Harvin misses practice with migraines

WR Percy Harvin missed practice Thursday with another bout of migraines. He joined defensive linemen Ray Edwards and Kevin Williams as Vikings missing practice.

Wide receiver Percy Harvin missed practice Thursday with a migraine and his status for Sunday’s NFC Championship Game isn’t known.

Harvin missed the Cincinnati Bengals game on Dec. 13 with migraines and has missed other practice time during the week this year while he searches for a solution, although Vikings coach Brad Childress said it probably isn’t realistic to think he will be completely cured of the migraines.

“I don’t think that’s realistic. I think it’s just a matter of trying to slow the onsets for a while. He had them pretty often and that’s the first time (lately) one has raised up. Expect him to be OK,” Childress said.

Harvin visited the Mayo Clinic in December to try to find a cure and was optimistic at the time that they had gotten a better handle on the situation. But the complexity of migraines continues to leave Harvin and the team at the mercy of his condition.

“They are all different. Every one is a little bit different than the other one, some longer, some shorter,” Childress said.

Harvin said he was suffering from migraines when he missed the team’s official minicamp in May and the NFL’s rookie symposium in June, but his bout in December caused loss of vision and vomiting, he said.

“Guys could see how bloodshot my eyes were from crying and they saw me throwing up in meetings,” he said at the time. “I think they know what was going on with me.”

The Vikings were also missing defensive end Ray Edwards and defensive tackle Kevin Williams on Thursday, the second straight day they both missed practice with knee injuries.

“They might get out here tomorrow. I’m in hopes they are, but, again, we’ll see how much progress they’ve made,” Childress said.

Edwards had three sacks last week against the Dallas Cowboys before leaving the game in the third quarter with his knee injury. If Edwards can’t play, Brian Robison would get the start at left defensive end.

“If Brian was to have to go, he’s been very productive in the snaps that he’s given us,” Childress said. “He’s always showing up. I know it doesn’t show up in terms of sack, hurries, hitting the quarterback, pressuring the quarterback. I have a lot of confidence in B-Rob as well.”

NOTES

While Harvin, Williams and Edwards didn’t practice Thursday, four other Vikings were limited – Bernard Berrian with an ankle injury, Steve Hutchinson with a shoulder injury, Ben Leber with a knee injury and Antoine Winfield with a foot injury. Winfield confirmed Thursday that he fractured his foot earlier in the season. He missed six games because of it and has been playing in the slot the last two games after starting the previous three games.

For the Saints, CB Malcolm Jenkins (hamstring) and TE Jeremy Shockey (knee) did not practice. WR Robert Meachem (ankle) and S Darren Sharper (knee) were limited.

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