Oct 20, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after a first down during the third quarter against the Houston Texans at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images Kevin Ng-Imagn Images

Analyst details one thing that makes Seattle Seahawks so scary

Originally posted on Seattle Seahawks on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Oct 29, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Halloween is just days away, but the Seattle Seahawks have been delightfully spooky for most of the season.

Simply put, the Seahawks are a well-rounded team with few real weaknesses. Their offense is thriving thanks to exceptional play from quarterback Sam Darnold and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Meanwhile, the defense has realized the potential it showed in the second half of last season and looks like one of the better units in football.

One could say that, at their best, the Seahawks strike fear into their opponents, but one aspect of their game stands out as scarier than any other.

For a Halloween-themed edition of their NFL power rankings, in which they ranked the Seahawks at No. 11, The Athletic's Josh Kendall and Chad Graff listed their big-play ability as what makes them truly scary.

Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

"The Seahawks are fourth in the league in explosive play percentage (13.3 percent), and most of that is coming from Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba," Kendall and Graff wrote. "Seattle’s quarterback has 27 completions of 20 yards or more, which ranks fourth this season. He’s in the top 10 in both EPA per dropback (0.19) and passing yards per game (250.6). JSN has 50 receptions for 819 yards, which leads the NFL, and four touchdowns. Combine that with a top-10 defense, and the Seahawks are dangerous."

Darnold is definitely the more surprising of the duo, as many questioned how he would follow up his career season in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings. As it turns out, he's been phenomenal. He's near the top of the league in most major stats, but most notably in this context, is averaging 9.1 yards per attempt, tied with Lamar Jackson for the most in the league.

On the other hand, Smith-Njigba had high expectations coming into the season, but he's blown them out of the water so far. He leads the NFL with 819 receiving yards - 99 ahead of Ja'Marr Chase, who's also played an extra game - and is averaging an outstanding 16.4 yards per reception. For the volume of targets he's getting, Smith-Njigba has been scarily efficient.

This dynamic duo may be tricky at first glance, but Darnold and Smith-Njigba are undoubtedly a treat to watch.

This article first appeared on Seattle Seahawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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