5 surprising standouts from Commanders' blowout win vs. Panthers in Week 7

Jeremy McNichols - Commanders RB

The Washington Commanders had to adjust on the fly when Jayden Daniels went down. Kliff Kingsbury did an exceptional job once again of finding the right balance offensively despite tricky circumstances. This centered on the ground game, which allowed Marcus Mariota to get comfortable and take advantage of passing opportunities as the game went on.

Washington carved up 214 rushing yards throughout the contest. Brian Robinson Jr. caught the eye upon returning to the lineup. Austin Ekeler, Mariota, and Daniels did their part. Jeremy McNichols also impressed considerably in limited involvement.

To say McNichols maximized his touches would be an understatement. The former fifth-round selection out of Boise State gained 42 rushing yards from seven carries. He's averaging 6.6 yards per carry on the season, which represents an outstanding return for the No. 3 option behind Robinson and Ekeler.

Picking and choosing McNichols' spots seems to be working well for the player and Washington right now. Expect this trend to continue throughout the season.

Noah Igbinoghene - Commanders CB

There were obvious concerns about the Commanders' defensive backs heading into Week 7. They've not performed up to the required standard and had no answer for the Baltimore Ravens last weekend. Fans were worried there would be more of the same versus a decent Carolina Panthers passing attack.

This was a challenge they took on with renewed purpose and determination. Playing with a lead helped enormously. Once the defensive front kept running back Chuba Hubbard largely in check, it provided an extra sense of freedom to be aggressive in coverage.

Noah Igbinoghene's come under fire in recent weeks. The former first-round selection has all the physical attributes one looks for in a standout cornerback, but it hasn't come together consistently enough as yet. This performance is exactly what head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. had in mind when they brought him into the fold.

Igbinoghene played with an urgency that was sorely lacking previously. He made a big effort in 49 percent of the team's defensive snaps before others came into the breach, so this is the standard he's set for himself moving forward.