So, how should we use Harvin?

[cdallan]

A new toy is coming out of the box soon, and I wondered how you good people would like us to use him? We don't need to use him exactly the same way Minny did - we have a functional QB and an offense that actually makes use of the legalisation of the forward pass. Some of my thoughts as to how I would like to see him deployed:-

1 - Receiving out of the backfield - but not just catching passes in the flat. Harvin is a match-up nightmare for LBs, but put him wide to be covered by a CB or a S and you lose some of the advantage. Remember the wheel route that Russ hit Turbin on in the loss at SF last year, which Turbin dropped near the goalline? I would love to see Harvin running deep-ish routes from the backfield, where he may get dropped in coverage.

2 - in the slot - for bubble screens and quick slants naturally.

3 - sole back in obvious passing situations. I think that Harvin may help the pass protection simply by being there. Let's say he looks for an inside blitzer. There is none, so he slips through/passed the line to go into the gap between the DL and the secondary. If Russ climbs the pocket, what does the D do? If there is a LB/DB spying Russ, move towards him and he can flip it to Harvin (who you would rather have with the ball in his hands than Russ). Or maybe Harvin's presence freezes the D and gives Russ even more room to run.

4 - as a runner - I don't think that we need to use him exactly like Minny did, and I wouldn't like to see him take a battering after coming back from his hip surgery, but I would like to see a few wrinkles on what we have done already. How about an option run for Russ where he has the choice to pitch it out to Harvin? Or, say we run a read option play with Lynch to the left, how great would it be if Harvin was behind Russ and we could pitch it to him going right? The D will have to take account of him even if the give is to Lynch - might just freeze the LBs a bit, who have to worry about Lynch inside left, Russ outside left, and Harvin going right. Or even Russ faking the handoff and looking to throw. I honestly have no idea what a D does in that situation.

5 - hot route on blitzes. See Marshawn's easy TD catch against the 9ers. If Russ spots a blitz and Harvin splits wide for the quick pass, how much space does he have in front of him? Does the D even risk the blitz from the side Harvin is lined up on?

Should be interesting. What say you?

 

[RolandDeschain]

I think we should use him as a decoy on a semi-regular basis. Send him on go routes, deep posts, etc. Most people don't realize that Tate is like a poor man's Harvin in terms of yards after the catch. Maybe even a moderately wealthy man's Harvin, in that regard. He doesn't have the same kind of elite speed, but if we send Harvin deep, I could see some serious success from Tate in space, too. Honestly, Bevell will probably feel like a kid in a candy shop. A QB that can make all the throws, and two sure-handed receivers with great yards after the catch ability, one of which is a truly dynamic playmaker in this league, and we still have Rice and Baldwin, plus Kearse is showing that eye surgery has done miracles for his catch rate...

Geez. When we have at least 4 of our starting O-linemen playing, do we have any excuse not to put up 40 points or more every single game?

 

[Steve2222]

I'd like for him to be our more elite Darren Sproles/Reggie Bush.

 

[Johnny]

I say use him to make this offense better but don't forget about the other players on this team Tate, Baldwin, Lynch, Miller, Etc.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, Don't try to make Harvin 90% of our offense just because he is a dangerous weapon and can make an 80yd TD on any given play... Lets stay balanced and use all of our weapons.. That's kinda my fear here when Harvin comes back we try to force the ball to him to often and lose the balance.

 

[Renohawk]

I just watched a video of the 2012 highlights, looks like Minn used him several ways, but getting him the ball quick in space allowing him to use his speed and allusiveness was very successful. I believe in the off season, the Hawks had a lot of plays just for him and we've not seen come out. One in particular are any reverses I don't remember seeing any. On another note, Tate sure looks like a poor mans Harvin a lot of similarities.

 

[Johnny]

Is there such a thing like a 'Read-option screen pass'?

 

[brimsalabim]

I like the decoy point above as it would also take a little pressure off that hip. I would love to see a screen play put in for these teams that are pinning their ears back. Maybe a play that puts Harvin and Tate on opposite sides with hot reads again to slow down the blitz. Our Oline needs help and the defense can't be every where at once so the best way to slow them down is to make them cover the entire field. When we get both tackles back we can really get wicked.

