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The Largest Selection of Wholesale Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Products in Seattle

When it comes to trying new, exciting cuisine, few foods hit the spot like a deliciously fresh Mediterranean meal. However, we know that it can be very difficult to find authentic Mediterranean grocery wholesalers in Seattle, WA. Having lived in metro Atlanta for years, we realized that our customers needed an easy way to find quality wholesale Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in bulk. That is why we created Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market - to give everyone a chance to enjoy tasty, healthy food, desserts, and authentic Mediterranean gifts at wholesale prices.

Founded in 2009, Nazareth Grocery has become one of Seattle's leading international wholesale grocery stores. We are very proud to serve our customers and do everything in our power to give them the largest selection of high-quality wholesale goods available.

If you're looking for the freshest, most delicious Middle Eastern wholesale products and ingredients, you will find them here at the best prices in the state. We encourage you to swing by our store in Marietta to see our selection for yourself. We think that you will be impressed!

The Nazareth Difference

At Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market, our mission is simple: bring you and your family the largest selection of wholesale Mediterranean products in Seattle. When coupled with our helpful, friendly staff and authentic Middle Eastern atmosphere, it's easy to see why we are the top Middle Eastern grocery wholesaler in Seattle, WA. We're proud to carry just about every kind of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern product that you can think of, from prepared meals and hookahs to fine seasonings and sweets. We're here for our customers and want each one of them to have a unique, one-of-a-kind experience when they shop with us.

Our loyal customers love our selection of the following wholesale foods and gifts:

  • Fresh Breads
  • OlivesOlives
  • HummusHummus
  • CheesesCheeses
  • SaucesSauces
  • Savory-FoodsSavory Foods
  • DessertsDesserts
  • DrinksDrinks
  • HookahsHookahs
  • TobaccoTobacco
  • SaucesGifts
  • Much More!Much More!

Our Service Areas

Most Popular Wholesale Mediterranean Foods

There is so much more to Mediterranean food than pizza and pasta. The perfect climate combined with delicious foods and amazing wine makes the Mediterranean incredibly irresistible. That's why our customers absolutely love to buy this kind of cuisine in bulk. Every country in this region has its own set of specialties and delicacies, each with its own flavors and styles of preparation.

Mediterranean countries include:

  • France
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Turkey
  • Syria
  • Egypt
  • Israel
  • Libya
  • Morocco
  • Tunisia
  • Spain
Mediterranean Grocery Seattle, WA

So, when it comes to the most popular wholesale Mediterranean products in Seattle,
what are we talking about?

 Mediterranean Supermarkets Seattle, WA

Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a classic Mediterranean dairy product that is often enjoyed on its own, in Greek salads, on bread, or mixed with zucchini. Depending on where the feta is sourced and produced, the cheese can be made from cow, sheep, or goat milk, or even a combination of the three. Regardless of the animal it comes from, this delicious cheese is a crowd favorite.

 Mediterranean Grocery Store Seattle, WA

Baba Ganoush

This Levantine dish is one of the most well-known Mediterranean dishes to eat in the United States. It typically comes in the form of a dip, served with pita or another kind of dipping bread. Commonly served before dinner as an appetizer of sorts, it usually features tahini, eggplant, garlic, spices, and sometimes yogurt. This tasty cuisine works great as a spread on a sandwich, or you can even eat it with a spoon, all on its own.

 Middle Eastern Grocery Seattle, WA

Baklava

If you have never tried authentic baklava before, get ready to have your mind blown. This dessert is a traditional Mediterranean food that will have your taste buds craving more and more. Once you open a box of baklava from our Mediterranean grocery wholesaler in Seattle, WA, you won't want to stop eating! Baklava is made with layers of thin filo dough, which is layered together, filled with chopped nuts (think pistachios), and sealed with honey or syrup. Baklava is so good that its origins are debated, leaving many wondering which country invented the dessert. Everyone from the Turks to the Greeks and even Middle Easterners hold unique takes on baklava. Try each one to discover your favorite!

Most Popular Wholesale Middle Eastern Foods

Fresh, healthy, aromatic, rich: it's no wonder that the popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine and products has skyrocketed in the United States. This genre of cuisine features a large variety of foods, from Halvah to Labneh. If there were one common theme throughout all Middle Eastern food, it would be the bright, vibrant herbs and spices that are used. These flavorings help create rich, complex flavors that foodies fawn over. Typically, Middle Eastern food is piled high for all to eat, with enough food for an entire republic to put down.

