Percy Harvin Runs Kickoff Back for Touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII (GIF)
By Todd Pheifer
Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Percy Harvin (11) returns a kick for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the third quarter in Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Could the Seattle Seahawks have beaten the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XLVIII without Percy Harvin‘s kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half? Probably.
However, it sure made for a nice 29-0 cushion.
You understand the mentality. The Broncos knew Harvin was back there, and they probably planned on avoiding him.
Oops.
The strategy seemed to be that they would kick it short and have it picked up by someone else. Or, the Broncos would kick it short and let it bounce around on the field long enough for the coverage team to get down there. A good thought.
And yet, it went horribly wrong for Denver. This was the result:
Harvin has been a story all season long, but for mostly the wrong reasons. The ongoing theme was, “Will Harvin play THIS week?” If the Seahawks had lost the Super Bowl and Harvin had played badly or gotten hurt again, the franchise would have been heavily criticized for making a very bad trade.
I guess that scenario was avoided.
Despite only playing in one regular season and one playoff game prior to the Super Bowl, Harvin made a huge impact in his triumphant return. The irony is that Harvin only had five yards on one reception, but the kickoff return and two runs contributed to 137 all-purpose yards.
Malcolm Smith had a great game, and he is deserving of the MVP. Russell Wilson also had a great game, and he could have easily walked away with the award. If those two guys have slightly lesser games, Harvin might be your MVP.
Nice job, Mr. Harvin. You had a great game at just the right moment.