Getty
Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been tough to stop all season.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald clearly doesn’t envy the New England Patriots‘ biggest task on Sunday in the Super Bowl.
That’s covering Seahawks star wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who recently won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Macdonald was asked by a reporter on Feb. 3 how he would cover Smith-Njigba, given that Macdonald is known for his defense, but the head coach had a question himself first.
“Can I put three guys on him?,” Macdonald asked.
Even Macdonald can’t help but acknowledge the high level of play that Smith-Njigba has been performing this season. Smith-Nijgba’s ability to maneuver around defensive backs and make plays has been second to none this season with 119 catches for 1,793 yards and 10 touchdowns this season.
New England will throw various looks Smith-Njigba’s way, based on Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel’s comments.
“I just think it’s a balance. Obviously, they’re gonna target him, rightfully so, he’s an excellent player,” Vrabel informed reporters on Feb. 5. “There are times where you reasonably can’t [shadow him] based on what they do … it’s a good balance of being able to show different looks.”
Christian Gonzalez Tasked With Stopping Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez has the tall task of slowing down Smith-Njigba, and Gonzalez, a former Oregon star, may have the skill set to give Smith-Njigba problems.
“He’s a great guy and elite defender,” Smith-Njigba informed reporters on Feb. 3. “Very well-rounded cornerback, can do a lot of things and plays the game really well. It’s a lot of respect and is going to be a great match-up.”
Patriots defensive back Carlton Davis III expressed confidence that Gonzalez can get the job done. This season, Gonzalez has 10 pass deflections in the regular season, plus four deflections and an interception in the playoffs.
“He’s a real cool, calm, collected kind of guy,” Davis said during the Go Long podcast. “He’s always been chill. He’s got a lot of poise.”
For Gonzalez, he embraces the challenge and their Texas roots.
“It’ll be fun. We’re both Dallas (area) natives. We’re from the same area, so I’ve been knowing him for a while,” Gonzalez said during Good Morning America this week. “…Excited to be on that stage.”
Seahawks’ Sam Darnold Has High Praise For Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has enjoyed throwing to Smith-Njigba all season, and the results have shown.
“There’s a lot of reasons why Jax is a special player,” Darnold said on NBC on Feb. 4. “It starts with his football IQ and his feel for coverages. He’s never just going to run a route exactly how it’s drawn on paper. He always puts his own spin on it, which can sometimes drive coaches a little crazy.”
Smith-Njigba has been a major part of Darnold’s success with 4,048 yards passing and 25 touchdowns. In the playoffs, they’ve connected 13 times for 172 yards and two scores.
“He’s so friendly to throw to,” Darnold explained. “I always understand when he’s going to come out of a route. I can play with anticipation with a guy like that.” Darnold also highlighted a physical trait that often goes unnoticed.”
Matthew Davis covers the NFL, WNBA and college sports for Heavy.com. As a contributing writer to the StarTribune, he has also covered Minnesota prep sports since 2016. More about Matthew Davis
More Heavy on Seahawks
Loading more stories
