Percy Harvin Dangerous at Any Speed

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- How can a person that's so fast be so slow? But there was Percy Harvin in the Minnesota Vikings locker room on Sunday night, methodically prepping himself before addressing the media.

Slacks and shoes on. Check. Lotion applied from head to toe. Check. A rubdown of the close-cropped hair atop his head. Check. Repeat. Make sure all in his locker is in order. Check. More lotion applied. Check.

Turn. Breathe. Cameras roll. Recorders shoved his way.

Big smile.

Harvin can light it up without the ball in his hands in a fashion that's nearly as entertaining as he does with it.

"Percy the great!" his teammate and fellow receiver, Sidney Rice, joked at the locker next to him as Harvin took on all comers, all queries. There were plenty after Harvin ripped the Packers for 261 all-purpose yards in Minnesota's 38-26 victory. In the mix was a 51-yard touchdown grab where three Packers defenders collided and fell while Harvin soared and ran.

The NFL has presented a handful of offensive players in recent seasons whose sheer explosiveness is blinding. They are incredible talents in that their start-ups -- their first few steps from zero to 10 yards -- are faster, quicker, more electric than most. And once in the open field, they frequently blaze past defenders.

Receiver Santonio Holmes of the Pittsburgh Steelers fits the bill. So does receiver/kick returner Devin Hester of the Chicago Bears and running back/kick returner Darren Sproles of the San Diego Chargers. Running back Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans is in the group as well.

On Sunday against the New York Jets, receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn Jr. of the Miami Dolphins showed why he is worthy of inclusion. And receiver/kick returner DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles is so lightning quick that he is making a habit of running wide open, deep into the heart of defenses designed to negate him.

Harvin is a rookie who looks as fleet and spectacular as any of them.

How could anyone review his University of Florida career and not realize that this player had the tools to be special in the NFL? How could an instant impact player of this magnitude fall to the No. 22 spot in April's draft?

Well, before the draft, there were issues in character -- Harvin tested positive for marijuana. He had injury issues at Florida. Was he too small (5-foot-11, 184 pounds) to withstand the NFL pounding?

Now, though, he's showing charisma, and instead of seeing all those red flags of doubt, he's forcing Minnesota's opponents to wave white flags of surrender.

"I was being labeled a person I wasn't," Havin said. "Some of it was hurtful."

Some of it he earned.


"I didn't do everything up to this point the exact right way, but I have learned from mistakes, and it was never about me not wanting to be a great person and a great player,'' Harvin said. "The best thing that happened to me was falling in the draft. It gave me the chance to come to this team, rather than being a higher pick with a bad team. I want to be a winner. Some teams want to win. Some want to win a lot more than others.

"So, I didn't come in with any special expectations. I just wanted to contribute. I knew special teams for me wouldn't be a big deal. But I hoped that I could become a player who would be a change of pace for the offense."

He is more than a change of pace. He is another dynamic piece for this offense.

Running back Adrian Peterson already fills that role for the Vikings, and now Harvin, whether in the slot or elsewhere on the field, is becoming a similar force.

"Percy is something to watch with the ball in his hands because of his explosion and elusiveness," Packers receiver Greg Jennings said. "He is the type of player other NFL players like to watch. It is very hard for a defense to wrap its hand around a player like that."

First, you have to catch him.

Harvin has dealt with migraine headaches, a shoulder injury and a bout with flu this season. He has been in and out of practices and in and out of games. But he has been on the field long enough to help lift the Vikings into first place in the NFC North halfway through the season.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre keeps finding Harvin in key game situations -- and Favre has been in his ear about another topic.

"Brett has told me how much he enjoys the raw talent that I have, but he gave me some extra film," Harvin said. "He wanted me to study [New England Patriots receiver] Wes Welker. He reminded me there is something important about fundamentals and having a base understanding of what slot receivers do. Welker has been one of the best at it. Sometimes you have to slow down and really have that understanding."

Sometimes, he said, he has to slow down before he can speed up.