 Mediterranean Food Stores Seattle, WA

Tabbouleh

This refreshing, healthy dish is chock-full of greens, herbs, tomatoes, and bulgur (or cracked wheat), creating a memorable, bold flavor. This dish may be eaten on its own or paired with a shawarma sandwich or helping of falafel. It's best to buy your ingredients in bulk to make this dish because it tastes best freshly made with family around to enjoy. Just be sure to bring a toothpick to the tabbouleh party - you're almost certain to have some leafy greens stuck in your teeth after eating.

 Middle Eastern Market Seattle, WA

Shawarma

We mentioned shawarma above, and for good reason - this dish is enjoyed by men and women around the world, and of course, right here in the U.S. Except for falafel, this might be the most popular Middle Eastern food item in history. Shawarma is kind of like a Greek gyro, with slow-roasted meat stuffed in laffa with veggies and sauce. The blend of spices and the smoky meat mix together to create a tangy, meaty flavor that you will want to keep eating for hours. For western-style shawarma, try using beef or chicken. For a more traditional meal, try using lamb from our Middle Eastern grocery distributor in Seattle, WA.

 Greek Grocery Store Seattle, WA

Hummus

Traditionally used as a dip meant for fresh pita, hummus is a combo of chickpeas, garlic, and tahini, blended together until silky, smooth, and creamy. You can find hummus in just about any appetizer section of a Middle Eastern restaurant menu. That's because it's considered a staple of Middle Eastern food that can be enjoyed by itself, as a spread, or with fresh-baked pita bread. Hummus is also very healthy, making it a no-brainer purchase from our grocery store.

Benefits of Eating a Mediterranean Diet

If there's one diet that is most well-known for its health benefits, it has got to be the Mediterranean diet. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report listed the Mediterranean diet as No. 1 on its best over diet list. This incredible diet has been cited to help with weight loss, brain health, heart health, diabetes prevention, and cancer prevention.

Whether you already love Mediterranean food or you're looking to make some positive changes in your life, this "diet" is for you. Eating cuisine like Greek food, Persian food, Turkish food, and Italian food is healthy and tastes great. Even better than that? At Nazareth Wholesale Grocery, we have many staples of the Mediterranean diet for sale in bulk so that you can stock up on your favorites at the best prices around.

So, what exactly is the Mediterranean diet?

It is a way of eating that incorporates traditional Greek, Italian, and other Mediterranean cultures' foods. These foods are often plant-based and make up the foundation of the diet, along with olive oil. Fish, seafood, dairy, and poultry are also included in moderation. Red meat and sweets are only eaten in moderation, not in abundance. Mediterranean food includes many forms of nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, seeds, and more. Of course, you can find at them all at our wholesale Mediterranean grocery store!

Here are just a few of the many benefits of eating a healthy Mediterranean diet:

Reduced Risk of Heart Disease

Reduced Risk
of Heart Disease

Many studies have been conducted on this diet, many of which report that Mediterranean food is excellent for your heart. Some of the most promising evidence comes from a randomized clinical trial published in 2013. For about five years, researchers followed 7,000 men and women around the country of Spain. These people had type 2 diabetes or were at a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants in the study who ate an unrestricted Mediterranean diet with nuts and extra-virgin olive oil were shown to have a 30% lower risk of heart events.

Reduced Risk of Stroke for Women

Reduced Risk
of Stroke for Women

In addition to the heart-healthy benefits of a Mediterranean diet, studies have shown that eating healthy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods can reduce the chances of stroke in women. The study was conducted in the U.K., which included women between the ages of 40 and 77. Women who stuck to the Mediterranean diet showed a lower risk of having a stroke - especially women who were at high risk of having one.

Benefits of Eating a Mediterranean Diet

First and foremost, purchase your Mediterranean and Middle Eastern wholesale foods from Nazareth Grocery - we're always updating our inventory! Getting started on this healthy, delicious diet is easy.

Try these tips:

Try these tips

1.

Instead of unhealthy sweets like candy and ice cream, try eating fresh fruit instead. It's refreshing, tasty, and often packed with great vitamins and nutrients.

2.

Try eating fish twice a week, in lieu of red meat. Fish is much healthier and doesn't have the unfortunate side effects of red meat, like inflammation.

3.

