Taking a look at what the Los Angeles Chargers must do on the defensive side of the ball to defeat the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4.
The Los Angeles Chargers are entering a must-win game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 4, and if the Chargers are to come out on top, the defense is going to have a big role in that.
On that note, let's take a look at what the Los Angeles defense has to do to beat Seattle on Sunday afternoon to put the Chargers in a position to win their first game of the 2026 season.
Shut Down Jaxon-Smith Njigba
First things first, the Chargers defense has to figure out a way to shut down Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Otherwise, this game could get out of hand very quickly. This matchup between Smith-Njigba and the Chargers' secondary was previously mentioned as one of the three key matchups to watch for this game, and that is because being able to stop JSN is that important.
Between the start of this year and the performance last year, JSN has clearly asserted himself as one of the top receivers in the entire league, so Los Angeles being able to stop him is going to be vital.
In terms of who will match up with JSN, it will be intriguing to watch how defensive coordinator Chris O'Leary chooses to put on Smith-Njigba, as the Chargers have solid cornerbacks, including Tarheeb Still, Cam Hart, Donte Jackson, Deane Leonard, and Rodney Shelley. Jackson is working through a concussion, so it will be worth watching if he is ready to go on Sunday.
Regardless of who the Chargers put at JSN, it will be a tough matchup, so it will be worth watching if O'Leary wants to play man, zone, or a combination of both, but if Los Angeles can limit Smith-Njigba, that could make a major difference in this game.
The reason that shutting down JSN is so important is that he is the first read for quarterback Sam Darnold, and if the secondary can take him away and force Darnold to get to his next read, that may allow edge rushers Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu, along with the rest of the defensive line, to get home on Darnold to put pressure and possibly force some turnovers as well.
Additionally, taking JSN away could also force the Seahawks to get a lot more uncomfortable as they would have to call plays without Smith-Njigba and that could really disrupt their offensive rhythm.
So, heading into this game between the Chargers and Seahawks, it will be very interesting to see what the plan is for Los Angeles to take away JSN because if they can, it will do a lot to put the Chargers in the win column, but if Smith-Njigba dominates again, it may be too much for Los Angeles to overcome and could drop this team to 0-4.
