Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, is already making his mark, landing at No. 3 on the early OPOY list after what he did in the second half to help lead Seattle to victory, even with Sam Darnold out.
JSN Is Already Top-3 In The League
Our very own Jaxon Smith-Njigba isn’t just a name on the Offensive Player of the Year ballot; he’s already sitting pretty at No. 3. That’s because the reigning Offensive Player of the Year showed up in the second half, helping lead Seattle to victory even with Sam Darnold out of the game. This is the kind of early season validation proving JSN’s talent and consistency are no fluke. The Emerald City knows what we’ve got.
Trevor Lawrence Is On Fire, But The League Is Watching
While JSN is doing his thing, the MVP conversation is already getting spicy, with Trevor Lawrence throwing his hat firmly in the ring. The Jacksonville QB, who was an MVP finalist last year, kept that high-level play going right out of the gate. He absolutely lit up the Cleveland Browns in a 34-10 rout, going 18 of 23 for 245 yards, with four touchdowns and zero picks. That’s a league-leading 150.6 passer rating! He was sacked just once and hit nine different pass catchers, showing off his ability to push the ball downfield with 10 of 11 completions for 179 yards and three scores on passes of 10-plus air yards. That’s a career high for him in those deep throws.
Lawrence has led the Jaguars to wins in nine of their last ten games. Over that hot stretch, he’s completed 63.6% of his passes for 2,461 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions, good for a 109.0 passer rating. Oddsmakers are buying in, too, with Lawrence tied with Brock Purdy at 14-to-1 for MVP odds, though Josh Allen is still tops. Week 2 brings a tough test for Lawrence and the Jags against one of the best defenses in Denver, but don’t forget, they carved up the Broncos 34-20 last season.
The Other Awards Are Heating Up Too
Beyond JSN’s early OPOY bid, the other awards races are already getting interesting. For Offensive Player of the Year, Derrick Henry put on an impressive show with three touchdown runs. And keep an eye on Jahmyr Gibbs, who got a career-high 29 carries in the Lions’ win over the New Orleans Saints, with offensive coordinator Drew Petzing ready to feed him.
On the defensive front, the Defensive Player of the Year race is heating up. Aidan Hutchinson is tied for the league lead with two sacks and ten quarterback pressures after Week 1. TJ Watt also had two sacks and snagged an interception off Cooper Rush, rumbling 35 yards for a score. Los Angeles safety Quentin Lake also grabbed an interception and led the league with three pass breakups in a Rams loss. Even Coach of the Year is seeing early contenders, with Johnson’s commitment to breaking the NFL scoring record in Chicago being noted.
So, Week 1 is in the books, and the league is already buzzing. While Trevor Lawrence has a tough Week 2 ahead in Denver against one of the league’s best defenses, the 12s will be focused on our guy, Jaxon Smith-Njigba. With an OPOY title already under his belt and a strong start to this season, JSN is going to keep putting up numbers. Let’s ride this early wave and see what kind of magic he brings next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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