The Seattle Seahawks delivered one of their strongest performances of the season Sunday night, defeating the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs 20-3 behind a dominant defensive display and a standout outing from wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Smith-Njigba finished with 150 receiving yards, repeatedly exposing Kansas City's secondary as Seattle's offense produced 410 total yards. Meanwhile, the Seahawks' defense limited the Chiefs to just three points, handing Kansas City its first defeat of the 2026 season.
The victory moved Seattle to 4-3, snapped a two-game losing streak and improved its position in the NFC West after the San Francisco 49ers suffered a loss earlier Sunday.
Smith-Njigba Leads Seattle's Offensive Attack
Much of the pregame attention focused on running back Kenneth Walker III, who was facing his former team after an impressive start to the season with Kansas City.
Instead, Smith-Njigba became the night's biggest offensive star.
The Seahawks receiver entered the matchup among the NFL's leading pass catchers and strengthened his position with another exceptional performance. He recorded 129 receiving yards in the first half alone, the highest first-half total of his NFL career.
According to ESPN Research, Smith-Njigba became the first player in the Super Bowl era to record at least 850 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns through his team's first seven games of a season.
He entered the game leading the NFL with 867 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns, according to the supplied report.
Smith-Njigba's production gave quarterback Sam Darnold a dependable target throughout the night. Seattle consistently found ways to get the ball into his hands, particularly when Kansas City attempted to generate pressure.
Seahawks Defense Continues Historic Rushing Streak
Seattle's defense was equally important to the victory.
Head coach Mike Macdonald's unit held Kansas City to 213 total yards and prevented the Chiefs from reaching the end zone. The performance extended the Seahawks' streak to 36 consecutive games without allowing an opposing running back to rush for 100 yards, the longest active streak in the NFL according to the report.
Walker, who entered the matchup leading the league with 665 rushing yards, struggled to find space against his former team.
The running back finished with just 36 yards on 14 carries. Seattle's defensive approach, which frequently featured two deep safeties, prevented him from breaking off the explosive runs that had defined his season.
The Seahawks' defense has now established itself as one of the team's most reliable strengths, allowing the second-fewest points in the league according to the supplied report.
Even when Seattle's offense has struggled, that defensive consistency has helped keep the team competitive.
Sam Darnold Delivers a Better Performance Despite Another Interception
Darnold had a more productive outing than in recent games, although another costly interception remained a concern.
The quarterback completed 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards. He started particularly well, completing 13 of his first 17 attempts for 178 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
However, a pass intended for wide receiver Rashid Shaheed in the back of the end zone was intercepted by Kansas City cornerback Nohl Williams in the final seconds before halftime. The mistake cost Seattle an opportunity to add points before the break.
It was Darnold's eighth interception over the previous five games, according to the supplied report.
Despite the turnover, he managed the game more effectively than in Seattle's previous two outings. He avoided being sacked and showed an ability to extend plays when the pocket began to collapse.
Seattle also converted 11 of 16 third-down opportunities, helping the offense sustain drives and control possession.
Darnold still has to reduce his turnovers, but the performance offered encouraging signs for an offense that has struggled with consistency.
Chiefs Offense Unable to Find Its Rhythm
Kansas City's offense endured a difficult night against Seattle's aggressive defense.
The Chiefs were without several key players, including offensive tackles Josh Simmons and Jaylon Moore, along with wide receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton. Those absences made an already challenging matchup even more difficult.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes faced pressure on eight of his 15 dropbacks before halftime, according to the supplied report. The pressure contributed to Kansas City's limited passing production, with Mahomes throwing for only 37 yards in the opening half.
The Chiefs also struggled to sustain drives and never reached the red zone. Their closest approach came at Seattle's 27-yard line, where kicker Harrison Butker missed his second field-goal attempt of the game.
Kansas City's only points came from a field goal, leaving the offense without a touchdown against a Seattle defense that controlled the contest from start to finish.
Nohl Williams Provides a Rare Highlight for Kansas City
Williams delivered one of the Chiefs' few memorable moments late in the first half.
The second-year cornerback made a leaping interception of Darnold's end-zone pass intended for Shaheed, then returned the ball 65 yards to give Kansas City a potential scoring opportunity.
However, the Chiefs failed to turn that play into meaningful points.
The interception briefly gave Kansas City a chance to change the momentum, but Seattle's defense continued to limit the visitors after halftime.
The Chiefs' inability to capitalize on their best opportunity underscored how difficult it was for them to generate offense against Macdonald's unit.
Chiefs May Need Another Wide Receiver
Kansas City's lack of production at wide receiver could become an important storyline ahead of the NFL trade deadline on November 10.
With Rice sidelined by a right hamstring strain and Thornton on injured reserve following surgery for a dislocated left ankle, the remaining receivers struggled to make an impact.
Xavier Worthy, rookie Cyrus Allen, Justin Watson, Andrew Armstrong and Jalen Royals combined for only six receptions and 39 receiving yards, according to the supplied report.
That limited output places additional pressure on Mahomes and raises questions about whether the Chiefs have enough depth at the position to maintain their offensive effectiveness while key players are unavailable.
General manager Brett Veach could explore the receiver market before the deadline, although no acquisition is guaranteed.
What's Next for the Seahawks and Chiefs?
Seattle will look to build on the win when it hosts the Chicago Bears on November 2. The Seahawks will need to maintain their defensive intensity while continuing to improve the consistency of Darnold and the offense.
Kansas City faces a divisional road matchup against the Denver Broncos next Sunday. The Chiefs will be looking to respond quickly after losing their unbeaten record and will need a more productive offensive performance to avoid another difficult result.
The Seahawks' victory demonstrated how dangerous they can be when Smith-Njigba's receiving production is supported by a defense that controls the line of scrimmage.
For Kansas City, the defeat exposed significant offensive challenges that must be addressed as the season progresses.
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