Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 150 yards and a touchdown as the Seattle Seahawks handed the previously undefeated Kansas City Chiefs a 20-3 defeat on Sunday night at Lumen Field, snapping a two-game skid and disrupting the visitors’ high-powered offense.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Fuels Seattle’s Prime-Time Victory
Seattle’s offense relied heavily on its standout receiver during a prime-time clash that put the team back in the win column. Jaxon Smith-Njigba pulled in nine of his 12 targets for 150 yards and a touchdown in the dominant 20-3 victory. His performance included a 27-yard touchdown in the second quarter sparked by quarterback Sam Darnold changing the play at the line of scrimmage against one-on-one coverage from cornerback Mansoor Delane.
FUMBLE!Derick Hall forces it for Seattle but the Chiefs recover.KCvsSEA on NBC/PeacockStream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/8COtXd1IEQ
That score marked Smith-Njigba’s eighth touchdown of the season, leading the NFL. With 867 receiving yards through seven games, he tied a franchise mark and matched Lance Alworth’s 1965 milestone for the eighth-most receiving yards through seven contests in league history. He also became the sixth player ever to record six 100-yard receiving games within his team’s first seven outings.
He’s tremendous. I don’t know how else to describe him.
Mike Macdonald, Seahawks coach
Safety Nick Emmanwori offered an even more direct assessment of his teammate’s output. He’s unguardable,
Emmanwori said after the final whistle.
Defense Smothers Patrick Mahomes and Kenneth Walker III
While the offense moved the chains effectively—converting 11 of 16 third downs and holding the ball for nearly 36 minutes—Seattle’s defense anchored the night. The unit stifled Patrick Mahomes, limiting the Kansas City quarterback to 165 yards through the air with no touchdowns and one interception. The Chiefs were held to their lowest total yards, first downs, and red-zone drives in any start of Mahomes’ career.
The game also featured the much-anticipated return of running back Kenneth Walker III to Lumen Field following his offseason move to Kansas City. Walker entered the night averaging a league-leading 133 rushing yards per game, but Seattle’s defense held him to just 36 yards on 14 carries for a 2.6 yards-per-carry average.
In one less game this season than his former Seattle team, Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III has rushed for more yards and touchdowns than all the Seahawks RBs combined. But Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba has more receiving yards and receiving touchdowns than all Chiefs WRs combined.… pic.twitter.com/NidGjMuhlJ
The performance extended Seattle’s streak to 36 consecutive games without allowing an opposing running back to reach the century mark on the ground. Heck, that was my motivation,
Emmanwori said of stopping his former teammate below the 100-yard threshold.
Sam Darnold and the Offense Find Balance
Sam Darnold directed the offense with efficiency, completing 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards, a touchdown, and a late first-half interception returned 64 yards by Nohl Williams before Harrison Butker’s 58-yard field goal attempt missed short as time expired. Despite that turnover, Darnold played a central role in sustaining drives, particularly through his connection with Smith-Njigba.
▫️ Masterful performance by the defense.▫️ Offense was outstanding on third down.▫️ We're running out of superlatives for Jaxon Smith-Njigba.Rapid Reactions » https://t.co/cvqXEllO3y pic.twitter.com/Vz8WE5Xxlg
The ground game provided vital support. Emanuel Wilson carried the ball 24 times for 100 yards and a touchdown while helping Seattle grind out 153 total rushing yards on 41 attempts. Head coach Mike Macdonald praised his team's resilience after dealing with recent roster adjustments and a two-game skid.
To stand steadfast in some adversity, that’s what we do. We find solutions.
Mike Macdonald, Seahawks coach
The win moves Seattle to 4-3 on the season as the team prepares to host the Chicago Bears at Lumen Field on Monday, Nov. 2, in another prime-time matchup.
Additional Observations from the Primetime Clash
The victory arrived as a much-needed breakthrough for Seattle in their defense of the Super Bowl title following an uneven start to the campaign. With offensive-line adjustments in place—including Kahlil Benson at left tackle and Joshua Ezeudu at right tackle—the Seahawks maintained steady control of the line of scrimmage while neutralizing the opposition.
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid shouldered responsibility for the sputtering performance of his squad. Reflecting on the efforts of the opposing defense, Reid remarked, How do you not just tip your cap to those guys?
Regarding his own locker room, Reid added, We’ll go back to the drawing board
and noted that all three phases of the team must execute better.
Seahawks vs. Chiefs Postgame Press Conference – 2026 Week 7 https://t.co/OmwXXoQyJU
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes also addressed the challenging night on the field, acknowledging the frustration within the offense by stating, You gotta feel it. This sucks.
For Seattle, the defensive display was spearheaded by contributions across the front and second levels. Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu, and Tyrice Knight combined to bottle up running lanes, while Dre’Mont Jones added a sack, two quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a tackle for loss. Linebacker Ernest Jones IV emphasized the defensive unit’s collective ambition after holding Kansas City off the scoreboard until the third quarter, noting that the goal was a complete shutout.
During the Chiefs’ 20-3 loss to the Seahawks, Kansas City never reached the red zone, the first time that has happened in a Patrick Mahomes NFL start, with Sunday being his 153rd career start including playoffs. pic.twitter.com/wzsTobILH9
Special teams were crucial in the field-position battle. Jason Myers converted both of his field-goal attempts—including a 25-yard kick in the second quarter that opened the scoring—while punter Michael Dickson pinned both of his punts inside the 20-yard line, and Tory Horton contributed 60 yards across two kick returns.
On the injury front, the Seahawks experienced a few setbacks during the contest. Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed departed early in the third quarter with a knee injury, and starting tackle Charles Cross exited in the fourth quarter due to an ankle issue.
Looking ahead in the schedule, the defeated Chiefs will travel to Colorado to face the Denver Broncos at Empower Field in Week 8. Meanwhile, the Seahawks stay at home to welcome Caleb Williams and the 5-2 Chicago Bears to Lumen Field for a Monday night encounter on November 2.
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