Try planning out your meals using beans, whole grains, and veggies. Don't start with meats and sweets.

4.

They're tasty, but try to avoid processed foods completely.

5.

Instead of using butter to flavor your food, use extra virgin olive oil instead. Olive oil contains healthy fats and tastes great too.

6.

Try to get more exercise and get out of the house. The Mediterranean lifestyle is an active one, best enjoyed in the beautiful sunshine when possible.

Why Buy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Products Wholesale?

Buying wholesale and retail are quite different. When you buy products from a wholesaler, you're essentially buying from the middleman between a retail establishment and the manufacturer. Wholesale purchases are almost always made in bulk. Because of that, buyers pay a discounted price. That's great for normal buyers and great for business owners, who can sell those products to profit. This higher price is called the retail price, and it is what traditional customers pay when they enter a retail store.

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 Middle Eastern Store Seattle, WA

Latest News in Seattle, WA

Seahawks' Jamal Adams fined $50K by NFL for verbal remarks, inappropriate contact with sideline doctor

USATSI This week the NFL fined Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams $50,000 after Adams, according to the league, "directed verbal remarks and made inappropriate physical contact" with a doctor in the bench area of Seattle's Week 6 loss to the ...

USATSI

This week the NFL fined Seattle Seahawks safety Jamal Adams $50,000 after Adams, according to the league, "directed verbal remarks and made inappropriate physical contact" with a doctor in the bench area of Seattle's Week 6 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, a league source tells CBS Sports.

In a letter to Adams this week, the league said Adams interfered with orderly administration of the game when the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant (UNC) was walking with Seahawks wide receiver Jake Bobo to the blue medical tent for evaluation of a concussion.

Bobo had just hauled in a 20-yard pass from Geno Smith when Bengals safety Dax Hill delivered a big hit on Bobo that resulted in a penalty. Bobo was removed from the game for an evaluation but would pass the check and return to the game.

A source tells CBS Sports there is video of the incident which the league reviewed before issuing the fine.

Sunday's incident came after a nationally televised incident earlier in the month on "Monday Night Football" on Oct. 2 when Adams yelled at another independent doctor on the sideline as he was taken for a concussion evaluation.

Adams was ultimately diagnosed with a concussion. And though the NFL weighed fining him then, the league did not punish Adams for his actions while concussed, and he issued a public apology later in the week.

"First and foremost, I want to apologize to the OG. You did everything right when you realized I was concussed, I apologize for any negative energy I brought your way," Adams wrote in early October.

"Watching the replay, I am thankful for your patience knowing I wasn't myself in that moment. You're a real one and you serve a great purpose that benefits the NFL and so many players. Prioritizing player's health is essential. Much respect to you!"

A league source said Adams is not considered a "repeat offender," and the $50,000 fine for Sunday's incident does not take into account the events on Oct. 2.

Seahawks' DK Metcalf on penalties: 'Not going to change who I am'

ReactionsLike145Funny20Wow10Interesting3Fire2RENTON, Wash. -- In past responses to questions about his ongoing penalty problem, Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has expressed contrition while vowing to be better.He struck a much different tone Wednesday....

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RENTON, Wash. -- In past responses to questions about his ongoing penalty problem, Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf has expressed contrition while vowing to be better.

He struck a much different tone Wednesday.

A defiant and defensive Metcalf challenged the scrutiny he has received in the wake of his latest 15-yard infraction, including some that came from his own head coach, Pete Carroll.

"I'm not going to change the way I play," Metcalf said.

The subject was raised anew after Metcalf was flagged for unnecessary roughness in the Seahawks' 17-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. It was his fifth penalty of the season (including one offsetting), which is tied with Seahawks guard Phil Haynes for 15th most among all players and tops among receivers.

A few minutes earlier, when asked about Metcalf's penalties, Carroll told reporters that he brought up the issue in a team meeting on Monday to underscore the importance of fixing it.

"We put all the penalties on the board in Monday's meetings and the guys who had the most were on the top, and he was up there with another guy," Carroll said. "We all have to acknowledge it and recognize what our issues are, whatever they are. It happens to be in this case he's getting called.

"He knows. He's got to clean it up. We have to make sure we're aware of how they're calling stuff. He's a very aggressive player, very physical and it stands out and he draws attention because of that. So we've got to be cleaner. He knows it and he's got to get it done."

