Throughout this season, Jaxon Smith-Njigba has made himself comfortable running through opposing defenses.

On Monday night, Seattle's third-year receiver also showed he can stay calm and cool on an opposing bench surrounded by a hostile opponent.

In the midst of yet another standout game in a season full of them, Smith-Njigba found himself caught up in a bit of a situation during the second half of an eventually 27-19 Seahawks victory. After Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. intercepted a pass intended for tight end AJ Barner, Smith-Njigba chased Stingley down, with Stingley knocking Smith-Njigba's helmet off as the two went to the sideline, drawing a flag on Stingley. Once on Houston's sideline, Smith-Njigba was shoved by another Texans player, knocking him back where he sat on Houston's bench, raising his hands in the air while he was surrounded by several Houston players.

One official rushed over to put himself in front of Smith-Njigba, as did Cooper Kupp, but Smith-Njigba said he wasn't worried despite being surrounded by Texans players while not wearing his helmet.

"Nah. I told 'em I felt comfortable over there," Smith-Njigba said after the game. "It's Monday night, I'm not really worried about anything when it comes to my face and all that."

As for the official who came to shield him, Smith-Njigba said, "We had a nice little conversation. I took a deep breath, tried to enjoy the moment as much as I could, then run back to my sideline."

Smith-Njigba keeping his composure in that moment was all the more important because earlier in the game he had celebrated a first-quarter touchdown with an emphatic dunk over the crossbar, drawing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, meaning a second penalty of that type would result in an ejection.

"I'm glad that he's OK and he made a smart decision in that moment," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "That's a really, really poised, smart decision."

While that sideline encounter, as well as his penalized celebration, were two of the moments that brought the most attention to Smith-Njigba on Monday, it's what he did throughout the game that showed, once again, why he has established himself as one of the league's best receivers.

With 123 yards on eight catches, including an 11-yard touchdown, Smith-Njigba added to his NFL-leading receiving total, giving him 819 yards through seven games. It was Smith-Njigba's third straight 100-yard game and fifth 100-yard game through seven weeks this season. With Monday's performance, Smith-Njigba joined DK Metcalf as the only players in team history to post three consecutive 100-yard receiving games, and he is tied for the second most 100-yard games in a season behind Steve Largent, who had six 100-yard games in 1979.

"He's a Seahawk, man, how he operates, his determination, the pride he takes in his work" Macdonald said. "I'll tell you what, guy's a great teammate. The great ones are. I know everybody is out there supporting him. He fights like crazy for his teammates, as well. But he's obviously doing great. What did he end up with today? That's pretty good."

Veteran receiver Cooper Kupp, who knows what it's like to be on this kind of hot streak, having posted one of the best receiving seasons of all time in 2021 with 145 catches for 1,947 yards and 16 touchdowns, knows how impressive Smith-Njigba's start to 2025 has been.

"Yeah, there's nothing routine about what he's been able to do productivity-wise," Kupp said. "It's very difficult. That's difficult. Takes a lot of work to be able to do that. I think that's the standard. Whatever it is, man, whenever the number is called, you want to make the play. That's our room in general. When your number is called, go out and make the play. He's done a really good job of that."

And as Smith-Njigba has said throughout this standout season, the wins are the focus, not the production.

"A pretty good start," Smith-Njigba said. "Like I said, my motive has always been to win games, get into the playoffs, get a ring, helping this team win. Anything that I can do I'm going to do."