Seahawks Need More Than Just Jaxon Smith-Njigba to Crack Patriots’ Code in Super Bowl Showdown
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has officially arrived. The second-year wideout has gone from promising rookie to full-blown offensive centerpiece for the Seattle Seahawks, and he’s doing it on the biggest stage imaginable. Whether he’s lining up outside or working out of the slot, JSN has been a nightmare for defenses all season long-and now he’s firmly in the conversation for Offensive Player of the Year.
But as dominant as Smith-Njigba has been, Seattle knows it can’t rely on just one man to carry the load-especially not against a defense coached by Mike Vrabel and schemed by the ever-methodical New England Patriots. That’s the message NFL analyst Chris Simms delivered during a recent appearance on Up & Adams, and he’s not wrong.
“It can’t just be Jaxon Smith-Njigba in the pass game. There’s gotta be somebody else,” Simms told host Kay Adams. “They need to find ways to get Rashid Shaheed more as a receiver.”
Let’s be clear-slowing down JSN is far easier said than done. He’s posted ten 100-yard receiving games this season and added four more with at least 90 yards.
Even in his two “quiet” outings, he still found the end zone, including a 19-yard touchdown in the Divisional Round. He’s been as consistent as any receiver in football, and he’s doing it with a blend of route-running precision, after-the-catch burst, and an uncanny feel for soft spots in coverage.
But Simms is right to spotlight Shaheed. Since arriving in Seattle via trade, the speedster has mostly been used as a decoy.
And that’s a shame, because his ability to stretch the field is a weapon Seattle hasn’t fully tapped into. We saw a glimpse of what he can do in the NFC Championship Game, when Sam Darnold uncorked a 51-yard bomb that showcased both Shaheed’s elite speed and Darnold’s arm talent.
Plays like that shouldn’t be rare-they should be part of the game plan.
Shaheed might be the fastest wideout in the league right now, but he’s had two or fewer targets in six games since joining the Seahawks. That’s a tough pill to swallow when you consider how much attention Smith-Njigba is drawing. If defenses are going to double JSN or roll coverage his way, someone like Shaheed has to make them pay.
And let’s talk about Darnold for a minute. The former No. 3 overall pick is coming off the best game of his career, and he’s earned the right to be trusted in this moment.
But he’s still the biggest question mark in this Seahawks offense. The Patriots know it, too.
You can bet they’ll try to take away the run game and force Darnold to beat them through the air-something he did against San Francisco, but will need to replicate on an even bigger stage.
This is where offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has to get creative. The pieces are there: a star in Smith-Njigba, a vertical threat in Shaheed, and a quarterback with the arm to make all the throws. Now it’s about balance, execution, and making sure the Patriots can’t zero in on just one guy.
Smith-Njigba will get his touches-he’s too good not to. But if the Seahawks want to hoist the Lombardi Trophy, they’ll need the rest of the offense to rise with him. Because in the Super Bowl, stars shine-but teams win.