Harvin

Minnesota Vikings receiver, runner, returner Percy Harvin is playing football right now at a level that I have rarely seen. Lawrence Taylor, Jerry Rice. Reggie White, Ed Reed and a few others have had stretches of play like this. When they step on the field the other players can only watch.

The Vikings have been one of the surprise teams in the league through five games. At 4-1 they are tied with the Chicago Bears at the top of the NFC North. An intense defense and steady Christian Ponder are big reasons for the surprising start. The biggest reason is the unbelievable play of Percy Harvin. His 814 combined yards lead the league but he didn't score his first offensive touchdown until this past game. He gained less than thirty offensive yards in a week four win at Detroit but his 105-yard opening kick return score set the tone. The Lions never recovered. His return rattled an already shaky kick coverage group. Harvin's true impact has to be seen rather than perused in a stat sheet. The way he runs. The tackles he breaks. His moves. His acceleration. His sheer determination. He's a team leader but he rallies the team most by his example. No player his size plays as physical. Few players of any size plays as physical. Percy Harvin is a beast.

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway says that Harvin is the best player in the league right now. Some in the media have tossed about MVP thoughts. It's great that others are finally seeing the dynamic play of Harvin. Defenses have been seeing it since he entered the league. Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier has often mentioned having opposing defenses coaches coming to him talking of the chore that Harvin presents to them. He'll be the focal point of the opposing defenses moving forward. I think that Harvin likes it that way. The Vikings will keep finding ways of getting him the ball. He says that he's just doing his job. The more demanding the job the better. Percy Harvin is doing his job of football as well as or better than I've ever seen.