GLENDALE, Ariz. — The first pass Drew Lock threw on Sunday wasn’t meant to be a go ball.
But when Jaxon Smith-Njigba fakes out his defender that badly and is suddenly streaking downfield, wide open, you throw the darn go ball.
Lock, recognizing what Smith-Njigba had done to Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson, launched a deep ball down the right sideline that hit Smith-Njigba in stride, and the All-Pro receiver did the rest, outrunning safety Budda Baker, who also bit on the fake, to the end zone for an 82-yard touchdown, the longest score of his career.
Watching from the sideline, Smith-Njigba’s defensive teammates marveled at just the latest standout play in a career full of them for the reigning AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
“We’re sitting over there on the sideline, and when he catches the ball, we’re just like, ‘Man, this guy’s a wizard,'” defensive tackle Leonard Williams said. “It’s nice to have big playmakers on offense.”
That touchdown was the first of three for Smith-Njigba, a single-game career high, to help lead the Seahawks to a 31-7 win over the Cardinals. Smith-Njigba, who led the NFL in receiving last year with 1,793 yards, had nine catches for 155 yards and the three scores on Sunday, giving him 17 catches for 277 and four touchdowns through two games this season.
“It just was another day in the life of JSN,” right tackle Abraham Lucas said. “But to strike that early, it’s definitely a statement and puts us in good graces, so to speak, for the rest of the game.”
As good as Smith-Njigba is at his chosen profession, he is also a pretty talented basketball player, and he credits that sport with the head fake and juke that allowed him to get so open.
“That’s my hooping skills right there,” Smith-Njigba said.