Asked about Carroll's message in the team meeting, Metcalf downplayed the issue, saying, "It was just a board to me."

"If you look at the penalties, it was a taunting, unnecessary roughness, face mask, holding and I think it was one more in there," he said, referring to an illegal blindside block. "So I'm doing pretty good if I look at it and judge myself, how I play. I just try to be consistent and have clean hands or whatever the case may be, but I'm not going to change who I am as a player or a person."

With at least 900 yards in each of his first four NFL seasons and a team-high 337 through five games this year, Metcalf, who has been playing through a rib injury since Week 2, is off to one of the most prolific starts of any receiver in franchise history. But penalties have dogged him. He has been flagged 10 times for either taunting, unsportsmanlike conduct, unnecessary roughness or disqualification, the most in the NFL since he made his debut in 2019. His 28 total penalties in that span are five more than any other receiver.

Asked whether some of those penalties have been a case of letting his emotions get the better of him, Metcalf asked the media member who posed the question whether he has ever had a bad day at work.

"All right, so that's all I'll nail it down to," he said. "Nobody's perfect. I'm my own person, like I just said. I'm a competitive person, so I'm not going to shy away because he put a penalty board on the screen. I'm just going to continue to be me."

Carroll drew a distinction between Metcalf's penalty against the Bengals and others he has committed when losing his cool in the heat of the moment, saying this one was partly the result of the receiver not knowing the play was over.

In the second quarter, Metcalf was blocking more than 30 yards downfield after Geno Smith dumped off to running back Zach Charbonnet for a 4-yard gain. The flag came when Metcalf shoved cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt to the ground after the play had been whistled dead.

Metcalf told Carroll he couldn't hear the official's whistle because he was so far away. Carroll bought the explanation and said Metcalf's aggressiveness is part of what makes him a successful receiver, but he put the onus on Metcalf to tone it down in situations where it could hurt the team.

"It's a competitiveness that's special in guys, but you have to channel it properly and that comes with experience, and sometimes it comes with the pain of it," Carroll said of Metcalf. "So the main thing is that we're addressing it and we're on it and he knows it and he wants to get it right. He doesn't want to hurt our team by making penalties, but he's not the only one. We've got to do way better in the penalty department."

The Seahawks have committed 49 total penalties this season, which is tied for sixth most even though they've played only five games. Their 39 accepted penalties are tied for 10th most.

Regarding his penalty problem, Metcalf said in 2021 that he needed to do a better job of not letting defenders get under his skin. Later that season, after he was ejected for a scuffle late in a loss to the Green Bay Packers, he acknowledged he needed to "grow up," given his rising profile as a team leader.

In the season opener, Metcalf was flagged for taunting as he exchanged words with the Los Angeles Rams' bench, which was upset at how he shoved cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon to the ground at the end of the previous play. The hit and the penalty led to a pair of fines from the league office as well as another sit-down with Carroll. Metcalf again acknowledged afterward that he's "got to be better."

His comments on Wednesday lacked any of those past sentiments.

"I'm just going to leave that up to everybody else," Metcalf said when asked if he feels like he has made progress in the penalty department. "I don't feel like I was a problem or I needed to make progress in a certain area. Football is a violent sport, and it's my one opportunity to be violent, on game day. So I'm just going to continue to do that."

Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, a longtime team captain and a mentor to Metcalf early in his career, said the receiver needs to remember that officials are keeping an extra close eye on him.

"I'm pretty sure the teams that are playing him are pointing that out pregame -- 'Hey, watch 14, watch 14,'" Wagner said. "Sometimes you've got to remind him that when you set that type of precedent, it takes a while for that to go away. So that's the biggest thing is just understanding that they're watching him, they aren't going to let him get away with stuff that maybe other guys get away with, and be mindful of it."

Metcalf was asked how much his reputation precedes him with officials.

"Every time before a game, it's always, 'Hey, let's try to play a clean game today,'" he said. "I'm like, 'Yes, sir. Good luck doing that. Let's try to make all the right calls as well.' Nobody's perfect. So just continue to put it behind me and continue to play football."

Bezos-backed Convoy to lay off staff, close operations

Seattle-based freight startup Convoy is closing down business operations and laying off most of its staff, according to a memo sent to employees Thursday morning by CEO Dan Lewis.The abrupt shutdown, which reportedly affects several hundred staffers, comes just a day after the high-tech freight brokerage halted all shipments and advised customers to find alternatives.Convoy, a privately held ...

