Seahawks Offense Evolves: Moving Beyond Jaxson Smith-Njigba in Win Over Chargers

Seattle Seahawks Evolve Beyond Jaxson Smith-Njigba With Win Over Chargers

The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 30-23 in an NFL Week 4 matchup on October 4, 2026, demonstrating an offensive approach that extended beyond wide receiver Jaxson Smith-Njigba, sports.mynorthwest.com reported. While Smith-Njigba entered the week accounting for 39% of Seattle’s targets and six of its nine touchdowns, Sunday’s victory featured scoring contributions from running back Emanuel Wilson and wide receivers Rashid Shaheed and Tory Horton.

Seattle built a 27-6 lead heading into the third quarter before holding off a late push from the Chargers. The win kept the Seahawks moving forward in the NFC West following a stretch against the New England Patriots, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, and Los Angeles Chargers, according to seahawkswire.usatoday.com.

Penalty Flags and Quarterback Performance in Week 4

The game featured an inordinate amount of yellow laundry, with the Seahawks flagged 14 times and the Chargers penalized 16 times, totaling 30 penalties for 280 yards, seahawkswire.usatoday.com reported. That tally was the most combined penalty yards in a Seahawks game since they beat the Bucs 13-10 in 1976. Head coach Mike Macdonald expressed clear dissatisfaction with the disciplinary lapses, particularly seven personal foul penalties.

Quarterback Sam Darnold completed 13-of-22 passes for 168 yards, threw two touchdowns, tossed an interception on the opening play of the game, and took three sacks. Seahawkswire.usatoday.com noted that Darnold also drew flags for delay of game and intentional grounding, looking rustier than he did the previous week against Washington.

Ground Game Resurgence Without Jadarian Price

Playing without rookie running back Jadarian Price, who was placed on injured reserve before the game due to an injury requiring at least a four-week absence, the Seattle ground game rebounded significantly from a 44-yard rushing performance against Washington. Against Los Angeles, the Seahawks rushed for 138 team yards, paced by Emanuel Wilson’s 81 yards and two rushing touchdowns, sports.mynorthwest.com reported.

The shift to multiple offensive weapons helped diversify an attack that leaned heavily on Smith-Njigba during the early portion of the season. Rashid Shaheed recorded his first offensive touchdown as a Seahawk on a 28-yard run out of the backfield, while Tory Horton added a touchdown, marking his first score since Week 9 last season before missing the end of his year on injured reserve.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Seahawks Offense

How many targets did Jaxson Smith-Njigba account for prior to Week 4?

Jaxson Smith-Njigba accounted for 39% of all Seattle Seahawks targets heading into Week 4, up from 36% the previous year, according to sports.mynorthwest.com.

How many total penalties were called in the Seahawks-Chargers game?

The Seahawks and Chargers were flagged a combined 30 times for 280 penalty yards, which seahawkswire.usatoday.com reported as the most combined penalty yards in a Seahawks game since 1976.

What was Sam Darnold’s passing stat line against Los Angeles?

Sam Darnold completed 13-of-22 passes for 168 yards with two touchdowns, one interception, and three sacks, according to seahawkswire.usatoday.com.

More on this story: Seattle Seahawks maintain role as central focus for Seattle sports identity · Seahawks defeat Chargers 30-23 as Emanuel Wilson scores two touchdowns