Smith-Njigba has banner day, Seahawks' defense stifles Chiefs - ESPN

SEATTLE — The Kansas City Chiefs signed the Super Bowl MVP away from the Seattle Seahawks, but the defending champions still have the AP Offensive Player of the Year. Jaxon Smith-Njigba reminded everyone of that Sunday night.

For all the attention Kenneth Walker III received this week as he prepared to face his former team amid a scorching start to the season, Smith-Njigba was the best offensive player at Lumen Field. His 150 receiving yards plus more dominant defense from coach Mike Macdonald's unit and a good-enough performance from Sam Darnold equaled a 20-3 Seahawks win over the previously unbeaten Chiefs (5-1).

The Seahawks (4-3) snapped their two-game losing streak and picked up a game in the NFC West standings, with the San Francisco 49ers (6-1) losing earlier Sunday. Even with Darnold throwing another interception, Brian Fleury's offense took a noticeable step forward, as it totaled 410 yards and went 11-of-16 on third down.

«Our backs were against the wall,» Smith-Njigba said. «How we came out here as a brotherhood and fought… the resiliency of our team is something special, and we're going to keep going.»

Here are the most important things to know for both teams:

Trend to watch: Macdonald's defense has now gone 36 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, the longest such streak in the NFL. Walker looked like the toughest test the Seahawks would face since that streak began midway through the 2024 campaign. He was leading the league in rushing despite the Chiefs having already had their bye, and he had rushed for at least 117 yards in four of their five contests. Seattle held him to 36 yards on 14 carries and allowed only 213 yards overall. Darnold and Seattle's offense haven't been consistent