The Tush Push has become the claustrophobic NFL’s elephant in the phone booth (there must be one left somewhere).
Little air to breathe. No wiggle room. One of football’s all-time damned-if-you-do-and-damned-if-you-don’ts don’ts.
The League would like us to believe that it has an answer for everything, but not the Tush Push. Staying with big mammals, it’s the NFL’s White Whale.
The TP is a glorified quarterback sneak, used a bit in Indianapolis but perfected by Eagles coach Nick Sirianni in 2022. It is not automatic, but it’s close — or as close as any play can be. Not a sure thing, but a thing, for sure.
Twenty-eight of the 32 teams have tried the TP, with the Eagles using it the most, followed by the Bills, both with great prosperity. Philadelphia has used it 116 times and its success rate on fourth-and-1 is 96.6%.
Which means it’s a great play. Brilliant? How much in sports is so near perfection?
But it’s a horrible play. I hate it.
And not because, as some hard-nose aficionados insist, that it doesn’t look good, that it isn’t sexy. Quarterback sneaks don’t look good, either. And they aren’t used enough.
And not because every team lacks the personnel — including a quarterback with strong legs — to run it successfully.
But because it should be illegal.
I’m completely against skill players being aided and abetted by teammates to push the ball forward. And that’s what it is. And up to around 20 years ago, it used to be a major no-no, but the NFL threw up its hands.
The quarterback lines up under center, with his muscular pushers behind, and it isn’t very often that it doesn’t work.
Which is why the Eagles have attempted the TP more times through two games than they have thrown the ball 10 yards downfield. Defensive lines become Maginot Lines.
But it is not football, and lately we’ve found a major flaw, that guards are jumping before the snap and not getting whistled. There is filmed proof. Four of the Eagles’ seven TP attempts vs. the Chiefs featured false starts. None were called.
Which hopefully will bring about action from the leaders. It was brought up at the League meetings this year and tabled.
If nothing else, it has to be officiated properly.
But the thing to do is simple: Go back to the old rule and stop allowing players to be pushed forward.
For now, the NFL supposedly has instructed officials to watch the TP very closely this weekend. Sigh. …
Last football weekend may have been my all-time favorite. San Diego High won. USC won. UCLA lost and fired its coach. Notre Dame lost. Judases beat the Raiders. Denver lost. Kansas City lost. And I didn’t have to watch the Aztecs’ offense. …
Geno Smith threw 12 passes 10-plus yards vs. the NFL Team That Used To Be Here. Zip. Zilch. Nada. 0-for-10. Plus 3 INTs. …
Raiders fans will account for 34% of tickets sold for their Sunday game in D.C. …
Caleb Williams hasn’t been good, but he’s not awful as advertised, a product of his environment. The Bears stink. Ben Johnson is not the Messiah. Allowing 52 points to Detroit? …
I like the NFL’s new kickoff setup. But I don’t understand it. Nonsensically satisfying, kinda like Hollywood’s “The Big Sleep,” co-written by William Faulkner (so no wonder). …
I’m sold on Josh Allen (never gets picked or sacked and has replaced Patrick Mahomes in getting all the calls), but not Buffalo. The Bills’ defense doesn’t seem championship caliber and not enough outside weaponry. Don’t agree? Bill me. …
The Cowboys’ defense definitely has improved. Only allowed Russell Wilson, supposedly as finished as the Roman Empire, 433 passing yards — before OT. Wilson threw for 450 total. He still, however, can throw a can of corn. …
But then there’s the Giants’ idiotic prevent defense, knowing the Cowboys have a kicker who can reach the space station. Just remarkably stupid. Why coaches rent. …
Think Shedeur Sanders made his own call on not wanting the Ravens to draft him in the fifth round (because he couldn’t compete with Lamar Jackson?) That’s pure Deion. But if I’m Baltimore, I take him just because. …
Giants offensive tackle James Hudson was beyond ticked at Brian Dabol for jerking him from the game after becoming the first player in the 2000s to commit four penalties on one drive. James would have agreed had it been five. …
Know what? Football ain’t modern politics. There are bad calls. But when you obviously break a rule, you usually get punished for it. …
Joe Burrow had to be helped on foot to the locker room after his turf toe. But, contrary to rumor, the penurious Bengals do have a cart — a Radio Flyer wagon. …
Burrow, greatest of all college QBs, is on his way to the Andrew Luck offramp. …
Every O-line Burrow has had has stunk. …
Genius is a fleeting thing. Mike McDaniel used to be one. …
At least, when J.J. McCarthy retires, he’ll have that one quarter to look back on, which is nice. …
The Colts haven’t punted in their first two games. Hasn’t happened in the Super Bowl era. Colts? …
Before the trade deadline, some foolish team will make the Chiefs better. …
Kirk Cousins has made $321 million in his career. So there. …
When I see Tyreek Hill, again under NFL investigation for domestic abuse, make plays on the field, my skin crawls. …
A male student cannot get into Ohio State unless he can run routes and catch. …
What does Arch Manning have to do to improve? More commercials. …
USC and Michigan State played a game at 11 p.m. EST Saturday night. When it ended, everyone went to church. Just stupid. …
UCLA, one of America’s greatest academic and athletic institutions, will use a committee(!) — including former great athletes — to find a replacement for head football coach DeShaun Foster, a bad hire to begin with. What are the Bruins now, Division III? …
Tom Brady next year will play flag football in Saudi Arabia, which I believe he now owns. …
Brady, as an active part-owner of the Raiders, should NOT be allowed in production meetings, where information is divulged to broadcasters. It’s a terrible look for the NFL, and the NFL’s big care, after money, is how it looks. …
RIP, Robert Redford. “Great” is terribly overused. He was great. One of the last leading men. …
I don’t have hard evidence, but I can’t imagine any team in the history of baseball has fallen behind earlier in games than the Padres have in this decade. Holes to climb out of are deeper in the playoffs. …
I still believe Padres’ pitchers should warm up at least a half-hour longer. First inning gopher balls are so unbecoming. …
Fans, before you go beating the hell out of one another, remember, these athletes will go home with millions of dollars, and so many of them don’t care that you care. …
Trying to severely slow down the game, the NFL announces it’s entering a multi-year deal with Crocs. …
The Padres have moseyed through the pastry shop with a gift certificate and walked out with crumbcake. …
The Pads’ magic number might be 86.