 NFL Predictions: Meme Edition

November 29, 2012 by James Kaikis 2 Comments

Calvin Johnson is on fire!

Different week with same results as The Cover 4 is on absolute fire. Don’t believe us? Let me break it down for you.

Last week we finished 11-5 with a number of very close games where we picked plenty of underdogs. Since the first week the Cover 4 made public picks (week six – 5 wins, 9 losses), the Cover 4 is 69 – 14 – 1 aka a winning percentage of 83%. In those 14 losses, the Cover 4 finished with only ONE loss on three occasions (weeks 7, 10 & 11).

If the numbers don’t speak for themselves, we can explore the number of times we have been correct in our analysis, point predictions, key players and fantasy studs! That subject will be saved for another day.

In a quick recap of week 12, Matthew Stafford and the Lions had more than their fair share of opportunities to defeat the Texans while RGIII completed our prediction and went beast mode on the Cowboys. The Pittsburgh Steelers made me chose with my heart and not my brain, something I rarely do, as they were atrocious in Cleveland. Cecil Shorts was a fantasy stud! Tampa Bay puts us at 4 -0 versus the spread after they were upended by the Falcons by just one point. Money makers realized the easy money was on the Rams as they ruined Lindleys day. Finally, the Panthers made me look so good with their underdog matchup on MNF – thank you Cam Newton.

Lets jump right into the picks!

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New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons

Say what you want about this 10 -1 Falcon team. They may have won a number of games this season at the end of regulation but GREAT TEAMS WIN BAD GAMES. PERIOD. How can you not pick the Falcons in this matchup? The Saints may have had the Falcons number once earlier this season but the Falcons will be ready to rock this time around.

Keep your eyes out for: Asante Samuel. The cornerback had a tremendous games last week despite playing through an injury; his health is vital to containing the pass happy Saints attack.

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Pick Center of the Week (1 of 2): Jacksonville Jaguars +6 @ Buffalo Bills

Yikes, did I really just pick the Jaguars to cover? Jacksonville has been steady with Chad Henne behind center and the offense is actually moving the ball. I had high hopes for the playoff bound (or at least I thought) Bills but they have faltered time and time again. Expect the Bills to narrowly come out with a victory in this one.

Score Prediction: Bills 27 – Jaguars 24

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Seattle Seahawks @ Chicago Bears

Seattle is coming off a disappointing loss in Miami and will be traveling into Chicago to take on the Bears, who host a 5 -1 home record. Last week Jay Cutler returned to the lineup and the Chicago defense regained its form against the Vikings. Expect the Seahawks to have a tough time running the ball against the Bears and, as a result, will be very one dimensional.

Fantasy Stud: The Chicago Bears defense. I believe Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will be forced to win this game with his arm, which should result in a few turnovers for the Bears defense (expect one very big play from this unit).

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Game of the Week: Indianapolis Colts @ Detroit Lions

What a heart breaker for the desperate Lions last week. Let me first point out how incredibly disappointed I was watching Brandon Pettigrew play the tight end position. Pettigrew looked terrible on the field for the Lions as he dropped a number of passes and had a costly fumble as well. The former first round pick is vital to the success of this passing game. Did anyone else trade for Calvin Johnson like I did (in two leagues)? Johnson is on pace to finish with the second highest receiving yards in a single season (forget the Madden Curse…knock on wood). This matchup will be very similiar to the Colts game against the Patriots a few weeks ago. The Colts will hang tough for the first half of this game but as the Lions continue to light up the scoreboard, the Colts will struggle to keep up.

Fantasy Stud: Calvin Johnson. How can you not roll with him?

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Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

How the tides have turned as the Vikings, who started out winners in 4 of 5, are struggling while the Packers, winners of 5 of their last 6, are starting to put it all together (excluding last week loss to the Giants- didn’t see that coming). How many more weeks will I pound Christian Ponder as a starting quarterback? What is more important is the impact of Percy Harvin on this teams success. As terrible as Ponder is (10.3 QBR & 58.2 passer rating last week), without Harvin the Vikings have no chance at victory. Adrian Peterson is putting together a magical season in his return from an injury but the Vikings can’t ride the AP train if they continue to play from behind. The Packers are coming off a bad loss against the Giants; I am the first to admit I was terribly wrong in that game as I expected way more than 10 points from the Packers. Rodgers and crew should take care of this Viking defense who allowed the Bears to be 11 for 19 on third downs.

