The first half of Sunday's game ended with Jaxon Smith-Njigba nearly getting his helmet ripped off—and somehow without a flag for that play—as he helped set up a field goal with what was just his third catch of the game.

But after a relatively quiet first half in which he had just 31 yards on those three catches, as well as a very uncharacteristic drop, Smith-Njigba broke out in the second half, catching four Sam Darnold passes for 82 yards, giving him 113 for the game and his ninth 100-yard game this season while helping the Seahawks to an 18-16 win over the Colts.

Smith-Njigba's second half included what was, up to that point one of the biggest plays of the game, a 39-yard catch and run that set up a Jason Myers field goal to give the Seahawks the lead with 2:27 left in the game. That didn't end up being the game winner—that would come later after the Colts retook the lead with a field goal of their own—but it was still a key catch that set up a needed score with the Seahawks trailing late. Smith-Njigba also had a 29-yard catch on an earlier possession that set up another Myers field goal.

"He's a competitor," said Darnold. "He's one of those guys that he's not going to shut down or anything when he doesn't get the ball. He knows that when his number is called he's going step up and make a big play. Again, he's not going to try to force it or anything. It's very natural with him and he knows the ball is going to find him eventually when we need it the most. I felt like he stepped up in a really big way today just continuing to be a really good leader for this team and really good receiver."

For Smith-Njigba, another productive day was something to celebrate not because it allowed him to extend his NFL lead with 1,541 receiving yards through 14 games, but because it helped produce the team's 11th win.

"It means a lot," he said. "Just taking care of my body and making sure I'm here for my teammates, that's what I want to do and honestly, I could care less about any stats right now. I just want to win."

Smith-Njigba not only added to his own franchise record with a ninth 100-yard game this season, with 96 catches this season, he is also on the verge of breaking the single-season receptions record (100) that he shares with Tyler Lockett. Sunday was also Smith-Njigba's 12th game this season with 90 or more yards, passing Justin Jefferson for the most 90-yard games in a single season by a player 23 years or younger.

But what stood out most about Smith-Njigba's game Sunday wasn't the numbers, impressive though they were, it was the way he competed throughout the game even when things weren't always going well for him or for the offense.

"Man, he competed," said fellow receiver Cooper Kupp, who added five catches for 46 yards. "I have to watch the film, but I think he competed the best that he has all year, in the midst of not getting a lot of opportunities, not getting a whole lot of stuff coming his way that he has been for the course of the season. But, late in that game, we're running an inside run, and they bring a safety, internal pressure, and he's on it. He knows that he has to be able to come down and get that nickel in the run game. Things like that are what we need. That's what we need from our offense; guys that are going to stay engaged and know that it doesn't matter when you're number's called. The expectation is that you are ready no matter what, because we go one play to the next, and your job is to execute. Just execute. Do your job. Do your job, and one of these times the ball is going to be coming your way and your job is to then execute. Catch it, and do something fun with it. I think he did a great job of that today."