Nineteen games into his NFL career, Jaxon Smith-Njigba hauled in a long-awaited breakout performance.
Is it good news for the Seattle Seahawks offense going forward? Sure.
More so in the eyes of DK Metcalf, though, it’s a problem for the Seahawks’ opponents ahead.
“I don’t think it was good,” Metcalf said Wednesday. “I think it’s bad for the defenses that try to cover us from here on out.”
Off to a 2-0 start, Seattle’s squeaked out one-score victories in each of the past two weeks, but Metcalf believes the clock is ticking before an offensive explosion for a deep crew of skill players that’s yet to put it all together at the same time.
Having himself, Njigba, veteran wide receiver Tyler Lockett, injured tight end Noah Fant, banged-up running back Kenneth Walker III and tailback Zach Charbonnet, Metcalf sees an offense headed for much bigger Sundays.
“‘Cause you got Lock, me, Jax and you still haven’t seen Noah,” Metcalf said. “You saw Ken Week 1. Zach Charbonnet still has to break out. So, I think it’s just a ticking timebomb for all of our stars on offense just to have their game.”
Njigba posted his first 100-yard game in the Seahawks’ overtime win against the New England Patriots to go along with a career-best 12 receptions. Metcalf went for 129 yards and a touchdown on 10 catches as he and Njigba, the Seahawks’ 2023 first-rounder, picked up their production with Walker out with an oblique injury.
Whether it’s possible for the Seahawks’ aforementioned offensive explosion to take place in Week 3 against the Miami Dolphins remains to be seen, as Walker nor Fant practiced on Wednesday.
Even without them, they’ll have quarterback Geno Smith leading the way.
Asked Wednesday about Smith being underrated, Metcalf took exception with the description.
“You all been calling this man underrated for three years,” Metcalf said. “When is it gonna stop?
“He’s not underrated by any means. He’s an NFL quarterback, just like 31 other NFL quarterbacks. I don’t think the underrated title should be used anymore. He’s very successful at what he does.”
Though Metcalf might’ve taken the term a bit differently than it was intended, the message was clear that he views Smith in high regard.
Now in his third season as the bona fide Seahawks QB1, Smith has an offense with plenty of weapons as his disposal.
“He’s a great leader at quarterback and great at what he does at the quarterback position,” Metcalf said.
It’s to be determined if Smith, Metcalf and the rest of the offense put it all together in the coming weeks as the receiver forecasts. The Seahawks will no doubt be counting down for that offensive detonation.
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