Jaxon Smith-Njigba is making history right here in the Emerald City, ripping off at least 120 receiving yards in each of the Seahawks’ first three games this season. Our guy is on an absolute tear, making a serious run at becoming the first player in over two decades to win Offensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. This isn’t just a hot start; Jaxon is laying down a marker for the entire league.
Our Man JSN is Chasing History
Jaxon’s incredible consistency in the opening weeks of the season puts him right in the thick of the OPOY conversation. When you’re putting up 120-plus receiving yards every single game, the league *has* to notice. He’s up against some serious talent, with the Kansas City Chiefs getting the best version of Kenneth Walker through three games, who has racked up 442 scrimmage yards and four scores. Then there’s Jahmyr Gibbs, the dynamic Detroit Lions runner, who’s forced an insane 29 missed tackles this season thanks to offensive coordinator Drew Petzing finding innovative ways to get him in space. But JSN’s individual brilliance for our Hawks puts him in elite company, and the thought of him going back-to-back for OPOY? That’s the kind of talk that gets the 12s buzzing.
Bijan Robinson’s Early Season Dominance
While JSN lights it up for Seattle, the Atlanta Falcons offense truly goes as Bijan Robinson goes. That dude rumbled for a staggering 194 rushing yards in Atlanta’s first win of the season, a 35-14 triumph over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in a primetime Week 3 showdown. He got a boost from Michael Penix Jr. who posted 256 passing yards and a touchdown, balancing things out. But make no mistake, Robinson is the engine. Since 2023, he leads the entire league with 6,115 scrimmage yards. This season alone, he’s tops with 467 scrimmage yards, showing up big when the rest of the Falcons looked sluggish in the first two weeks. Robinson’s explosiveness and ability to run through traffic are insane; he’s averaging 5.3 yards per carry and, according to Next Gen Stats, an incredible 4.9 yards after contact per carry, which is second among running backs with at least 25 carries this season. He’s currently fourth in Offensive Player of the Year odds at DraftKings Sportsbook (+1200), right behind Kenneth Walker III, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Jahmyr Gibbs. If he keeps churning out performances like that Packers game, he’s going to be a tough man to beat.
Who Else Is Making Moves For Top Awards?
Beyond the Offensive Player of the Year race, the Defensive Player of the Year award is also heating up early. Greg Rousseau of the Buffalo Bills is just tearing it up, leading the NFL in sacks with six and tackles for loss with eight. He’s also tied for the league lead in forced fumbles with three, alongside Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Nakobe Dean. Will Anderson of the Houston Texans and T.J. Watt of the Steelers are also making their presence felt among the top pass rushers, with Anderson notching four sacks (2.5 coming in their Week 3 loss to the Colts) and Watt with 3.5 sacks. Dallas Turner of the Cowboys also deserves a shout, leading the league in quarterback pressures with 25 and collecting 3.5 sacks himself, definitely benefiting from defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ blitz-happy scheme.
As we head into Week 4, all eyes are on these incredible individual performances. For our Hawks, the question is simple: Can Jaxon Smith-Njigba keep this historic pace going and bring home another OPOY trophy to the Emerald City? We’ll be watching every snap, every route, and every yard. Go Hawks!
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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