Free agents shine for Seahawks: 5 studs & 3 duds from 20-12 victory over Jaguars

Mike Macdonald's road warriors did it again.

Improving to 3-0 on the road this season and 9-1 over the last two seasons, the Seattle Seahawks beat the Jaguars 20-12 Sunday in Jacksonville. A surprising stout defense - despite playing without three top performers in the secondary - led the win as the Seahawks sacked Jags' quarterback Trevor Lawrence seven times.

Fresh off an exhilarating comeback win over the Kansas City Chiefs last Monday night, the Jags helped the Seahawks by missing an extra point and a field goal. Rookie Travis Hunter also lined up offside on a key fourth-quarter penalty that wiped out a touchdown pass.

A look at Seattle's best and worst from a game that pushes their record to 4-2.

Stud: QB Sam Darnold

Despite little help from the running game, the quarterback threw two touchdowns and then sealed the win with a 61-yard completion to tight end A.J. Barner when the Jags were expecting a conservative play call.

Dud: Shaq Griffin

On a day when a banged-up secondary was forced to play several backups, we're nitpicking here. But the veteran cornerback had an ugly miscommunication in the first quarter with Nick Emmanwori. Both jumped a short route by Jacksonville's Parker Washington, leaving Brian Thomas wide open behind them for a walk-in touchdown in the first quarter.

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Stud: Nick Emmanwori

Despite the early miscue, he was all over the field. He led Seattle with nine tackles including one for a loss, had a pass defensed and pressured Lawrence into a key fourth-quarter incompletion. Playing without Julian Love, Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen the Seahawks needed their secondary depth to show up and it did, big time.

Stud: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

The receiver again dominated the game, catching eight passes for 162 yards including a 61-yard touchdown to give Seattle a 10-6 lead it never relinquished.

Dud: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

His 20-yard toe-tap catch in the third quarter was beautiful. But spinning the ball near Jacksonville's bench to get a 15-yard taunting penalty was just boneheaded.

Stud: Cooper Kupp

He only caught two passes, but one was his first touchdown with the Seahawks for a 20-6 lead late in the third quarter.

Dud: Running Backs

On a dreadful day, Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker combined for only 2.3 yards on 23 carries. Fortunately, Darnold and the defense bailed them out.

Stud: DeMarcus Lawrence

He led a ferocious pass rush that harassed Trevor Lawrence all day. He had the first two sacks of his Seahawks' career and combined with Byron Murphy for four of Seattle's seven sacks. With Jacksonville trying to put together a game-tying drive in the final three minutes, Lawrence and Uchenna Nwosu combine to end things with another takedown of Trevor.

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