Jets confident they know how to stop Eagles’ ‘tush push’
Any defensive coordinator preparing to play the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023 has a tough task at hand already.
But now, because it’s become such a staple of Philly’s offensive game plan, DC’s have to worry about stopping a seemingly unstoppable play: the “tush push,” or the “brotherly shove,” if you reside in within driving distance of Lincoln Financial Field.
Virtually no one has been able to stop the glorified quarterback sneak this year; however, the New York Jets appear to be confident they know exactly how to stop it should the Eagles break out the play this weekend.
"The best way to stop it is to stay out of third-and-1, fourth-and-1 and on the goal line,” linebacker C.J. Mosley said, via ESPN.
"If the quarterback carries the ball, we've got to give him 11 kisses,” Jets coach Robert Saleh added.
According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Eagles have converted on 13 of 16 “tush push” attempts this season, including four of six attempts in last week’s 23-14 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
Philly’s 81.3% success rate is far better than New York’s 33% defense rate (one of three). What makes the Eagles so proficient at executing the play is the size of their offensive linemen, who on average stand 6-foot-5 and weigh 325 pounds (center Jason Kelce, who’s 6-foot-2, 295 pounds, is the smallest player on Philly’s O-line).
"It's a unique style, just the way they get down there, in that rugby stance, and get low," Mosley added. "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."
“It feels like the quarterback is wearing a bulletproof vest when you look at him,” Saleh said, commenting on the size of the Eagles run blockers. “He's got all that padding [in front of him].”
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