Seattle-based freight startup Convoy is closing down business operations and laying off most of its staff, according to a memo sent to employees Thursday morning by CEO Dan Lewis.

The abrupt shutdown, which reportedly affects several hundred staffers, comes just a day after the high-tech freight brokerage halted all shipments and advised customers to find alternatives.

Convoy, a privately held firm that had won hundreds of millions of dollars in backing from tech players like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, appears to have lost the confidence of some investors amid a slump in the freight business.

In the memo, Lewis said some staff would stay on to manage “this windup transition and potential future strategic options,” but for the rest, “today is your last day at the company.”

A company spokesperson shared the memo with The Seattle Times but did not respond immediately to questions about how many staff were affected or whether they would receive severance packages.

Going into the week, Convoy had around 500 employees, according to GeekWire.

Lewis, an Amazon veteran who co-founded Convoy in 2015, blamed the company’s sudden collapse in part on the broader industry downturn, which has cut demand for the brokerage services Convoy offered.

But Lewis also suggested that investor concerns about the downturn had torpedoed efforts to find a buyer for Convoy and keep the company intact.

“In short, we are in the middle of a massive freight recession and a contraction in the capital markets,” Lewis wrote. “This combination ultimately crushed our progress at the same time that it was crushing our logical strategic acquirer — it was the perfect storm.”

Convoy has also gone through several rounds of layoffs this year and had already shed around two-thirds of the staff it had at its peak, according to media reports.

Although Convoy’s troubles had been known in trucking and tech circles, the speed of its collapse seemed to catch some insiders by surprise.

On Wednesday, FreightWaves, an industry news site, reported that Convoy had told customers that “all shipments have been canceled from our marketplace.” The Wall Street Journal also reported that Convoy had stopped accepting shipments and suspended operations.

It was a stunning fall for a company that, barely a year ago, was valued at nearly $4 billion and was talking about going public.

Convoy had billed itself as a “digital freight network” that used sophisticated software to connect shippers directly to truckers and bypass the brokerage system that has traditionally handled much of the scheduling.

While a large share of trucked cargo today is hauled by big national trucking firms for precontracted prices, a significant share still goes with smaller trucking companies and independent truckers, often for a price negotiated by brokers on the spot.

Convoy aimed to bypass those traditional brokers, which often worked deals by phone, with “machine learning and automation” and an app that would allow carriers with cargoes to find truckers with empty trailers. Convoy’s system would cut out brokerage fees while also reducing waste, the company said.

Convoy was one several firms aiming for “the Uber-ization of U.S. trucking,” as Bloomberg put it last year.

Convoy’s model initially won strong backing from investors, which allowed the company to ramp up hiring and build out its platform. By late 2022, the company had a network of more than 400,000 trucks and “a roster of shippers including Home Depot, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, and Anheuser-Busch,” according GeekWire.

Convoy also benefited from a surge in cargo demand and an acute shortage in global and domestic shipping capacity, exacerbated by the pandemic, which pushed up cargo volumes and shipping prices.

By April 2022, Convoy had raised $928 million in equity and venture debt and was valued at $3.8 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal. The company’s head count was up to 1,300, and included many veterans of the Seattle-area tech community.

Mark Okerstrom, Convoy’s president and chief operating officer, had been a chief executive and chief financial officer of the online travel company Expedia Group. Lewis and co-founder Grant Goodale had worked at Amazon.

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And, like most venture-backed firms, Convoy and its investors were also considering going public, the Journal reported.

But even by last April, cargo demand was softening and prices were falling, especially in the “spot” market that is the bread and butter of brokerages, the Journal reported.

The decline spurred more intense competition for remaining shipping demand, “which is crushing smaller companies,” said Emily Nasseff Mitsch, an analyst at CFRA who covers trucking and rail.

Sponsored

On Monday, another freight industry startup, San Francisco-based Flexport, announced layoffs of around 20% of its workforce, including 165 employees in its Bellevue office.

But freight startups had another problem. Many weren’t yet profitable and still depended on outside financing, according to media reports. But investors, which had already begun to pull back from a cooling tech sector, now became doubly wary of freight ventures.

“In the height of the technology boom, startups could secure millions in funding in mere days. With increased market volatility, we’ve seen a broader shift in the [venture capital] landscape as investors become more cautious,” Jett McCandless, founder and CEO of project44, a supply chain data company, told FreightWaves after cutting around 130 jobs last spring.

