Houston Texans Defense puts. Seattle – Monday evening was a night of bittersweet feelings for Seattle sports enthusiasts. Although the Mariners were denied a World Series entry, the Seattle Seahawks recorded a dominating win, beating the Houston Texans 27-19 at Lumen Field. Seattle’s defense was instrumental in the victory, holding Houston to only 254 yards and recording three sacks of quarterback CJ Stroud. The Seahawks’ strong effort enabled them to secure a victory despite turning the ball over four times. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught a touchdown pass from a wide receiver, and running back Zach Charbonnet contributed two touchdowns, boosting Seattle’s offense.
Pre-Game Excitement: Legion of Boom Memories Resurrected
Just prior to the game, Seahawks legends Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas lifted the mood of the fans by raising the 12th flag at Lumen Field. Thereafter, the defense of the Seahawks came up with a performance that was in line with their legendary “Legion of Boom.” Seattle’s defense hounded Stroud throughout, sacking him three times and giving him only 23 completions out of 49 (less than 50%). Their great pass rush and run defense stymied Houston’s offense until the fourth quarter. This effort was all the more impressive given Seattle’s secondary was missing key contributors Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love.
Smith-Njigba excels, but offense issues persist
Seattle’s offense again was led by a phenomenal performance from Jackson Smith-Njigba. He hauled in eight passes for 123 yards and had a touchdown. But the Seahawks’ offense was not perfect. The team lost the ball four times and was successful on third down only two out of 14. But the defense’s dominance covered up these deficiencies and enabled Seattle to go into the bye-season with a 5-2 record.
Trade Deadline and Future Strategy
The November 4th trade deadline is looming, and the Seahawks have a player, such as cornerback Rick Woollen, who is not likely to be in their future plans. The return of Witherspoon and Love after the bye-season might leave Seattle with even greater freedom to trade Woollen. If the Seahawks can find the right trade, they might make their already great defense even stronger, one that has become one of the NFL’s top defenses this season.
Quarterback Performance: Darnold’s Struggles
Sam Darnold has done a great job of avoiding sacks and losing plays this season, but he was unable to carry that momentum over on Monday night. In the third quarter, just short of Seattle’s own goal line, Darnold attempted to step back into the end zone, leading to a strip sack by Will Anderson Jr. recovered by Houston in the end zone. During the fourth quarter, Darnold was sacked again and also had an interception. Altogether, Darnold completed 17 of 31 passes for 213 yards and made one touchdown pass to Smith-Njigba. This outing was subpar compared to his usual output, as he was third in the total quarterback ranking this year.
Uchenna Nwosu’s Dazzling Return
There was never any doubt; it’s now certain: Uchenna Nwosu is back to normal. With the sack of Stroud in the opening quarter, he tallied a sack for the sixth consecutive game. He sat out the first games of last season with a meniscus injury, and his comeback from off-season knee surgery was not easy. The 28-year-old edge player had to accept a pay reduction to return to Seattle, which had left uncertainty regarding his future. But now, his steady play has dispelled that issue. Nwosu’s presence makes Seattle’s pass rush even deadlier.
Smith-Njigba’s Historic Performance
ESPN research finds that Jackson Smith-Njigba is the first player in Seattle Seahawks franchise history to post at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown in three games in a row. His strong opening to the season has put him among the NFL’s leading receivers. Through Monday evening, he paced the receiving corps with 696 yards, and his 123 yards versus Houston added further to his lead. His 11-yard touchdown reception had a 28% probability of success, NFL Next Gen Stats said, making it the lowest-probability scoring pass of the season for Seattle.
Houston’s Disappointing Loss
It was a disappointing evening for the Houston Texans. In the fourth quarter, with 5:21 left to play and down 27-12, the Texans were on Seattle’s 3-yard line. But their offense failed five consecutive times, including a false start that created a turnover on downs. This was Houston’s best chance at a comeback, and it was squandered.
Derek Stingley vs. Smith-Njigba: A Skewed Contest
The duel between Houston’s All-Pro cornerbacks Stingley Jr. and Smith-Njigba was the top highlight of this match. But Smith-Njigba outclassed Stingley totally. Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 123 yards and a score, whereas Stingley permitted 49 yards and a touchdown. As per Next Gen Stats, opposition players usually complete just 36% of passes when they play press coverage against Stingley, but opposition players could not contain Smith-Njigba in this match.
Next Match
The Seahawks’ next game will be on November 2 (8:20 p.m. ET) when they face the Washington Commanders. This will be an opportunity for Seattle to continue to showcase the power of its defense, while Houston will have to redo its offense.
With this victory, the Seattle Seahawks demonstrated that their defense is among the NFL’s top-performing units this season. Fine plays by players such as Jackson Smith-Njigba and Uchenna Nwosu have further consolidated the team. Meanwhile, the Houston Texans must step up their offense, particularly Stroud and their running game. The game was a confidence builder for Seattle, and fans are now looking forward to more thrilling performances post-bye week.
