Smart: Eagles are changing the Tush Push narrative just in time to save the play from being banned by the NFL
Two weeks in a row, the Philadelphia Eagles have kept the entire city wide awake at night, pacing around the living room, wondering why the sport of football insists on shaving years off our lives. If you were tuning in hoping for fireworks, a 41–38 shootout, or anything resembling the concept of offensive rhythm, you came to the wrong place.
The Eagles are not here for that. They win by asphyxiation. They win by dragging opponents into a woodchipper for four quarters and then leaving the scene before anyone finds a body. It is not always pretty, it is not always convincing, but it is somehow always enough.
Sunday Night Football wasn’t really about style points anyway. Beating Detroit was the priority. Mission accomplished. They also managed to accomplish a second objective that was quietly lurking underneath by killing the narrative that the Tush Push is unstoppable before league officials end up banning it from the NFL.
Mission Accomplished: The Tush Push Reputation Adjustment
For an entire year, people around the league have complained that the Eagles’ signature quarterback shove was unfair, illegal, immoral, unsafe, impossible to officiate, a threat to democracy, etc. You know the drill. Every time it worked, the calls to ban it got louder.
The Eagles could not allow that to continue. They needed to make it look like a regular football play again. So what did they do? They let it fail. Not in a way that costs them games, but in a way that changes the conversation.
Tyler Steen gets flagged for a false start even though Detroit’s defensive line was basically filing taxes in the neutral zone.
Tush Push: Eagles called for offsides, instead of penalizing defense
The Eagles get stuffed on a fourth down that could have iced the game. Suddenly, all the oxygen gets sucked out of the “unstoppable” discourse.
Lions stuff the Tush Push on 4th down
4D Tush Push Chess With League Offices
Now, instead of hearing how the NFL has to ban the Tush Push, we know have seeds of doubt that’s the case. Maybe the play isn’t automatic afterall?
That is long-term strategy. That is Howieball.
People think this team is just running a power play behind Jason Kelce’s replacement. They have no idea. This is politics. This is perception control. This is the Eagles deliberately letting the Tush Push look mortal so the NFL Competition Committee gets bored and moves on to something else, like figuring out why the Commanders still exist.
While other teams spend their offseason filing formal complaints about physics, Philadelphia is making sure the play remains legal until the sun burns out.
Preserve the shove. Preserve the future.
Yes, the Offense Is Still a Disaster, Thanks for Asking
There is no point sugarcoating it. The offense is a mess. Watching this unit try to score is like watching someone try to start a lawnmower in February. But the defense?
The Eagles offense is bad and with this much talent, that shouldn’t be possible
That defense is turning into a machine. The Jaelan Phillips trade might go down as one of Howie Roseman’s best moves ever. The pass rush is mean, the secondary hits, and they are holding playoff teams under 10 points like it is nothing.
If the offense ever remembers what sport it plays, this team becomes terrifying. The Eagles beat a top NFC team, stayed in control of the one-seed, and most importantly, put the Tush Push on life support in the eyes of the rest of the league.
That is a franchise victory.
Updated playoff picture following Eagles win over Detroit Lions
Because if the Eagles can keep their signature play legal while everyone forgets why they were mad about it, the rest of the NFL is cooked.
Just let it become a joke for a few weeks. Let the talking heads laugh at it. Then let January come and watch it win playoff games. Again.
Join The Chase
Read More
NFL fines Nick Sirianni $250,000 but will make it disappear if he shows good behavior on the sidelines
The NFL slapped Nick Sirianni with a $250,000 fine for…
Patriots fans are starting to realize we were right about AJ Brown
Patriots fans were pretty loud this offseason. For a team…
AJ Brown shares his thoughts on Jalen Hurts health situation, says he can handle anything and will come back stronger
The entire NFL world is reacting to the Jalen Hurts…
Comments (0)