The Seattle Seahawks delivered one of their most dominant performances of the season in Week 13, shutting out the Minnesota Vikings 26-0. The lopsided matchup was defined early by a swarming Seattle defense and a relentless ground game, which created a game flow that didn’t require heavy passing volume.
That shift in script directly impacted wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who logged just two catches for 23 yards, a statistical floor he hadn’t hit in any of Seattle’s first 11 games.
“Yeah, Coach, Coach Flores does a great job mixing up looks and we're just taking what they gave us and you know, know, Sam, you know, made the best decision for the team and trying to Zach (Charbonnet) and and K-9 (Kenneth Walker III) doing their thing. So it was just one of those days. ” Smith-Njigba explained after the game via ESPN's Brady Henderson.
Smith-Njigba entered the weekend riding a wave of momentum after an explosive showing against the Tennessee Titans in Week 12. He caught eight passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns against the Titans last week.
He had also been remarkably consistent all season, finishing every game prior with at least 79 receiving yards, per Henderson, and serving as one of Seattle’s most reliable players.
However, Minnesota defensive coordinator Brian Flores engineered a disruption-heavy plan, using constant pressure, layered zone coverage, and safety rotations tilted toward Smith-Njigba’s side to limit Sam Darnold’s time to work beyond the short field.
“Have those guys frontline to linebackers and DBs and they play a great game. They led us and we're super happy to have them have the best defense in the world. That's all.” said Smith-Njigba of Seattle's defensive effort on Sunday.
The Seahawks piled up five takeaways, including an 85-yard pick-six, and forced four interceptions from Vikings rookie Max Brosmer in his NFL debut.
Flores’ scheme success came with a heavy caveat, but Seattle still walked away with a shutout, improved to (9-3), and moved into a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West.
With six games remaining and a matchup next Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons (4-8), Smith-Njigba remains a key pillar in Seattle’s late-season positioning.
