Copyright yardbarker
Smith-Njigba had "no doubt" the Seahawks would beat the Cardinals in regulation The Cardinals had just erased a 14-point deficit with not a lot of time left in the game for a game-winning drive, but Smith-Njigba wasn't worried, at all.“I had no doubt we were going to go down there and score honestly," Smith told reporters after the game. "And them making a huge penalty that got us on the 40-yard line, I knew that we just needed one play, a couple plays and (K) Jason's (Myers) going to go down there and seal the deal for us, if not score.”Cardinals K Chad Ryland put the team in a bad spot by coming up short of putting the ball in the landing zone after Arizona tied the game at 20 and that set the 'Hawks offense up in a really good spot, as Smith-Njigba mentioned. But the Seahawks still had to go out and execute - the points wouldn't just be handed to them. Smith-Njigba took it upon himself and used that confidence to make a huge play that was the catalyst behind a big divisional win.“He’s just comfortable in those moments," Sam Darnold told reporters after the game when asked about Smith-Njigba's big-play ability. "He showed that even in the San Francisco game. Obviously, we didn’t get the job done when we played them in the first game but he showed his big play ability - not only in two-minute, but throughout the game. We have that rapport to where we can trust each other with different routes, feeling leverage and all those types of things." Smith-Njigba's confidence will rub off on his teammates The Seahawks own the NFL's third-youngest roster, which is great, but it can also hamper the team due to the lack of overall experience. Regardless, Smith-Njigba is only 23, but he's carrying himself and playing like an established veteran and that's bound to rub off on his teammates as they continue to develop cohesion and chemistry throughout the season.Right now, Smith-Njigba is on pace for 110 catches, 1,708 yards and about four touchdowns. The receptions and yardage would easily represent a career-high if it holds up and so would the mark of 15.5 yards per reception. It's clear he's on an upward trajectory and the Seahawks were correct in making sure he was the undisputed No. 1 passing attack option coming into 2025.And the more he produces, the more teammates follow his lead. And when you have a roster as young as this, that can lead to some big things down the road.
