The Seahawks’ offense is still built around Jaxson Smith-Njigba, and nobody in Seattle is pretending otherwise. When your All-Pro receiver drew a record 36% of the targets last year, that’s not a crutch so much as a feature.
This season, that number is up to 39%, and Smith-Njigba has kept doing exactly what he’s been doing: getting open, piling up yards, and leading the league in receiving yards through four weeks. He had already accounted for six of Seattle’s nine touchdowns entering Week 4.
But Sunday’s win over the Chargers gave the Seahawks something else to lean on.
For the first time this season, three different Seattle players got into the end zone: running back Emanuel Wilson, who scored twice, and wide receivers Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton. That’s not just a nice box-score wrinkle. It’s the kind of spread-the-wealth production that can change how an offense survives when the primary option doesn’t carry everything.
Wilson got the start in place of injured rookie Jadarian Price, who is out at least four weeks after being placed on injured reserve, and handled the load in a run game that still trails the passing attack in efficiency. He also came through in a spot where Seattle has struggled. As Bill Barnwell noted, NFL running backs are converting about 50 percent of their carries inside the two-yard line into touchdowns, while Seahawks backs are 0-for-6.
Shaheed’s score might have been the most intriguing of the bunch. It was his first offensive touchdown as a Seahawk, which stands out because of how much he already meant to the team on special teams last season.
Seattle never really unlocked him on offense after the trade, and he finished the regular season with 188 yards on 15 catches. This one came in a different way, with Seattle turning to his speed out of the backfield on a 28-yard run.
It was also his first offensive touchdown since Week 5, when he was still with New Orleans.
Horton’s touchdown was another welcome sight. It was his first since Week 9 last season, which was also the final game he played before landing on injured reserve to end the year. Seattle Sports host and analyst Michael Bumpus had already pointed to Horton’s route running in season previews and predicted a strong sophomore season, if he could stay healthy.
None of that changes who the engine is. Smith-Njigba remains central to everything Seattle wants to do.
But the bigger takeaway from Week 4 is that the Seahawks are not asking him to do it alone. That matters because last year’s offense hit a rough patch late, and the team had to find another way forward.
After topping 100 rushing yards in only half of their first eight games, Seattle reached that mark in 10 of its final 12, playoffs included. The passing game still worked, but the offense became more dangerous once it had other answers.
That doesn’t mean the Seahawks need to copy last year’s formula exactly. It does mean the growth from Wilson, Shaheed, and Horton gives Seattle more paths to win when the defense forces adjustments. And that kind of flexibility is exactly how a contender keeps moving when the first plan isn’t enough.
In Other News...
Seahawks Fans May Have A Week 4 Viewing Problem
The Seahawks get an early chance to test themselves against the AFC West this week, but fans outside the Pacific Northwest may have to do a little work to see it. Seattles matchup with the Chargers is set for CBS at 1:25 p.m. PT, and the regional broadcast footprint is limited, with coverage centered mostly on the Pacific Northwest and Southern California.
Andrew Catalon and Logan Ryan are on the call, and the timing is awkward for a fan base that will have to keep an eye on where the game lands before kickoff. The good news is that Seattle has several nationally televised games coming up, so this shouldnt be a season-long headache, but Week 4 could still leave plenty of viewers searching for an alternate plan. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Still Have One O-Line Problem They Havent Solved
The Seahawks did not do much to change the look of their offensive line this offseason, and that quiet approach has left one lingering question hanging over the roster. Their only notable addition was fifth-round pick Beau Stephens, a player who was viewed as a possible starter, but Seattle has kept him on the sideline and gone with Christian Haynes instead as it continues sorting out the interior of the line.
For a team trying to give its offense more stability, that decision keeps the spotlight on a spot that still feels unresolved. Even with Stephens in the mix, the Seahawks have not found a clean answer there yet, and one mock draft has already pushed the conversation forward by linking Seattle to interior lineman Kade Pieper in the 2027 NFL draft as a possible long-term fix. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Suddenly Has A New Reason For Hope
Zach Charbonnets return to practice gives the Seahawks a timely lift in a backfield that has been looking for stability early in the season. The second-year running back has been on the physically unable to perform list, but being designated to return opens the door for him to get back into game action as soon as Week 5, a welcome development for a team trying to sort out its rotation on the fly.
Seattles immediate plan still leans on Emanuel Wilson and George Holani at running back in Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers, but the depth chart has already shifted again. Rookie Jadarian Price was placed on injured reserve and will miss at least four games, so the Seahawks are heading into the next stretch with one less option and at least some hope that Charbonnets comeback can eventually settle things down. [Read more 🡒]