 

[brimsalabim]

Hey Reno how about combining to Russell spin out move with a Harvin reverse? That would break some ankles for sure.

 

[justafan]

I think we should use him as a decoy on a semi-regular basis. Send him on go routes, deep posts, etc. Most people don't realize that Tate is like a poor man's Harvin in terms of yards after the catch. Maybe even a moderately wealthy man's Harvin, in that regard. He doesn't have the same kind of elite speed, but if we send Harvin deep, I could see some serious success from Tate in space, too. Honestly, Bevell will probably feel like a kid in a candy shop. A QB that can make all the throws, and two sure-handed receivers with great yards after the catch ability, one of which is a truly dynamic playmaker in this league, and we still have Rice and Baldwin, plus Kearse is showing that eye surgery has done miracles for his catch rate...

Geez. When we have at least 4 of our starting O-linemen playing, do we have any excuse not to put up 40 points or more every single game?

Good points.As much as I would love to see Bevell use him hard like a rental I think its more important to have him healthy and hitting his stride for the SB run.The decoy approach would help on that.One of his biggest strengths I think will be opening up other players without putting up huge personal numbers.Not sure about the 40 a game but I would love to see it

 

[SNDavidson]

Pete Carroll says: "Really well."

 

[Anonymous]

I say we use him on offense. It's really that simple. No returns, for the time being anyway.

Harvin has been elevated to elite status through past performances and the media hype. His presence among the 11 men on the field will accomplish much more from a strategy standpoint than other skill players will. Thus, a smart coaching staff will design looks and schemes which utilize him in the manipulation of defensive coverage. Teams will be forced to overly-account for him and that is an extremely powerful tool to have in the box.

Some of what we do with him must be trotted out at the correct time in the season, however, so as to keep a few tricks in the bag come playoff time.

 

[RiverDog]

He's going to see limited snaps for the first few games. I'd try to limit his targets/touches to 3-5 a game, perhaps on little drag routes out of the backfield after the WR's have cleared out the underneath routes when the defense is man coverage, maybe on a gadget play like some sort of reverse. The offense seems to be clicking pretty good right now so there isn't a huge need for him until we get into December with games against the Niners and Saints, which are shaping up to be the games that will determine our playoff seeding.

 

[The Radish]

Thanks for the insights guys. Since I'm basically a Seahawks fan but not an NFL fan anymore I have not seen Harvin play as I can recall.

I've enjoyed reading all that's been said about him from our own people. Gives me an idea what to expect.

And I have to say yes give him limited snaps at first. But not as a kick/punt returner. Those people get hit the hardest. We have good people to do that. Let him play within the offense.

:les:

 

[SalishHawkFan]

Shouldn't the title of this thread be "How will THEY use Harvin?", not how should WE. We fans don't have any say in the matter. All we can do is opinionate on how we think THEY should use Harvin.

 

[The Radish]

but, but, but, do you mean "They" don't listen to "we"?

Many of us are crushed.......

:141847_bnono:

 

[SeaChase]

I was thinking Cheerleader, will help reduce his injury's, but would probably get hit by player going out of bounds and would need a replacement cheerleader....

 

[justafan]

Its always they when things suck but we when things are rolling good

 

[jamsomatic]

harvin doesn't do many fly patterns/go routes. he didnt here in minny anyway. catch and run in any number of ways and where he will be real good is just like baldwin or tate or rice last week when the play breaks down or gets extended he will be hard for a defender to find just hope wilson does lol. then off to the races.

 

[Tical21]

Mostly as a slot receiver. Unfortunately, you're not going to wind up with LB's manned up on him. Teams base their defensive personnel on the players in the huddle, not the positions they play. I don't think we want to leave Percy in for blocking purposes either. We'll see him in the backfield some for some wrinkles, but that is Marshawn's domain.

 

[m0ng0]

I would like to see him return kickoffs, line up in the backfield as a decoy or with the intent to pass, slot? As Roland said use him as a decoy until he works himself back up to game speed.