What to Watch: Greg Jennings. The talented wide receiver has spent the majority of his contract season on the sideline rather than the endzone thus less $ at the end of this season. The Packers have a plethora of pass catching options but Jennings, when healthy, is arguably the best of the bunch.

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Houston Texans @ Tennessee Titans

Will I ever get a Titans game correct? With Locker running the show, the Titans have a solid nucleus of weapons but, unfortunately, those weapons are never on the same page. While one of the Titans playmakers may be taking aim at a great game, the others decide to take the day off; call it Randy Moss syndrome. The Texans are coming off two close over time gamess but expect this team to be well rested since the Thanksgiving day showdown.

Score Prediction: Texans 30 – Titans 20

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Carolina Panthers @ Kansas City Chiefs

Coming off a strong game on MNF, the Panthers are looking to put together their first two game win streak of the season. We should give the Panthers some slack as they are 3 -8 with 6 of those losses by six points or less (2 of them by a combined 3 points). The Chiefs are playing some teams very tough this year but it just isn’t their year (too bad this wasn’t last year and the Chiefs had a chance at Luck or RGIII because Cassell is not the answer- duh). Cam Newton shows up to play this week!

Fantasy Stud: Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. The Chiefs are giving up a ton of points to tight ends this year and steady Gregy has been a consistent target all season.

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San Francisco 49ers @ Saint Louis Rams

Oh the Colin Kaepernick era has arrived. Tough break for Alex Smith who has done nothing but win ball games since last year. While Smith isn’t going to beat you with his arm, he is a safe bet to finish with a couple touchdowns, no turnovers, and give you just enough to win. On the flipside, Kaepernick is a dual threat with big play potential (he has a pretty deep ball too). Jim Harbaugh knows what he is doing so I’ll back him up on this one (I got you Jim dont worry) but will the Niners still be SB contenders with the second year quarterback? Lets not forget last time these two teams played, they tied! Not this week….

Player to Watch: No brainer here with Colin Kaepernick. The media will have a close eye on Kaep thus any small errors (or another tie) will result in second guessing the coaches decision.

Keep Your Eye On: Aldon Smith. The second year linebacker is on pace to break Reggie White’s record for most sacks in their first two NFL seasons.

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New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

Another one of my favorite teams, the Dolphins, are tough to pick. Luckily, the Dolphins won’t do me wrong in this one as I am riding Brady and crew. Ryan Tannehill showed big time play making abilities at the end of last weeks games against Seattle; his running game also helped take some pressure off him. That being said, things may get ugly in Miami this week as I doubt Philbin will be pulling out any crazy Wildcat gameplan.

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Arizona Cardinals @ New York Jets

This is a battle of bad teams as the Cardinals aren’t showing any promise while the Jets….

uh…. are the Jets. Rex Ryan and the Jets are the punching bag of the New York Giants media; Mark Sanchez, and his 32.8 QBR, is taking so much heat for his poor performances. To defend this Jets team, they have been derailed by injuries and Sanchez isn’t throwing the ball to the most talented group of players. On the other side, I prefer not to talk about the Cardinals, whom I believe are legitimately in the conversation for the worst team in the NFL. If Beanie Wells can actually put something together and stay healthy, the team may have a chance to be competitive (as they won’t be so one dimensional). The quarterback situation is in flux and Larry Fitzgerald is being wasted as he finished with 3 catches on 12 targets last week (on Lindley’s 52 passing attempts).

Score Prediction: Jets 2 – Cardinals 0 (HAHA)..okay Jets 21 – Cardinals 10

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Denver Broncos

The Broncos survived a trap game last week in Arrowhead but this week they take care of business against a solid Tampa Bay team. Manning must continue to carry this team until the running game gets back on track. Tampa Bay, who are coming off a heartbreaker to the Falcons, will need running back Doug Martin to show up this week as he was held to 50 yards last week. The Buccs will look to rely heavily on Josh Freemans shoulders if they want to cover the 7 to 8 point spread in this one.

Player to Watch: Dallas Clark. Although the tight end isn’t the same player he once was, Clark has opened up the middle of the field for the Buccs this year.

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Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens

It pains me to do this twice in one season but I am going with the Ravens. The Steelers are in a must win situation this week as they can’t afford to lose three straight division games but injuries may hamper them in this one. This testy division rivalry is going to be fierce. If Charlie Batch is starting quarterback in this game, the Ravens will have no problem getting the victory. However, if Big Ben returns from injury, this game will be a good ole’ fashion slobberknocker.