“No startup, not even the rocket ships of logistics technology, will be immune to these trends,” McCandless added.

In his memo to employees, Lewis seemed to acknowledge investors’ cooling ardor for companies that have yet to turn a profit. The “dramatic monetary tightening we’ve seen over the last 18 months has dramatically dampened investment appetite and shrunk flows into unprofitable late stage private companies,” Lewis wrote.

Industry insiders say that without that additional funding, and lacking the cash reserves that more profitable freight companies had accumulated during the pandemic, Convoy’s options were limited.

Lewis told employees that the company had “spent over 4 months exhausting all viable strategic options for the business,” but couldn’t see a way to turn the company around.

“Despite your excellent work … and the painful and sweeping cost cuts you have had to endure, it was still not enough to get us into the financial position necessary to withstand the increasing pressures of the industry, without the need for outside funding,” he wrote.

Paul Roberts: [email protected]; on Twitter: @Pauledroberts.

Seahawks Rookie WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba Is "Just Getting Going"

Coming off the most productive game of his young career, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is becoming a bigger factor in Seattle’s offense. After fracturing his wrist in preseason, Seahawks rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had surgery and made a remarkably quick comeback to be ready for the season opener.It was an impressive comeback, to be sure, but the time Smith-Njigba missed, as well as the fact that he was playing with a brace to protect the injury through Seattle's first four games, were factors in what was, statistically sp...

Coming off the most productive game of his young career, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is becoming a bigger factor in Seattle’s offense.

After fracturing his wrist in preseason, Seahawks rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba had surgery and made a remarkably quick comeback to be ready for the season opener.

It was an impressive comeback, to be sure, but the time Smith-Njigba missed, as well as the fact that he was playing with a brace to protect the injury through Seattle's first four games, were factors in what was, statistically speaking at least, a slow start to his professional career.

No one within the organization was worried about the first-round pick's lack of production, he had shown plenty in training camp to show he is the real deal, but it was still nice for the rookie to be more involved in the offense in Seattle's Week 6 game at Cincinnati. In that game, Smith-Njigba caught four passes for a season-best 48 yards, and he also was on the field for 72 percent of the team's offensive snaps, also a season-high. That solid performance could have looked even better had Geno Smith been able to hit him for a potential touchdown, a play on which the rookie broke wide open, but Smith, feeling pressure off the edge, tucked the ball and ran for a first down instead of making the throw.

"I had more plays, so that always feels good to be out there," Smith-Njigba said. "… I know they have confidence in me to make plays and they believe in me. They tell me a lot, and I can feel that from them, and I have that of myself too. So I know more opportunities will be schemed up for me and more opportunities will come down the road."

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll noted both after the game and again on Wednesday that Sunday's game was "by far" Smith-Njigba's best yet.

"I tried to make a point about it, because I wanted him to hear it too, that he played really well in the running game, he was really clean with his assignments, we moved him around quite a bit, he came through on his catches and his plays," Carroll said. "He did a really nice job in the game. This is six weeks in the season coming up, and he's not wearing a cast anymore, he's not wearing anything on his wrist anymore and he blocked well, threw his hands in there aggressively. I think any passing of judgement up until now was premature. He's just getting going. We love him and he's going to be a really big factor for us."

And again, no one who saw Smith-Njigba in training camp or in the preseason before his injury is at all surprised that he's becoming a bigger factor.

"He's been doing that in practice ever since he's gotten here," receiver DK Metcalf said. "Just really waiting on him to really blossom and just show who he really is out there on the field."

Neither Smith-Njigba nor Carroll used the wrist injury as an excuse early in the year, but it was a factor, Carroll acknowledged.

"I think it's a significant thing, and he was perfect about handling it—admirable and took leadership in that regard early in the season, showing guys that he could overcome and get back out and all of that," Carroll said. "The best is yet to come."

Said Smith-Njigba, "It was a challenge, but we took care of it, and I feel like we made all the right moves. I definitely feel better each week, and can actually do some more stuff with it. So my comfortability is rising every day. I feel close to 100 now."

Smith-Njigba understands that he's still in the very early stages of his career, and that the nature of his position means he won't always get the ball a ton, even if he's doing everything right, especially not when he's in an offense that also features DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett at receiver. Even so, it still felt nice to get going last weekend.

