Jaxon Smith-Njigba has had more than a few monster games this season for the Seattle Seahawks, including two games where he even eclipsed the 160-yard mark (162, 167) during the regular season. However, considering the nature of the moment, the stakes, and the potential aftermath of a win or loss, JSN's 153 yards on Sunday were part of his best game of the year overall.
Smith-Njigba and Sam Darnold were in lock-step all night, and the Rams' defense had nothing on JSN's route running or the wide-open touchdown that even JSN likely found surprising. The third-year wideout was in his first full season as the Seahawks No. 1 receiver following last summer's departure of DK Metcalf, and JSN did not disappoint.
For much of the season, JSN was on pace to break Calvin Johnson's single-season wide receiver record in yards, but as the season came closer to its end, JSN fell off pace and fell short.
That said, where he is sitting now, on the brink of possibly winning a Super Bowl, he has to be feeling good about how things played out. But he's not taking all the credit, directing most of it toward his quarterback.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba praises Sam Darnold for his leadership in Seahawks' win over the Rams
Smith-Njigba was electric in Sunday night's NFC Championship game, and the Rams could not slow him down. His 153 yards came on 10 receptions, which also included a touchdown that JSN caught standing all alone in the endzone.
He could not have done any of that without Darnold, who also had his best game of the entire season and, for many people in and outside the NFL, now views Darnold in a much different light than before. Darnold threw for 346 yards and three touchdowns with a 127 passer rating. Darnold was on fire, on target, and on a mission to discard the narrative that has followed him since his first NFL season.
After defeating two NFC West division rivals in back-to-back playoff games, Darnold is beginning to look like a completely different man, but Smith-Njigba was seeing Darnold for who he was much earlier. Following Sunday night's win over the Rams, JSN took to the podium and heaped praise on his quarterback, highlighting his leadership and his performance despite an injury.
"I mean, just a true leader, a. true competitor, you know, he led us today," Smith-Njigba said. "[I] can't say enough about Sam, man. It's been a great first year. We got one more to go, but you know, for him to overcome what he's had to overcome, you know, I'm rolling with Sam all day. We believe in him, the building believes in him, the city believes in him, and, you know, it's awesome to run out on the field with him."
When the season began in September, Darnold's connection with Smith-Njigba set off like a firecracker immediately. An argument could be made that JSN has emerged as the best receiver Darnold has had in his eight-year career thus far, and that's saying something considering he had Justin Jefferson last year in Minnesota.
Given how far Darnold has brought the Seahawks in his first season, and if he leads them to a Super Bowl victory in two weeks, there should be little doubt that the city of Seattle will be watching the Darnold-Smith-Njigba connection for the long term. Darnold has earned that, and JSN couldn't be happier about it.