Must Watch: The Steelers quarterback situation. If Big Ben does play in this matchup, the Steelers better find some extra bodies to help block for the injured quarterback. The Ravens and Steelers really don’t like each other and I wouldn’t be surprised if Terrell Suggs is licking his chops to get a shot at the injured Roesthlisberger.

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Cleveland Browns @ Oakland Raiders

The Browns are starting to put things together since a week five beating against the Giants. Although I think it is tough for any east coast team to head to the west and come away with a victory, I believe the Browns get two in a row. Oakland had high hopes this season but is still an organization in flux and rebuilding mode; the team just announced they are releasing former first round pick Ronaldo McClain. Don’t be surprised if this one gets sloppy with the Browns stealing one.

Who We Enjoy Watching: Marcel Reece. I can’t tell you enough how much I respect this guy and how he has played this season. The FULLBACK (yes they still exist in the modern day NFL) is putting up numbers Darren McFadden wished we could consistently finish with. Reece is an all around player the NFL hasn’t seen in a few years. I hope he continues to rumble over players in the run game, make guys miss in the passing game and keep up his devastating blocking.

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Cincinnati Bengals @ San Diego Chargers

I am trying to pick the underdog Chargers here but I just can’t do it. The Bengals ground game has picked up in recent weeks and this week will be no different. The Chargers are going to have to pay a lot of attention to the Bengal receivers and that alone should open up Lawfirm for another solid game. Norv Turners & AJ Smith time is up in San Diego; this team is just hanging on for dear life.

Key Player: Philip Rivers

Rivers came into this league with HIGH expectations and those expectations are only higher with his fellow companions (Eli & Big Ben) each owning two Lombardi trophies while Rivers hasn’t exactly put together a solid resume. Rivers is a fierce competitor and a tough player but he is forcing the ball too much this year.

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Pick Center of the Week (2 of 2): Philadelphia Eagles +10.5 @ Dallas Cowboys

Two Pick Centers of the Week?! I have to at this point. The Eagles are 10.5 point underdogs in a tough divisional matchup. The Eagles and Cowboys have both had their fair share of ups and downs this season but, at the end of the day, all division games are usually a dogfight. These two teams know each other so well that I can’t see the Cowboys winning by 10.5 points! No Way.

Player to Watch: Bryce Brown. How many of you saw that coming? I know I didn’t but I do know one person who told me that performance would happen. I did research on Brown and found out he was a highly touted player with a strong pedigree. Brown, who once had 50 scholarship offers, was troubled by an adviser who may have been derailed what may have been an outstanding college career. Brown should shine in Philadelphia given the opportunity.

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New York Giants @ Washington Redskins

Again, I am on the Redskins bandwagon at this point. Remember when these two teams battled earlier in the season? I think the Redskins can pull off a victory in this one against the favored Giants. New York is coming off a very impressive win against the Packers but, like I said in my last post, when it comes to rivals something is always different. RGIII is the key factor in this matchup as his style of play gives the Redskins a chance. Although the ‘skins defense is weak, I think RGIII makes enough plays to keep his team ahead in this one.

Fantasy Stud: Hakeem Nicks. Nicks, when healthy, is getting plenty of targets from Manning and this week will be no different as the playmaker should be able to get open plenty during this matchup.

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Thanks for checking out our picks. Dont forget to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.

James Kaikis

Chief Sports Activist for The Cover 4

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Filed Under: Football Tagged With: Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns, England, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England, New York, nfl, Philadelphia Eagles, RGIII, San Francisco, time, Washington Redskins, year

Week 12 Predictions- Thanksgiving Edition

November 22, 2012 by James Kaikis Leave a Comment

Rodgers will be all smiles after he leads his team to a victory in New York this weekend.

The NFL season keeps on rolling and so do the weekly predictions; we can’t stop the fury!

Last week I took a little heat for picking “mostly favorites” but, sometimes, its just a favorite type of week as I call it. Luckily, I was correct in my picks as I finished 13 -1! Oh you pesky New York Jets you got me again. This week is going to be much different though as we have some tight battles; expect the dogs to be barking this week.

As for the short holiday week, nothing is better than some snow on the ground, turkey cooking in the oven and watching some football. I’ll never forget growing up and always watching the Lions and Cowboys on Thanksgiving.

Barry Sanders was always my favorite player to watch; I don’t think there was a more elusive running back than Sanders. The guy could cross and turn fields unlike anyone else and is probably the only player in NFL history to run for as many negative yards as regular rushing yards!

