Pete Carroll is Smart to Be Conservative with Percy Harvin
By Peter Smith
Pete Carroll has said he will not rush Percy Harvin back, but Harvin seems to be chomping at the bit to return. The reality is the 6-1 Seattle Seahawks do not need Harvin back until December. The next month of the season is a warm hug for the Hawks on the schedule and while they should keep working to get Harvin back and maybe have him practice, they should not be extremely cautious with Harvin for the same reason the Patriots were right to be cautious with Rob Gronkowski. Both teams are good enough to get into the playoffs without these key players. They need those stars healthy for crunch time, getting in a great rhythm and then having a great playoff run with a chance to win the Super Bowl.
The Seahawks play the St. Louis Rams this week on what will be another brutal Monday Night Football game. With the season-ending injury to Sam Bradford, the Rams will have Kellen Clemens under center. The Rams, with Bradford, were an underdog in this game. With Clemens, it could be ugly. The Seahawks then host the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, go on the road to play the scuffling Atlanta Falcons, then host the Minnesota Vikings who are currently holding quarterback tryouts. After those four games which the Seahawks should end up going 3-1 or 4-0 through, the Seahawks then go on their bye which could not come at a better time. They can rest up and work to ease Harvin in and then have him in for the stretch run.
After the bye week, presumably with Harvin at full go and possibly already with 10 wins, the Seahawks play the Saints and the 49ers, which are both teams the Seahawks could see in the playoffs. Those are the games where Harvin is going to be important as the Seahawks play top competition, try to ensure they have home field advantage and get ready to make a big playoff push. Harvin is a competitor and there is no doubt he wants to be on the field, but they need to be conservative with him as he does have some issues staying healthy, but if he can give them a great two months (including the playoffs) to finish the year, the Seahawks are as good a bet as anyone to win the Super Bowl.