Although this was perhaps the boldest iteration of the tush push QB sneak to date, the play is almost a tradition for the Eagles at this point.
Since 2022, Hurts has over twice as many rushing first downs on third- or fourth-and-1s as any other NFL player. He comes in at 36. Justin Fields is in second with 16.
It’s a near-automatic result has frustrated opposing defenses to the point that the competition committee looked into removing it from the game this offseason.
“Of course they are,” Sirianni said postgame when asked about the committee reportedly considering evaluating it once again. “Last night in our meeting we talked a lot about growth mindset. That was our message this week, that we constantly have to be in this steady growth. … What we did is we looked at the evolution of what we’ve been through quarterback sneaks and we’ve grown in that. Not only have we been highly successful, but we’ve grown in that area.
“The fundamentals that these guys go to, we watched our evolution of the play, and the growth of that play is just a great example of what we want to be as a team. If we stayed the same in our quarterback sneaks from 2021 until now, defenses would’ve caught up to it. But we’ve grown in the areas, and we’ve grown in fundamentals. … Then we watch the rest of the league and, quite frankly, they can’t do it like we can. We’ll play the rules of what they say to do. It’s a good play for us. The competition committee can look at it, but until then people have to stop it.”
Hurts was shorter in his response to any sneak-inspired angst, but he mirrored his coach’s thinking.
“Not to pour more water into that jug, but it’s something that we’re able to do at a high level,” he said. “It’s clear that it doesn’t always work for everyone else.”
There’s little question the Eagles exercise this version of the QB sneak with far more success than other teams across the league.
The name, at least for Hurts, is a question.
“I’ve never called it that,” he clarified Sunday when the tush push was initially referenced.
His response to what he does call it: “Not that.”
Whatever the play’s name, the Eagles have perfected it with lethal execution. It remains legal, it remains nearly unstoppable and it’s one of the reasons Philadelphia ends Sunday sitting at 5-0.