Seattle’s passing game has a clear centerpiece heading into Week 8, and Chicago’s defense is staring right at him.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has become the kind of receiver who can stress a defense from every angle, and the numbers show just how broad that damage can be. According to NFL Next Gen Stats via NFL.com’s Anthony Holzman-Escareno, Smith-Njigba leads the league in receiving yards in multiple categories: against zone coverage with 702, when aligned wide with 733, on deep targets with 303, when wide open with 246, against press coverage with 354, against 2-high with 495, and as an iso receiver with 214.
That mix gives Seattle plenty of ways to challenge the Bears. Zone coverage looks especially dangerous for Chicago, because Smith-Njigba has been dominant when defenses try to sit back and read the play. He has also been just as difficult to solve when opposing teams use two-high safety looks, which speaks to how little room defenses have found to slow him as a downfield threat.
The deep-ball production may be the most troublesome part for Chicago. Smith-Njigba’s ability to turn a target into a chunk gain could force the Bears to commit extra help his way, and that kind of attention can open the door for Seattle’s other playmakers.
For now, the Seahawks have every reason to keep leaning on him. Based on the production, there’s no obvious statistical argument for changing the way they use their top receiver against the Bears.
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