Nick Sirianni and the Philadelphia Eagles sent a message to the NFL and the 31 other teams in Week 4.
The reigning Super Bowl champions don’t need a tush push to win. And for those who consider it a boring play, now there’s a new twist. The fake makes it even more difficult for opponents to stop and more interesting to watch.
Facing a team that had their number and one that actually had some success against Philadelphia’s signature play, Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo mixed things up.
Saquon Barkley scored a touchdown on a fake tush push and Jalen Hurts tossed an underhanded TD pass on a variation of it in a 31-25 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
With the NFL instructing officials to make sure offensive linemen don’t start early on the play and widespread talk that it needs to be banned after owners fell two votes short of eliminating it in the offseason, the Eagles got creative. In the process, they gave defenses another wrinkle to worry about.
Barkley ran untouched into the end zone from the 6 when Hurts turned and handed him the ball on a third-and-1 instead of keeping it and getting pushed from behind. Defensive coordinators now have to prepare for that possibility. Or, Hurts tossing the ball to a receiver out of a tight formation.
“Everything we do is a team effort but its an exciting play — it makes it pretty exciting, right?” Sirianni said, smiling. “When we were coming over here, I’m watching the (Vikings-Steelers) Ireland game and I (saw) this commercial on Pepsi of them going, ‘Hey, when in Philly’ and they’re sneaking it. People like this play. Then there are some things off of the play that make it really exciting. It seems like people and fans really like the play and it was pretty exciting today to get two touchdowns that come off of it that make that play what it is.”
It’s wishful thinking for Sirianni to say people and fans like the play because most people outside of anyone who roots for the Eagles don’t feel that way.
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