Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) rushes for yards during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup, Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Seahawks defeated the Jaguars 20-12. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texans’ DeMeco Ryans Speaks Out on Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Oct 14, 2025 4:00 PM ET

The Houston Texans are navigating past their bye week of extended rest heading into another Monday Night Football showing for Week 7, this time on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.

Seattle's fired off to a solid start this season, rattling off a 4-2 record across six weeks of action, falling into position as an early candidate to make a postseason push in the NFC at year's end.

A large chunk of that success, especially offensively, is thanks to the breakout of wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njiba, who hasn't just been a key playmaker for the Seahawks throughout the first third of the season, but perhaps one of the best performers at his position throughout the entire league.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans made sure to give his flowers to Smith-Njigba as he and his group prepare for the road trip in Seattle, crediting the Seahawks wideout with having. "Pro Bowl caliber year."

"JSN has done an outstanding job this year for Seattle," Ryans said during his weekly presser. "Darnold has found a nice target to throw to. He's made that entire offense go. Whether you're covering him or not, he's making explosive plays."

"Game after game, he continuously shows up. JSN, he's definitely having a Pro Bowl caliber year. He's done an outstanding job."

Travis Register-Imagn Images

During his six games so far this season, Smith-Njigba is leading the league in reception yards at 696, averaging an impressive 116 yards a game on 42 total receptions and three touchdowns.

That's a tough task for any opposing defense to hold down; even for the Texans and their dominant secondary in the building.

To find their aspired success against a challenge in the Seahawks, it starts on the defensive end for the Texans. It's a factor Ryans and his group have banked on for the first quarter of the season en route to becoming the league's best scoring defense, and two-straight wins allowing a combined 10 points.

However, a matchup against a star wideout like Smith-Njigba is a test that the Texans haven't faced since the first two weeks of the season. If Houston comes out shaky against a red-hot Seattle offense, it could be what sinks them to a 2-4 record as they fly back to Houston.

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