EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — They finished the game without Jamal Adams and without a single member of their starting offensive line playing at his regular spot.
They played it with their starting quarterback hobbling through a knee injury that briefly forced him out in the first half.
What the Seahawks had Monday night was a dominating defense that sacked New York QB Daniel Jones 10 times and Parris Campbell once for the 11th — tying a team record that was set in a 37-0 win against the Raiders in 1986 — and a scintillating performance from rookie cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
That was more than enough to lead the Seahawks to a 24-3 win over the New York Giants and a third-straight victory to improve to 3-1, only further washing away the bad taste of the season-opening blowout home defeat against the Los Angeles Rams.
"So much fun tonight," coach Pete Carroll said. "Golly, that was so much fun playing football. ... I can't remember seeing double-digit sacks."
The defense directly contributed to 17 of the Seahawks' points, including a forced fumble that led to their first touchdown of the game, and Witherspoon's interception of a Jones pass that he returned 97 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter.
Witherspoon's pick came after Jones had just converted a fourth down with a 10-yard run on fourth-and-1, and with the Giants appearing on the verge of making it a game — and finally sparking some life into a MetLife Stadium that was largely quiet for most of the night.
But two plays later, Jones tried to sneak a pass into the slot to Parris Campbell and Witherspoon stepped in front of it. He juked out Jones around midfield and pranced into the end zone, holding his finger aloft as he crossed the goal line.
Witherspoon was playing just his third NFL game and first where he saw substantial time at the nickel. As middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said, "He's looking like a veteran out there now."
Witherspoon said he'd seen the same play on film: "I jumped [the route], and he threw the ball. Just tried to get the box. That was really my whole mindset."
Said Jones of his throw, "I just felt like the coverage was soft, trying to find someone in the zone and yeah, obviously, terrible decision and awful mistake, so I can't afford to do that."
The play capped what was the most significant game yet for the player the Seahawks took with the fifth overall pick in April with a selection it acquired in the Russell Wilson deal.
It was his third start after he missed the opener against the Rams with a hamstring injury. The Seahawks undoubtedly think there is little coincidence that they are undefeated in games Witherspoon has played.
Witherspoon played left cornerback and the nickel spot because of injuries to other players. He also had two sacks on a day when the defense feasted on a beat-up Giants offensive line and a team that was playing without star running back Saquon Barkley.
The dominating defense allowed the Seahawks to overcome what was a dizzying array of early injuries.
Adams, playing his first game since the season opener a year ago Sept. 12, 2022, against Denver, started in a three-safety set. He left after just nine plays because of a concussion suffered when he was hit in the head by Jones' knee while making a tackle.
Carroll said Adams should be fine and possibly return for the next game Oct. 15 against Cincinnati.
Smith left the game after he was injured on a play when he caught a pass that was deflected back into his hands by D.J. Davidson. As Smith headed out of bounds on the Giants sideline, he was brought to the ground by Giants linebacker Isaiah Simmons with his right knee buckling underneath him.
Smith tried to shake it off and stayed in for the next play before being examined on the sidelines and heading to the locker room for the rest of the half before returning for the second half.
Smith declined to say what the injury he had was but said: "I'm feeling better. Feeling better. Obviously, an ugly situation but I'm feeling a lot better."
Smith said he got rolled up on by Simmons and had his leg trapped under him.
"Initially, I really was just kind of in shock a little bit," Smith said. "... It was some slight pain, but overall I was just happy that I came out OK."
Drew Lock played the rest of the first half — in what was his first regular-season action as a Seahawk — and led a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive that increased their lead to 14-3 at halftime that included a 51-yard pass to Noah Fant, who was tackled at the 1-yard line.
"I already yelled at him — get the ball in the end zone for me," Lock said with a laugh.
"It felt like it had been forever since I'd been out there since it counts," said Lock, who hadn't played since his final game with Denver in the 2021 season. "The heart rate is going a little bit."
Smith returned for the second half and led the offense for the rest of the game.
The Seahawks also lost both starting guards to injuries — Phil Haynes (calf) and Damien Lewis (ankle) — which forced them to move starting center Evan Brown to guard and play rookie Olu Oluwatimi at center, meaning they had none of the usual starters playing at any of the five offensive line spots.
The Seahawks were still able to move it when needed.
Smith hit DK Metcalf for a 6-yard TD pass on the last play of the first quarter that followed a strip sack of Jones by Mario Edwards Jr. returned by Jordyn Brooks to the 7.
Fant's reception set up a 1-yard TD run by Kenneth Walker III.
The Seahawks' offense did little in the second half, but it hardly mattered with the way the defense played.
Following Witherspoon's pick, a good portion of the MetLife crowd headed for the exits on what was a perfect fall New York night.
A little later, Jones threw another pick — this one to Quandre Diggs — that led to a Jason Myers field goal and a 24-3 lead,
Jones returned to the game to boos from the fans who remained but also just endured more punishment, with Boye Mafe accounting for the 10th sack of the game with 4:09 left.
Three plays later on a fourth down, the Seahawks got their team-record tying sack when Nwosu tackled Campbell on a fourth-down play with 3:36 remaining.
