The Seattle Seahawks are off to a blazing start, but there's one story that's stealing the show: Jaxon Smith-Njigba's historic season.
Amidst the Seahawks' impressive 7-2 start, several narratives have emerged. We've seen the electrifying play of quarterback Sam Darnold, who's silenced his critics with his explosive passing. The defense, under second-year head coach Mike Macdonald, continues to shine, building on last year's midseason turnaround. And the rookie class has certainly made its presence known.
But according to Kyle Brandt, co-host of NFL Network’s "Good Morning Football," it's Smith-Njigba's record-threatening performance that truly stands out. He shared his insights on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk, highlighting the wide receiver's remarkable achievements.
Smith-Njigba is currently leading the NFL with a staggering 1,041 receiving yards through just nine games. At this pace, he's on track to amass an incredible 1,966 yards, which would shatter Pro Football Hall of Fame member Calvin Johnson's single-season record of 1,964 yards.
"Darnold gets a lot of the headlines and he deserves them. But what Smith-Njigba is doing … it’s so much more than he’s just playing well or he’s putting up good numbers," Brandt explained. "He’s making people on defense look like idiots. He’s making people who didn’t draft him look like idiots. And he’s doing historic, historic things."
And this is the part most people miss... Smith-Njigba has a significant lead over the competition. He has 210 more yards than the next closest receiver, Ja’Marr Chase of Cincinnati, who led the league last year with 1,708 yards. Furthermore, Smith-Njigba's 16.5 yards per catch is the highest among players with at least 41 receptions this season.
Brandt emphasized that simply acknowledging Smith-Njigba's success in fantasy football barely scratches the surface of his impact. "Have you seen this stat where Ja’Marr Chase is second in the league and he’s second by over 200 yards? That is the largest margin between first and second through 10 weeks since 1970."
"There has never been a receiver– Randy Moss, Jerry Rice, Calvin Johnson – who is doing a lap around the other receivers in the league through 10 weeks like JSN is right now. It’s so cool."
The remarkable chemistry between Smith-Njigba and Darnold has also been a key factor in their success.
"I don’t know where that chemistry came from. Out of the gates, you would have thought that Darnold had played with him in peewee football his whole life. Those two guys just feel it," Brandt noted. "And the funny thing is … the Seahawks don’t pass very much. Despite all of that, they’re not really a passing team. But when they do … you have to watch it. I hope people do."
But here's where it gets controversial... Could Smith-Njigba's success be a sign of a changing landscape in the NFL, where young receivers are quickly becoming dominant forces? Or is this just a hot streak? What do you think about JSN's performance? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
