The Seattle Seahawks are 2-0 after a dominant 31-7 win over the Arizona Cardinals in their first divisional matchup of the season. The defense played great, but this banged-up Seahawks offense deserves the spotlight because they were outstanding from start to finish. 

It hasn’t been a very desirable road early for Seattle, losing Sam Darnold and having Zach Charbonnet begin the year on injured reserve. However, the defending champs are making it happen without the two and continue to show why they are the best in the league. Drew Lock played clean, efficient football, but it was the reigning Offensive Player of the Year who stole the show.

And he set a new career-best mark in the process. 

Drew Lock keeps it clean

Starting at quarterback, Drew Lock was excellent. He played clean and efficient football. Lock didn’t try to do anything crazy, he just got the ball into his playmakers’ hands. That’s exactly what Seattle needed from him, and he delivered. Just like he did against New England.

I think people forget that you don’t always need the quarterback to be a superhero. Lock managed the game, made smart decisions, and let the talent around him go to work. That’s a winning formula. In fact, it’s about all that you can expect from a backup quarterback. Lock is doing it, and he’s doing it at an extremely high level. 

Jaxon Smith-Njigba continues to show his stuff

Now let’s talk about Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the best receiver in the league. The reigning Offensive Player of the Year posted a career single-game high with three receiving touchdowns against Arizona. The first one came early, an 82-yard score on the second play of Seattle’s opening drive. He added two more later (seven and 12 yard scores) and was absolutely phenomenal from start to finish.

It doesn’t matter that his backup quarterback is the one throwing him the ball. JSN is proving week after week why he’s the best in the league. He’s got Drew Lock out there slinging it, and he’s still making every play look easy. That’s what elite receivers do. The Cardinals simply could not cover the Seahawks top weapon.

It’s hard to believe that in a year where he won Offensive Player of the Year that he never put up a hat trick. It’s almost harder to believe that he set that new mark with Drew Lock instead of Sam Darnold. Nevertheless, he’s done it now and it has to feel amazing for the Seahawks star. 

The backfield rotation looked much better in Week 2

I also want to highlight the running backs, who I think performed much better this week than they did in Week 1. They were utilized much better by offensive coordinator Brian Fleury and put in position to succeed. Emanuel Wilson rushed for over 90 yards, Price added over 50, and George Holani made some plays as well.

The rotation showed off different skill sets from each back, and it greatly helped Lock and this offense move the football. Seattle is still missing Zach Charbonnet, and once he returns, that could unlock another level of this offense. But for now, the backs they have are getting the job done.

What’s next for Seattle?

Look, in a league built around quarterbacks and skilled playmakers, Lock and Smith-Njigba showed their stuff and got Seattle to 2-0. We’ll have to keep an eye on Sam Darnold’s recovery timeline and whether he can get back soon. Seahawks HC Mike Macdonald showed a lot of optimism for Darnold in his postgame press conference. But for right now, Drew Lock is balling and his No. 1 receiver is still proving why he’s the best in the league.

The Seahawks are in a good spot early in the season after defeating the Cardinals. They sit tied atop the NFC West with the San Francisco 49ers. The defending champs are keeping the momentum rolling and have now won 12 games in a row. We shouldn’t expect them to slow down anytime soon.