SEATTLE — The Seahawks needed a win Sunday to keep themselves in the playoff hunt, with the New York Jets rolling into Lumen Field.
Geno Smith, facing off against the franchise that drafted him back in 2013, played one of his most efficient games of the season. A pair of first-half touchdown passes propelled Seattle to a 23-6 win over New York.
The Seahawks will take on the Los Angeles Rams in the regular-season finale, and will need some help in order to find themselves in the playoffs.
Here are three takeaways from Sunday's victory:
As consistent as they come
Quandre Diggs is one of the NFL's best defensive backs, always finding a way to make plays in the secondary.
With a leaping interception of Mike White in the first quarter, Diggs became the only player in the league to record at least three interceptions over each of the last six seasons.
Never without some flair, Diggs celebrated by holding the ball above his head with one hand as he returned the interception.
Geno outduels former team
After several down weeks, Smith bounced back in a big way on Sunday against the team he spent the first four years of his NFL career with.
Smith threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions, posting his best passer rating since Week 13.
The Seahawks will need another mistake-free performance from Smith in Week 18 against the Rams if they want to clinch a postseason berth.
Defense finds a groove
The Seahawks had allowed at least 20 points in seven straight games prior to Sunday, but stepped up their efforts against one of the league's worst offenses.
New York managed just six points and turned the ball over three times as White and his offense never seemed to find a rhythm.
It was the first game of the season in which the Seahawks didn't allow a single touchdown, and it couldn't have come at a better time.