One week after a wild, last-minute loss to San Francisco, the defending champion Seattle Seahawks must climb right back into the fight. Their next stop is Empower Field at Mile High, where the Denver Broncos are fresh off a gritty 23-17 win over the Chargers. Both teams are 3-2, so Thursday night’s game is a chance to turn a crowded early-season race into forward momentum.

Seattle brings the louder offense into Denver. The Seahawks average nearly 27 points per game, and wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the biggest reason why. He has already caught 37 passes for 583 yards and seven touchdowns. Those numbers show more than a hot start: Smith-Njigba has become the player defenses must find before every snap. He uses sharp routes, quick cuts, and reliable hands to get open all over the field. Last week, he topped 100 yards and scored as Seattle nearly completed a comeback against the 49ers.

Quarterback Sam Darnold will look for Smith-Njigba often, but he must protect the ball. Darnold has thrown seven touchdown passes, yet he also has five interceptions. Denver’s defense can punish careless throws. Against the Chargers, the Broncos forced key fumbles late and turned those mistakes into a win. Safety Brandon Jones made big plays in that game, while the pass rush kept charging after quarterback Justin Herbert.

Still, Denver will be missing important defenders. Cornerback Pat Surtain II and safety Talanoa Hufanga are out, which gives Seattle a chance to attack the secondary, the group of defenders who cover receivers downfield. Seattle also has its own problem in the running game. Rookie Jadarian Price, who had been getting a major chance with Kenneth Walker III gone and Zach Charbonnet hurt, is now on injured reserve. The Seahawks may need Darnold’s arm and Smith-Njigba’s magic even more.

That is where Bo Nix enters the story. Denver’s quarterback missed last season’s AFC Championship Game because of an ankle injury, but he is again leading Sean Payton’s quick-moving offense. Nix has thrown for 942 yards and six scores in five games. He can fire short passes, move away from pressure, and spread the ball to speedy Jaylen Waddle, big-bodied Courtland Sutton, and tight end Evan Engram. Waddle can turn a small opening into a long run, while Sutton gives Nix a strong target near the goal line.

The Broncos need more of those drives because they average only 19.4 points per game. Seattle’s defense allows just 251.2 yards per game, the fewest-looking wall Denver has faced in this young season. If Nix stays calm and Denver’s pass rush creates takeaways again, the home crowd could make this a fourth-quarter battle.

Seattle has more firepower, even with its running back room thinned out. Prediction: the Seahawks win by making one more big passing play when the game tightens.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Brings Seattle’s Big-Play Attack to Denver