



What about Harvin as a deep threat?

Posted by: Mark Craig under Vikings, NFC, Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin Updated: October 13, 2011 - 8:15 AM

When a team is 1-4 and struggling in the forward-pass department, every week can be an exercise in asking the age-old question, "Why isn't (fill in the blank) getting the ball more in (fill in the blank) situations?"

So, here goes: "Why isn't Percy Harvin being discussed as a possible answer to the team's inability to complete some deep balls?"

We hear about trying to connect with Bernard Berrian, who apparently has as many missed team meetings (two) as catches. We hear about Devin Aromashodu coming on as a young prospect, which he definitely is.

But what about Percy? The end arounds are a nice touch, but what about sending one of the two fastest players on the team down the field and, you know, throwing him the ball?

I know Percy isn't the prototypical No. 1, stretch-the-field receiver with the height and reach to create the ideal mismatches. Heck, I've made that argument myself when explaining why Harvin isn't a deep threat.

But he's also the best receiver by far. He's got the speed and the quickness to get open. So why not?

Yeah, he's 5-9, 185 pounds. But have you checked out the height and weight of Carolina's Steve Smith, who I'd consider a pretty good deep threat. Yep, he's 5-9, 185.

At this point, the Vikings' entire receiving corps has 44 catches for 516 yards and three TDs. Wes Welker of the Patriots has 45 catches for 740 yards and five TDs.

