The Seattle Seahawks disrupted the Kansas City Chiefs’ undefeated run with a 20-3 victory on Sunday night, marking the Chiefs’ first loss of the NFL season. The Seahawks, coming off two consecutive defeats, showcased a determined effort on both sides of the ball at Lumen Field in Seattle.
Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba delivered a standout performance, catching nine passes for 150 yards and scoring a touchdown. Quarterback Sam Darnold contributed 257 passing yards and a touchdown pass, while running back Emanuel Wilson added 100 yards on 24 carries, including a late touchdown run. Smith-Njigba, the NFL’s current leading receiver and reigning offensive player of the year, emphasized the team’s proactive mindset, noting the game felt like a playoff encounter given the caliber of Kansas City’s roster.
The Chiefs struggled offensively throughout the game. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes completed passes for just 165 yards and threw one interception. The team was limited to 213 total yards, including only 50 rushing yards. Kenneth Walker III, the former Seahawks running back and Super Bowl MVP who signed with the Chiefs this offseason, was held to 36 yards on 14 carries. Walker had previously averaged a league-high 133 rushing yards per game.
Kansas City head coach Andy Reid acknowledged the team’s shortcomings across all phases of the game, stating, “All three phases we struggled, so we’ve got to do better, and that’s my responsibility.” The Chiefs’ ground game was effectively contained by Seattle’s defense, which has now maintained its streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher for 36 consecutive games, the longest active run in the league.
Linebacker Ernest Jones IV praised the defensive effort, highlighting their commitment to halting Walker and the rest of the Chiefs’ offense. The lone offensive highlight for Kansas City came from tight end Travis Kelce, who caught four passes to surpass Marvin Harrison and Cris Carter for fifth place in all-time NFL receptions with 1,104 catches.
Seattle opened the scoring in the second quarter when Jason Myers converted a 25-yard field goal following a 33-yard reception by Smith-Njigba. An interception by rookie safety Ty Okada on Mahomes’ pass set up a critical 28-yard touchdown connection between Darnold and Smith-Njigba, extending Seattle’s lead to 10-0 before halftime.
Despite another deep pass to Smith-Njigba near the end of the first half, Darnold threw an interception in the end zone, which Nohl Williams returned 64 yards. However, Kansas City missed the opportunity to capitalize when kicker Harrison Butker’s 58-yard field goal attempt missed as the half expired.
In the third quarter, Mahomes fumbled on a key third down, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a 50-yard field goal by Butker. The Chiefs later missed a 45-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, extending Butker’s struggles; he has now missed 10 field goals since last season. Reid acknowledged the issue, saying, “He’s off a bit. Got to fix it.”
Seattle sealed the win with Wilson’s 21-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald praised the team’s response and expressed hope that the victory would rekindle their focus and sense of urgency moving forward, particularly emphasizing improvements in procedural execution, red-zone efficiency, and defensive discipline.