New York Jets Gearing Up for Eagles’ Unorthodox Tush Push

In Florham Park, New Jersey, the New York Jets are bracing themselves for an unconventional and somewhat controversial offensive tactic employed by the Philadelphia Eagles, known as the “tush push.” This peculiar play involves quarterback Jalen Hurts being propelled forward by teammates lined up behind him, creating a powerful surge to gain precious yardage.

Jets’ head coach Robert Saleh addressed the unique challenge, saying, “If the quarterback carries the ball, we’ve got to give him 11 kisses.” It’s a playful way of underlining the importance of stopping this unorthodox maneuver.

The Eagles’ success with the “tush push” has been noteworthy. In their recent victory over the Los Angeles Rams, they successfully executed the play four out of six times. Over the season, they have converted 13 out of 16 attempts into first downs or touchdowns, boasting an impressive 81.3% success rate, as per ESPN Stats & Information. While the leaguewide success rate is approximately the same, the Eagles have garnered significant attention for their proficiency in this play.

The Jets, however, have faced the “tush push” three times this season, with two encounters against the New England Patriots and one against the Buffalo Bills. They managed to thwart it once but have found it to be a challenging offensive style. Linebacker C.J. Mosley shared his insights, saying, “It’s a unique style, just the way they get down there, in that rugby stance, and get low. It’s just really hard for defenses to get under and get that push. That’s really the main thing. Besides that, they’ve got three guys behind and pushing him, so it starts the defense off at a disadvantage.”

The degree of difficulty is compounded by the various wrinkles the Eagles have added to the play. They can run reverses, stretch plays, and even pop passes from the “tush push” formation, making it even more challenging for opposing defenses to predict their next move.

Ideally, the Jets would like to field six defensive linemen to counteract the pushing force, but this isn’t always feasible due to the Eagles’ ability to run the formation without huddling, preventing the defense from making substitutions. As a result, the defense might find themselves stuck with nickel personnel in a short-yardage situation, which is less than ideal.

The Jets are preparing for the “tush push” in practice, but they can’t simulate it at full speed due to the risk of injuries. Therefore, they primarily work on their alignments during walk-throughs. Defensive tackle Al Woods summed it up, saying, “You just study film, and then you walk through it, and then, when it comes to live bullets, you shoot your shot.”

Coach Saleh and the players acknowledge the effectiveness of the “tush push” is due to the Eagles’ strong offensive line and a quarterback with a combination of power and speed. Saleh humorously described Hurts, saying, “It feels like the quarterback is wearing a bulletproof vest when you look at him. He’s got all that padding on.”

The “tush push” formation has stirred some controversy, with concerns about potential injuries. The NFL’s competition committee evaluated the play last spring and might revisit it after the season once more injury data becomes available. Coach Saleh remained noncommittal on whether it should be banned but noted, “If it’s a safety issue, I’d say so, but it’s just a scrum.”

Statistically, the Jets’ short-yardage defense hasn’t been effective. On third-and-1 plays, they’ve allowed five first downs and one touchdown, as per ESPN Stats & Information. Mosley shared the best way to counter the “tush push,” saying, “The best way to stop it is to stay out of third-and-1 and fourth-and-1 and on the goal line.” The Jets are gearing up to tackle this unique challenge when they face the Eagles at MetLife Stadium.