"When Vikings players blamed this season's poor second-half play on execution, they weren't kidding.

This team even has trouble getting lined up correctly on offense.

Wide receiver Percy Harvin said Monday the offense twice lined up in the wrong formation on crucial third-down plays during Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The right plays could have resulted in "walk-in touchdowns," Harvin said. The 0-2 Vikings desperately need those plays after getting outscored a combined 41-3 in the second half this season despite brilliant first halves against San Diego and Tampa Bay.

"We just have a couple meltdowns on third down," said Harvin, whose Vikings face the 2-0 Detroit Lions on Sunday at the Metrodome. "We forget the formation, Donovan (McNabb) gets sacked, and then we have a busted play. But it's us. It's all us."

When asked which players botched the formation, Harvin said, "I'm not getting into that...into the formations and who did what."

The Vikings failed to convert two third downs on goal-line plays - McNabb's low pass to tight end Visanthe Shiancoe late in the second quarter and the Bucs' all-out blitz that disrupted a pass intended for running back Lorenzo Booker early in the fourth quarter. "