WASHINGTON — We take a timeout from all the Peyton Manning love to talk about another NFL rarity that occurred this week.
A big-name trade in-season.
On Friday, Percy Harvin was unexpectedly shipped from Seattle to New York for the low, low price of a conditional draft pick that reportedly
Considering what the Seahawks gave up to get Harvin from Minnesota before the 2013 season, this is a rare case of Seattle getting fleeced. The ‘Hawks gave up first, third, and seventh round picks to get him, then paid him a whopping $18.3 million dollars for only 10 games.
The reasons for Harvin’s ouster sound somewhat similar to the DeSean Jackson situation. Locker room headache, we’re better off without him, blah blah blah.
Unlike Jackson, Harvin has been a non-factor this year. His 6.0 yards per catch is flat out awful. He’s been more of a gadget player than a traditional downfield threat, and that’s just when he’s healthy — which is rare. Dude has only played a full 16 games once in his 6-year NFL career.
That’s why this looks like another ill-fated move for the Jets.
I know it’s another fresh start for Harvin. I’ve even heard some folks play up the fact that he and Michael Vick are both Virginia Beach-area guys. But Vick isn’t the starter. Geno Smith is. If Harvin couldn’t get on the same page with Russell Wilson, I’m not sure how anyone thinks he’s going to pair up nicely with a guy just two weeks removed from a 4-for-12 stinker after choosing the wrong kind of film study the night before a game.
Furthermore, Harvin just doesn’t matter in the NFL’s big picture. He’s jack of all trades, but a master of none. He’s never had a 1,000 yard season as a receiver, and he’s a fine return man, but clearly not Devin Hester in his prime. Harvin is a great complementary piece, not a centerpiece.
Don’t get me wrong: Harvin has a ton of talent, he’s got blazing speed, and can be a difference maker on a team that uses him to his full potential. But in New York, with the baggage he carries, I just don’t see this ending well for Rex Ryan and Company.
Speaking of Rex…he gets to punch his way to the top of the NFL recap:
Jets 25
Patriots 27
Tom Brady appears to be back playing at the level we’re used to seeing him play the last decade or so. Unfortunately for New York — and Rex Ryan’s fist — so too are the Jets.
Titans 17
Redskins 19
On a day when Mark Rypien was added to the team’s Ring of Honor, the Redskins again reminded us they’re still waiting on an adequate replacement for the last quarterback to win a Super Bowl for Washington.
Falcons 7
Ravens 29
Don’t look now Atlanta…but your team is 6-17 since their NFC title game appearance two seasons ago. If I’m a Falcons fan, I wonder if I’m better off with Joe Flacco than Matt Ryan.
Seahawks 26
Rams 28
I’d love to make this about Russell Wilson becoming the first QB in NFL history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game…but this day belonged to St. Louis. They threw the house at Seattle and outplayed the champs in all three phases of the game. Can’t blame that on Harvin…
Browns 6
Jaguars 24
Cleveland fans and South Central Louisiana State University Mud Dogs fans have much in common…
Bengals 0
Colts 27
Here’s Cincinnati’s last three games: primetime blowout loss in New England, a tie at home, and a shutout loss in Indy to a Colts team struggling defensively. And that run of futility comes out of a bye week. Now you see why I struggle at handicapping this team…
Vikings 16
Bills 17
Sammy Watkins damn near won this game by himself. Buffalo did the right thing trading up for this guy.
Dolphins 27
Bears 14
Ryan Tannehill was so amazing on Sunday, he simultaneously propelled Miami to victory AND made a great pitch to be included in a third Ace Ventura movie.
Saints 23
Lions 24
Reggie’s revenge! Not really Reggie Bush…32 yards on 9 touches isn’t exactly sticking it to your former team. But sitting at 5-2 while New Orleans is imploding on the road en route to an awful 2-4 start has to be sweet.
Panthers 17
Packers 38
Remember when Aaron Rodgers told everyone to relax? Since then, Green Bay is 4-0 and Rodgers has thrown 13 TDs and no interceptions. Sounds like the stuff an America’s Game Super Bowl Special is made of…
Chiefs 23
Chargers 20
Kansas City won in San Diego thanks in part to a rookie kicker who learned the American brand of football by playing Madden. This is made exponentially better by the fact his name sounds like a Brazilian crime boss.
Cardinals 24
Raiders 13
There’s no drought in the desert; Arizona is off to its first 5-1 start since 1976 using little more than smoke and mirrors.
Meanwhile, Oakland is a smoking dumpster fire off to their worst start since 1962…before Al Davis took over as coach. The Raiders are running out of people to fire.
Giants 21
Cowboys 31
DeMarco Murray has opened the season with seven straight games of 100 or more rushing yards, an NFL-record. Dallas fans can celebrate their 6-1 start…but they should be demanding answers as to why it took Jason Garrett three years to figure out the Cowboys are virtually unbeatable when they consistently give Murray the ball.
Niners 17
Broncos 42
Peyton Manning’s NFL-record 509 career touchdown passes is proof of what we already know: #18 is the most prolific passer the league has ever seen.
And San Fran — one of the teams he could’ve chosen two years ago — had a front row seat.
Texans 23
Steelers 30
This game may have changed the trajectory of the season for both teams. Pittsburgh will probably point to this as the week they saved their season, while Houston may refer to this as “Gone in 73 Seconds”.
Follow @WTOP and @WTOPSports on Twitter and WTOP on Facebook.