Oh how I miss Thanksgiving and the seasons!

Short week for everyone involved including the Cover 4. Now to these predictions…..

Houston Texans @ Detroit Lions

Analysis: Am I crazy? Yeah I think I might be with all these underdog picks this week but after watching Jacksonville torch the Texans secondary last week, I don’t see how the Lions won’t do the same (if not worse- believe it or not). The Jags have struggled all season while the Lions are the number one passing offense in the league. I don’t expect Houston defense to have two rough games in a row (I know the coaches are sleeping in the office this week). In the short week, the Lions will look to emulate the results of the Jaguars last week. The Lions squeak out a victory against the favorited Houston Texans.

Key Player: Matthew Stafford. If you have been watching the young gun slinger this year you can tell he is forcing the ball entirely too much. The strong armed quarterback is making a number of questionable decisions on the field and is not setting his feet while throwing (he looks like Cutler trying to force some throws!). I put a majority of last weeks loss against the Packers on Stafford, who threw ball after ball into the grass. If Stafford has his act together this week, the Lions will beat the Houston Texans.

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys

Analysis: I am going with the underdog ‘skins in this matchup. I understand that this in a home matchup and the Cowboys expect to throw all over the Redskins but something inside of me is telling me the Redskins are going to be turning things around for the rest of the season. I expect RGIII to continue to make all the necessary plays to keep his team in this game.

New England Patriots @ New York Jets

Analysis: The loss of Gronkowski is huge for the Patriot offense as Gronk has been one of the most productive players (touchdown wise) in the past three seasons. Aaron Hernandez must return from injury to provide the Pats offense the matchup issues that are vital to their success. The Jets are coming off a much needed W against the Rams but I don’t think they will get things together two weeks in a row.

Score Prediction: Patriots 35 – Jets 17

Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Analysis: As much as I don’t trust Jason Campbell (if Jay Cutler isn’t playing), I don’t expect Christian Ponder against the Bears defense (granted they were torched by second stringer Colin Kaepernick). The Chicago offensive line is just terrible and will be the reason the Bears offense continues to falter. The Bears defense must slow down Adrian Peterson and continue to make the plays they have made all season.

Key Player: Brandon Marshall. Marshall is putting up monster numbers this season. The success of the offense is heavy on his shoulders as he takes pressure off the rest of the Bears weapons and allows the run game to get going.

Oakland Raiders @ Cincinnati Bengals

Analysis: Should we all give up on Darren McFadden? McFadden posses a top five skill set at running back but can’t stay healthy. The Bengals look good on both sides of the ball. The passing attack will create a number of matchup problems with the Raiders terrible defense. I expect things to be ugly in Cincinnati this weekend as Dalton and crew take care of business.

Fantasy Stud: Marcel Reece. The running back put up solid numbers last week on the ground and in the air. Expect much the same this week.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns

Analysis: Can you believe it? Am I really seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns as a pick ’em?! (Some lines have now moved to Steelers +1 now). Understandably some people believe this may be a little closer than usual but are we all forgetting the Pittsburgh Steelers defense is playing stellar right now? With or without a starting caliber quarterback, the Steelers get the W in this one. Cleveland has had very little luck, if any, against the Steelers since coming back into the NFL just a few years ago. Charlie Batch, although old, has been a more than capable backup in the league and has been productive while doing so. Steelers pull out the W in this one by shutting down the Cleveland offense.

Key Player: Charlie Batch. Obviously this is a no-brainer as Batch must lead the team to victory. Batch won’t be beating anyone with his laser arm but he will manage the game and keep turnovers to a minimum. Expect Batch to make all the necessary (and easy) throws without taking too many big shots down the field.

Buffalo Bills @ Indianapolis Colts

Analysis: After all the sports networks blew up the possibility of the Colts beating New England last week (uh Cover 4 was very correct in how the Colts wouldn’t win if it became a scoring spree), we are now back down to earth and realize the Colts are a good, but not great, football team. The Bills have had their fair share of ups and downs this season but I’m taking Luck in this one.

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Analysis: The Broncos are really firing on all cylinders right now and that doesn’t bode well for the Chiefs, losers of 7 straight. The Chiefs are 0-5 at home and don’t have much to look forward to for the rest of the season (except obviously the draft boards). Arrowhead is a tough place to play but it shouldn’t be a problem for the Broncos this week.

Seattle Seahawks @ Miami Dolphins

Analysis: I just can’t pick the Dolphins as the team is just too inconsistent and you never know how they are going to play. The Seahawks aren’t the best road team but I believe they go into Miami and come out victors.

