The Seattle Seahawks made a statement in their divisional round clash against the San Francisco 49ers, jumping out to a 17-0 first-quarter lead and never looking back en route to a dominant 41-6 victory. From the opening kickoff, Seattle came out with urgency, energy, and a game plan that left the Niners scrambling.
A big part of that early surge came courtesy of rookie wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who hauled in a touchdown pass in the first quarter to help build a 16-0 cushion. While his final stat line-three catches for 19 yards-might not jump off the page, his early impact helped set the tone. Seattle leaned heavily on its ground game after establishing the lead, allowing Smith-Njigba to play more of a complementary role in the offense.
But the game wasn’t without its flashpoints. With Seattle holding a commanding 27-6 lead in the third quarter, tensions boiled over.
After a play, Smith-Njigba approached 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, and the veteran defender responded by headbutting the rookie wideout. It was an emotional moment in a game where San Francisco was clearly frustrated by how quickly things had unraveled.
The incident didn’t go unnoticed off the field either. Smith-Njigba’s brother, Canaan, took to social media to poke fun at the situation, playfully mocking Lenoir with a jab that suggested the 49ers corner had just been adopted into the family rivalry.
Despite the extracurriculars, the story of the day was Seattle’s complete performance. The Seahawks controlled the line of scrimmage, executed their game plan with precision, and put together one of their most complete efforts of the season at the perfect time. With the offense firing early and the defense keeping San Francisco out of the end zone, Seattle looked every bit like a team that’s peaking when it matters most.
If this version of the Seahawks shows up again next week, they’re going to be a tough out for anyone.