SEATTLE – The NFL’s leading receiver was in his bag from start to finish Sunday in the NFC Championship Game.
Of course, the Seattle Seahawks had seen it all before.
With a dazzling one-handed catch, ankle-breaking route running and a momentum-shifting touchdown reception, Jaxon Smith-Njigba played a major role in the Seahawks’ 31-27 victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field.
In fact, had the visiting Rams fared even a little better defensively against the first-team All-Pro – he finished with 153 yards on 10 receptions and a touchdown – perhaps they would have advanced to face the AFC champion New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX. But their NFC West archrivals earned the trip instead, thanks in large part to a third-year superstar whose legend continues to grow.
“Oh, yeah, the one-handed catch,” Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold said matter-of-factly about Smith-Njigba’s first eye-opening play of the game. “I’m not really surprised, at this point, about what Jax does on the field.”
Well, Darnold works with Smith-Njigba throughout the week in practice and on game days. He’s spoiled.
Those less fortunate, by comparison, have every right to be wowed.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold on Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s one-handed catch: “I’m not really surprised, at this point, about what Jax does on the field.”
Jane Gershovich/Getty Images
Late in the first quarter, Smith-Njigba served notice of how he would confound the Rams throughout. On third-and-2 from the Rams’ 16-yard line, Darnold connected with his favorite target for 9 yards, with Smith-Njigba making a one-handed grab along the sideline that energized the Seahawks-heavy crowd. Later in the drive, Seattle extended its lead to 10-3 on a field goal.
Smith-Njigba’s best move of the first half came with only 20 seconds remaining in it.
After the Seahawks took possession on their 25-yard line with 54 seconds to play, it appeared the Rams would enter the locker room with a 13-10 lead.
Things changed.
Darnold – who finished with 346 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and no turnovers, played the game of his career – masterfully directed the Seahawks to the Rams’ 14-yard line. With some nifty footwork, Smith-Njigba left the Rams’ secondary confused about his intentions and wound up alone in the left corner of the end zone for the score.
At the half, the Seahawks held a 17-13 advantage.
Warren Moon’s heart is with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship Game – AndscapeRead now
When Smith-Njigba gets cooking, which happens regularly, wide receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed knows that everyone in the Seahawks’ receiving corps will eat.
The attention Smith-Njigba draws from opponents creates canyon-sized opportunities for others. It’s a winning formula, which Shaheed realized immediately after he joined the Seahawks from the New Orleans Saints in a midseason trade.
“I knew how hard he works, because I saw what he did before I got here,” said Shaheed, who had a 51-yard reception in the first quarter. “But after I got here, to see the way he pushes himself all the time, you understand why he does extraordinary things.
“He’s a special player, but it really is the work he puts in that makes him who he is. I’m super proud of him because he does it the right way. And when you’re around him, and you see who he is each day, the consistency, you’re not surprised at all by anything he does.”
On the Seahawks, Smith-Njigba sets the bar, backup quarterback Jalen Milroe said.
“The thing is, as a player, you either have it or you don’t. JSN just has something you can’t coach,” Milroe said. “Call it whatever you want, that killer instinct, but it’s the competition level he always pushes himself to reach. He just has that fierce mindset, no matter who’s on the field, to always compete and win. He’s so competitive, so as his teammate, you understand all the success he’s had. You get it.
“It all comes from his mindset, his approach to the game, and what he puts into the game. You know, you reap what you sow. Everything that has come out this year, everything that he’s doing right now, is because of the work he puts into being great. You can’t take shortcuts and expect to get the results you want. And what he always shows is that there’s a right way to do things. That’s an example he always sets.”
In the wide receiver room, Smith-Njigba always has a captive audience, Shaheed said.
“Being alongside of him is super special,” he said. “Watching him just makes me want to work even harder. He’s the best in the league, which he proves every week.”
Teammates say Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s work ethic makes him who he is on the field.
Michael Owens/Getty Images
To hear Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Moon tell it, Smith-Njigba could become one of the best in NFL history.
The University of Washington legend and former Seahawks quarterback, who was among those in attendance cheering for the Seahawks in the championship game, Moon has studied Smith-Njigba’s game since the team selected him out of Ohio State in the first round (20th overall) in the 2023 NFL draft. Smith-Njigba’s ceiling isn’t even in sight, Moon said.
“He’s really something,” Moon said. “He has great confidence in his hands, he has great body control, and he runs good routes. Just looking at him, you can tell he comes out of that Ohio State tree of great receivers – and he might be the best of the lot.
“JSN, just the way he runs his routes, he kinda lulls people to sleep. Then, he gives them that quick burst. A lot of times, it looks like defensive backs, even though they’ve seen him on film, just don’t expect it. Then, he has them right where he wants them.”
The Rams can attest to that. Unfortunately for them, with a Super Bowl berth at stake, they were a captive audience for the whole Smith-Njigba show.
They sure seemed powerless to stop it.
Jason Reid is the senior NFL writer at Andscape. He enjoys watching sports, especially any games involving his son and daughter.