Score Prediction: Seahawks 20 – Dolphins 10

Tennessee Titans @ Jacksonville Jaguars

Analysis: Chad Henne had a great game last week but I don’t expect him to have another monster performance. It was nice to see a Justin Blackmon sighting after his MONSTER game but I like Locker and squad in this one.

Fantasy Stud: Cecil Shorts.

Baltimore Ravens @ San Diego Chargers

Analysis: I really escaped with my pick center last week with the Chargers late touchdown to my fantasy stud of the week Danario Alexander. The Ravens survived a close battle with the division rival Steelers. I fully expect the Ravens to take advantage of the Chargers despite only being one point favorites.

Pick Center of the Week: Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers +2

Analysis: Yup, call me crazy again but I am riding the dogs this week. The Falcons looked horrible last week but still came out with a victory against a bad Arizona Cardinal team. On the other side of the ball, the Buccs looked horrible for the majority of the game until a fourth quarter rally and a win in OT against the beaten Carolina Panthers. I understand the matchup, on paper, looks terrible for the Buccs secondary as they are allowing the most passing yards per game but the team is finding ways to win. I expect a battle to come down to a late field goal in this one.

Score Prediction: Buccaneers 28 – Falcons 27

San Francisco 49ers @ New Orleans Saints

Analysis: This game really doesn’t look great for the pass happy Saints. The Saints, who have been very one dimensional for the past few seasons, will look to throw all over the 49ers. But, we all know that really isn’t going to happen, regardless if the game will be in New Orleans or not. The Niners are coming off a very impressive win against the Bears with a backup quarterback. With Colin Kaepernick starting this week, I expect the niners to pound the ball away toward victory in this one.

Key Player: Drew Brees. Brees will have to be near perfect for the Saints to get the W this weekend as the Niner defense has been very tough to pass against.

St. Louis Rams @ Arizona Cardinals

Analysis: After watching the Cardinals offense struggle last week with Ryan Lindley, who posted a 4.7 QBR, I am taking the Rams as a no brainer pick. The Cardinals could be 10 point favorites but I don’t expect them to have the same success running the ball like they dad against the Falcons. Rams win this division road matchup behind Sam Bradfords solid game.

Game of the Week: Green Bay Packers @ New York Giants

Analysis: I expect a great game between the Packers and Giants. The Giants are on a downward spiral but this game will allow them to get back on track and control their own destiny in the NFC. The Packers, winners of five straight, will look to Aaron Rodgers to continue his hot hand in the passing game against a Giants defense that has had a number of subpar games.

Fantasy Stud: James Jones. After a hot start and cooling off a bit, look for Jones to get a number of catches in this outing.

Carolina Panthers @ Philadelphia Eagles

Analysis: Andy Reid on Monday Night Football thus should be taking the Eagles at home right? Wrong. I am taking the underdog Panthers as Ron Rivera and squad is due to get a W this week; this team is being tortured by bad luck and late collapses. I hate to see things go this way for the Panthers but lets not forget Newton put up big numbers as a rookie in garbage time playing catchup (aka this team isn’t ready to take the next step). Foles won’t be able to do enough for his squad as the Panthers win.

Score Prediction: Panthers 27 – Eagles 21

Call it a quick week but we expect a wild one this week. With a number of dog picks, we expect another great week out of the Cover 4. Enjoy the Holiday.

A little video of two of the best: Barry Sanders & Tony Dorsett.

James Kaikis

Chief Sports Activist for The Cover 4

http://www.facebook.com/thecover4

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Filed Under: Football Tagged With: back, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, England, Houston Texans, Key Player, Louis Rams, New England, New Orleans, New York, nfl, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco, Washington Redskins

The Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

The Cover 4.com presents you with The Week 8 NFL Power Rankings! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

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The Cover 4.com presents you with the Projecting the USMNT 23-Man Roster for WC 2014! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

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Week 14 Predictions! ALL GAMES VERSUS SPREAD!

Week 13 NFL Predictions: Meme Edition

Week 12 Predictions- Thanksgiving Edition

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The Cover 4.com presents you with The Week 8 NFL Power Rankings! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

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USMNT Lineup vs Mexico on September 10. Will all 11 be on the squad for Brazil 2014?

The Cover 4.com presents you with the Projecting the USMNT 23-Man Roster for WC 2014! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @thecover4 or facebook at theCo VerFour

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