EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- When I spoke with Percy Harvin on Friday, the electric Seahawks pass-catcher acknowledged that his first season in Seattle had been a struggle.
"Man, it's been weird, it's been frustrating, it's been all the above," Harvin said.
No longer.
It took until Seattle's 19th game of the season, but the expensive trade that brought Harvin over from the Minnesota Vikings looks like pure gold on the heels of his performance in Super Bowl XLVIII.
Harvin accounted for 137 yards on his first four touches -- frying the Broncos for 45 yards rushing, 5 more through the air and 87 on a heat-seeking, second-half kick return score that helped bury the Denver Broncos 43-8 in a game that tumbled out of hand almost instantly.
Seattle thumped the Broncos on both sides of the ball and took control of the game early with an up-tempo offense that leaned on Harvin's speed. Expecting a steady dose of Marshawn Lynch, Denver instead froze up as the 'Hawks attacked the perimeter with Percy's elite speed.
On Seattle's second play from scrimmage, signal-caller Russell Wilson fed the ball to Harvin on a reverse that saw him blaze around the edge and down the sideline on a 30-yard bolt into Broncos territory. Two drives later, Harvin did it again with a 15-yard sweep that led to Seattle's first touchdown and a 15-0 lead. The kick return came next, squeezing the final gasp of air out of Denver's corpse.
How many players in the league can walk into a Super Bowl with 40 snaps on the season and light up the night like Harvin? His speed is elite and, after playing at an MVP level with the Vikings early last season, he did the same against Denver on the game's biggest stage.
In the end, Harvin's weird, frustrating year has a happy ending, but it's really just the start. His performance tonight is just another reminder that this Seattle team can be even better next season.
*The "Around The League Podcast" taped our Super Bowl XLVIII recap from MetLife Stadium right after the game. *
