Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin is officially active for Saturday's Divisional round game against the New Orleans Saints.
Percy Harvin active for Seahawks vs. Saints
Harvin is active and making his long-awaited return from a lingering hip injury.
Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports
It's only the second time all season Harvin has been able to play since the Seahawks acquired him from the Vikings for a first-round pick in the offseason. He's been slow to recover from having hip surgery in August, making a brief appearance in Week 11 only to be shut down again when the hip swelled up.
Harvin finally returned to practice during the team’s bye week and was listed as probable for Saturday’s game. It’s unknown how much action he will get, but he plans on returning kickoffs and hopes to play without any limitations. Harvin’s presence creates a matchup problem for the Saints defense with his unique open field ability.
SB Nation’s James Dator looked at Harvin’s potential impact and concluded that he’s one of the biggest wild cards to account for:
This could be a case of threat being greater than reality with Harvin on the field on Saturday. There’s little question he’s an elite talent, but taking pressure off other offensive players could be far more important than getting yards himself. Aggression from the Saints sometimes leads to lapses in coverage, and forcing them to play tight coverage on Harvin, possibly with safety support can open up lanes for other receivers.
With heavy wind and rain expected in Seattle, the Seahawks might have to lean on their running attack more than usual. That could minimize Harvin’s chances to make a difference, but New Orleans would be unwise to completely ignore him. He’s capable of flipping the scoreboard on a single play.
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