Jeremy McNichols should have been stuffed. When he took the handoff from Marcus Mariota late in the second quarter Sunday and lowered his shoulder, McNichols appeared to be destined for a crunching hit and a short gain. The NFL’s advanced statistical platform, Next Gen Stats, estimated that he should have gotten just three yards.

Instead, the veteran Washington Commanders running back bounced off that tackle then evaded at least two more. “There was somebody from every level that tried to tackle him,” offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. said, shaking his head. By the time McNichols crossed midfield, he had only empty space — and a welcoming end zone — ahead of him.

See Full Page