"At the end of the day you can only control what you can control, go out there and play as hard as you can and do your job and get open," he said. "But yeah, it's always good to do good things out there."

What to watch for when No. 5 Washington hosts Arizona State, plus Mike Vorel’s prediction

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. SaturdayWhere: Husky StadiumTV: FS1Radio: SportsRadio 93.3-FM KJRLatest line: Huskies by 28.5QB Michael Penix Jr.: 72.1% completions, 2,301 passing yards, 20 pass TD, 3 INTWR Rome Odunze: 40 catches, 736 receiving yards, 18.4 yards per reception, 6 receiving TD, 1 rush TDLB Edefuan Ulofoshio: 38 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 1 pass breakupCB Jabbar Muhammad: ...

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Husky Stadium

TV: FS1

Radio: SportsRadio 93.3-FM KJR

Latest line: Huskies by 28.5

QB Michael Penix Jr.: 72.1% completions, 2,301 passing yards, 20 pass TD, 3 INT

WR Rome Odunze: 40 catches, 736 receiving yards, 18.4 yards per reception, 6 receiving TD, 1 rush TD

LB Edefuan Ulofoshio: 38 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 1 pass breakup

CB Jabbar Muhammad: 14 tackles, 3 PBU, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 INT

QB Trenton Bourguet: 65.3% completions, 726 passing yards, 1 pass TD, 2 INT, 2 rush TD

RB Cam Skattebo: 367 rushing yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 5 rush TD, 245 receiving yards, 1 receiving TD

LB Tate Romney: 30 tackles, 3 PBU, 1.5 TFL, 1 fumble recovery

DL Prince Dorbah: 25 tackles, 7.5 TFL, 6 sacks

With the toughest stretch of UW’s schedule still ahead — ranked November match ups against USC, Utah and Oregon State in consecutive weeks — quarterback Michael Penix Jr. remains the Huskies’ most valuable asset. And though he was sacked just once in last weekend’s win over Oregon, Penix took some legitimate hits and gutted out the fourth quarter while dealing with cramps. UW must continue to protect Penix against an Arizona State defense featuring legitimate pass rushers Prince Dorbah (6 sacks) and B.J. Green (4 sacks). One way to do that? Continue to feed bulldozing running back Dillon Johnson — who has rushed for 328 yards, 6.1 yards per carry and four touchdowns in his last four games.

Washington missed a whopping 21 tackles against Oregon, according to Pro Football Focus, the highest number of the Kalen DeBoer era. Granted, that’s partially due to some proven playmakers — quarterback Bo Nix, running back Bucky Irving, wide receiver Troy Franklin, etc. But UW’s defense entered the week ranked 68th nationally in opponent yards per carry (4.04), 90th in total defense (394.3 yards allowed per game), 101st in opponent red zone touchdown percentage (68.42%) and 113th in opponent third down conversions (45.26%). On paper, this Arizona State offense doesn’t have the weapons to threaten Washington. But it’s up to the Huskies to finish plays.

Washington just beat its primary rival on the final play of the game, on a national stage, with College GameDay in town, in front of a sold-out, field-storming Husky Stadium. The Huskies cracked the top five in the Associated Press top 25 poll for the first time in six years. And now, they get to host a 1-5 opponent that has yet to pick up a conference win in Pac-12 After Dark. Easy, right? Maybe … but they better not approach it that way. Afterall, a similar Arizona State squad with an interim coach upset UW in Tempe last fall before ultimately finishing 3-9. The Huskies can probably afford a loss somewhere along the line and still sneak their way into the College Football Playoff. But another dud against ASU would be difficult to digest.

After back-to-back one-score wins, it’s time for Washington to assert itself against a lesser opponent. The Huskies will do just that. Penix will be productive and the offense will be balanced, with UW employing an efficient running game. UW’s defense will gain confidence against a Sun Devil attack ranked 127th nationally in both rushing offense (85.17 yards per game) and yards per carry (2.76). Given that the Sun Devils have already surrendered 22 sacks (116th), UW’s pass rush should also prosper. This is the same group of Huskies that dropped the ball at Arizona State last fall. History won’t repeat itself on Saturday.

Final score: Huskies 49, Sun Devils 20

Mike Vorel: [email protected]; on Twitter: @MikeVorel. Mike Vorel is the UW football beat writer for The Seattle Times.

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