Harris turns a blooper into a TD

JACKSONVILLE, FLA. - Napoleon Harris showed blitz and was ready to drop into pass coverage when, amazingly, he saw the football on the ground near his feet.

"Was I surprised the ball was just laying there?" he asked. "Yeah, I was surprised."

The Vikings middle linebacker wasn't the only one. In a play destined for the blooper reel and before fans at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium had a chance to settle into their seats Sunday, Jacksonville Jaguars center Brad Meester had an all-time brain cramp that led to the Vikings' first touchdown in a 30-12 victory.

On the first offensive play of the game, Meester forgot that quarterback David Garrard was lined up in a shotgun formation. Apparently, he was oblivious to the fact that Garrard's hands were not positioned under his keister.

Confused, Meester snapped the ball thinking Garrard was under center and the ball hit his, um, backside and fell to the ground.

Harris picked up the gift and ran 27 yards for a touchdown only 13 seconds into the game. That tied the Vikings record for fastest touchdown scored in team history. They scored 13 seconds into their game against New Orleans in 2005.

Meester paced the sideline after his gaffe as teammates tried to console him.

"It was all my fault, it's 100 percent on me," he said. "I just don't have much to say. It's hard to put into words I guess. It's embarrassing for me to let my teammates down like that to open up the game. It's probably the toughest thing I've ever been through."

Meester said Garrard didn't change the play at the line, which would have made it at least a little more understandable. He just simply forgot that his quarterback was in the shotgun. Meester chuckled when asked if he didn't feel Garrard's hands "down there."

"I think sometimes, unless you've been in the heat of the battle, I just ... I just forgot about it," he said.

Vikings center Matt Birk said that's never happened to him but quickly added: "It happens more than you think."

The Vikings defensive players had a good time with it.

"They came out in shotgun and he snapped it to his butt," defensive tackle Kevin Williams said. "[Defensive line coach Karl Dunbar] said dude must have been scared of Pat [Williams] or he said something to him. I don't know what the case may be, but he snapped it short."

Harris, who was positioned near the line, took one step backward, saw the ball and grabbed it. He ran untouched until running back Fred Taylor shoved him near the goal line. He tumbled into the end zone for his first career touchdown.

Harris said he had one thought as he ran: Don't pull a "Leon Lett" and allow someone from behind to catch him and knock the ball out of his hands.

"They say you've got to make the plays that you can make," he said. "That was a play that I can make. Luckily for me, I made it."