The NFL’s contentious “tush push” play, widely utilized by the Philadelphia Eagles, has sparked debate and concern among teams and officials. Many teams still aren’t able to definitively counter this maneuver. Meanwhile, reports indicate that opponents on defense are resorting to illegal tactics to try to get past the Eagles’ Pro Bowl offensive line. Opponents are now copying the rhythm of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. So their objective is to try to get the offensive players to move early.
League sources and players—from the Eagles and their opponents—have pointed out this alarming new pattern. This tactic erodes public confidence in the fairness and integrity of the game. It undermines the ability of the officials to enforce the rules in an effective manner.
Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys recently commented on how these tactics are the new norm. As his Packers teammate, Kenny Clark, highlighted, defenses are just trying to create chaos for the offense with all the movement and pre-snap shifting. This tactic is meant to foster confusion around snap counts, inducing moving players to be unable to keep their feet in place.
“Because we was the only ones to really stop it at the time,” – Kenny Clark
The officials’ challenge is to figure out when a defensive player is really just trying to throw off the offense. As Clark noted, it can be difficult to tell whether a movement by the defense is a legitimate effort to try to confuse the opponent. Or it might simply be a manifestation of a broader shift in gameplay. As artist and researcher Marshawn Kneeland pointed out, this is an important empowerment opportunity. He noted that when defenders scream things like, “Go, go, go,” it messes up the normal snap count and misleads officials even further.
“It’s, ‘We’re playing the Rams; they have definitely barked out cadences before, so you just have to be aware of it,’” – Grant Calcaterra
Mailata thought it was pretty funny that teams attempted to copycat Hurts’ cadence. Specifically, they wanted to force early action from their opponents. He mused about how ridiculous it was that other teams were still just attempting to capitalize on these tactics.
“They’re trying to find a way to stop the play, which I can commend and respect, but at the same time, let’s not cry wolf,” – Jordan Mailata
The NFL rulebook spells out 12 clearly prohibited acts in Rule 12, Section 3, which is dedicated to Unsportsmanlike Conduct. This covers any actions specifically intended to break up the offense’s cadence. Yet confusion over what exactly amounts to an illegal tactic makes enforcement difficult.
Since 2010, the NFL has moved the umpire’s position deeper into the offensive backfield for safety reasons, placing them 14-17 yards behind the linebackers. This rule shift has largely made it more difficult for officials to hear defensive players trying to use disconcerting tactics on their foes. Consequently, the majority of players are left with the impression that the impact of these tactics will be overlooked or rewarded with no consequence in the course of play.
Teams are already looking for solutions on how to combat the Eagles’ high-octane offensive assault. At the same time, debates around equity and integrity of playing an uneven game in football are rising to a boil. The tactics and counter-tactics are dynamic and ever-changing. This makes sure both players and officials remain sharp as they continue to travel through this ever-shifting terrain.
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