Jaxon Smith-Njigba scores 3 TDs as Seattle Seahawks roll to 31-7 win over Cardinals
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - SEPTEMBER 20: Jaxon Smith-Njigba #11 of the Seattle Seahawks celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Glendale (Norm Hall / Getty Images)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught nine passes for 155 yards and a career-high three touchdowns as the Seattle Seahawks cruised to a 31-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals despite the absence of starting quarterback Sam Darnold.
Drew Lock completed 19-of-26 passes for 235 yards with three touchdown passes to Smith-Njigba while throwing no interceptions and being sacked just once. Lock started in place of Darnold, who was out due to a gluteus injury sustained in the season-opener against the New England Patriots.
"Couldn't be happier for the guy," head coach Mike Macdonald said of Lock. "We just love him, and all the things we said about him throughout the week, I mean, that was real. That was from the heart, and really proud of the way he played. He did a tremendous job."
Seattle scored 24 unanswered points in the second half as they won their 12th straight game dating back to last season.
By the numbers:
With Darnold out, Smith-Njigba – the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year – has helped the Seahawks' offense continue to soar. Smith-Njigba caught an 82-yard touchdown pass from Lock on the first passing attempt of the game to give Seattle a quick 7-0 lead as he'd put together a career day for Seattle. Smith-Njigba is just the seventh different player to have three touchdowns in a game for the Seahawks, joining Steve Largent, Daryl Turner, Joey Galloway, Doug Baldwin, Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf.
Turner is the only Seattle player with four receiving touchdowns in a game, scoring four against the San Diego Chargers in 1985.
Smith-Njigba's second touchdown came on the opening drive of the second half to give Seattle the lead. After a 33-yard Jason Myers field goal extended the advantage, Smith-Njigba added his third early in the fourth quarter as the Seahawks took a 24-7 lead. Smith-Njigba had caught two touchdowns in a game three times previously in his career before Sunday's new mark.
It follows on the heels of his eight catches for 122 yards and a touchdown game against the Patriots to open the season.
"Drew, he's a special talent and sees the field very well and can make any throw," Smith-Njigba said. "And I know he's looking for me, and I just want to be there for him. And we've been having a special connection for a minute now."
The backstory:
The Cardinals played a strong first half as they kept pace with Seattle and made a couple of fourth down stops that kept the Seahawks from taking the lead before halftime.
Trey McBride caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Jacoby Brissett to match Smith-Njigba's opening score and tie the game at 7-7.
Arizona's defense stopped four straight runs by Seattle inside the 6-yard line to turn Seattle's offense away with just over a minute left in the first half.
But the second half was all Seahawks.
The Cardinals were held to just 151 yards of total offense in the game. Brissett finished with just 95 yards on 17-of-28 passing while being intercepted once by Julian Love. No. 3 overall pick Jeremiyah Love was held to just 29 yards on nine carries, and Tyler Allgeier had 10 yards on five carries.
Meanwhile, Emanuel Wilson and Jadarian Price combined to rush for 144 yards for Seattle, and A.J. Barner scored on a 1-yard run for the final touchdown of the day for Seattle. Price was pulled from the game in the fourth quarter due to a chest injury as Wilson finished the contest as Seattle's lead rusher, gaining 92 yards on 20 carries. It's the second-most yards of Wilson's career behind only his 107 yards on 28 carries for the Green Bay Packers against Minnesota last season.
Macdonald said X-rays on Price came back negative, so that's a good sign for the Seahawks.
The Source: Information in this story comes from FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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