The Seattle Seahawks snapped a three-game losing streak with a dominant 31-7 victory at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Safety Quandre Diggs made history during the game with an early interception of Trevor Lawrence.
The safety made the pivotal play early in the second quarter. The Jaguars quarterback threw a deep pass, but Diggs snagged the interception on his own 16-yard line. He gave the ball back to his offense and made history in the process. Diggs became the only player in the NFL to record at least three interceptions in each of the past five seasons.
Diggs kicked off this streak during the 2017 NFL season. He intercepted three passes while playing for the Detroit Lions. He then continued the streak in 2018 with three more interceptions before tallying three in 2019 while playing for both the Lions and the Seahawks.
Diggs continued to perform in his first full season with the Seahawks (2020). He posted a career-high five interceptions and helped the Pacific Northwest team win the NFC West and reach the playoffs. He also received his first Pro Bowl nod.
While the Seahawks struggled on defense during the first few weeks of the season, Diggs continued to make plays. He intercepted passes against the 49ers and Rams before notching his third against the Jaguars.
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Will the Performance Lead to an Extension?
#Seahawks INT! Quandre Diggs gets his 3rd interception on the season
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Pay the man!
One of the biggest storylines during the offseason was Diggs’ contract status. The Pro Bowl safety was set to enter the season with a base salary of $5.95 million in base salary in the final year of his three-year, $18.6 million deal.
Diggs sought an extension prior to the season while fellow safety Jamal Adams expressed hope that this deal would take place. The Seahawks did ultimately make a contract decision before the season-opening game, albeit a different one than what many expected.
ESPN’s Field Yates reported on September 9 that the Seahawks restructured Diggs’ deal and added a void year. He reported that the team converted the $100,000 in-game bonuses into salary and accelerated $5.05 million of his salary into a signing bonus.
Nearly two months later, Diggs made NFL history while turning in another strong performance. This deal prompted further conversations on social media about his contract status. Many Seahawks fans asked why the team hasn’t paid Diggs yet.
Smith Joined Seahawks Royalty With His Performance
Diggs was not the only player that turned in a standout performance during the battle against the Jaguars. Smith turned in a career performance while starting in place of Russell Wilson, who remains out of the lineup while recovering from a serious finger injury.
The career backup made his third consecutive start while Wilson remains on Injured Reserve. He completed the first 14 passes of the day and threw two touchdown passes to DK Metcalf. Smith helped the Seahawks build up an insurmountable lead while completing 20 of his 24 attempted passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a score of his own.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, Smith’s 83.33 completion percentage put him on an esteemed list. His single-game performance tied for fourth-best in Seahawks history among quarterbacks who attempted at least 10 passes. He turned in this performance at the best possible time and led the Seahawks to an important win.
The Seahawks now have a week off for the bye, but they will return to action on November 14 against the Packers. There is a chance that Wilson could return for this pivotal game, but it remains uncertain. If not, Smith will have to turn in an equally strong performance.
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Quandre Diggs Makes History During Seahawks’ Crucial Win