Jalen Hurts says NFL opponent wanted to hurt him over ‘unfair’ Eagles play amid ban calls.
The NFL competition committee are receiving fresh calls to ban the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback sneak tactic, and it’s frustrating rivals so much that Jalen Hurts has become a target.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts isn’t worried that their near-perfect rushing strategy will bother anyone, but he admits that opponents are looking to hurt him because of it.
The Eagles are one of the best rushing teams in the NFL and they also have one of the best quarterbacks in Hurts. The 25-year-old has three rushing touchdowns this season, all of which were scored after the Eagles used their famous strategy.
Whether the ball was inches from the end zone or fourth-and-short, the Eagles almost never failed to dribble the ball when two bigger players got behind Hurts and pushed him far enough to score. or guarantee the first goal. It has become an unstoppable version of the sneaky quarterback and rival teams are pushing the NFL to ban it.
The NFL’s competition committee refused to take action on the play during the offseason, but frustration is growing as it continues to work perfectly. Although the Eagles will continue to use their tactic until told otherwise, Hurts admitted he could get injured from doing it.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts isn’t worried that their near-perfect rushing strategy will bother anyone, but he admits opponents are looking to hurt him because of it.
The Eagles are one of the best rushing teams in the NFL and they also have one of the best quarterbacks in Hurts. The 25-year-old has three rushing touchdowns this season, all of which were scored after the Eagles used their famous strategy.
Whether the ball was inches from the end zone or fourth-and-short, the Eagles almost never failed to dribble the ball when two bigger players got behind Hurts and pushed him far enough to score. or guarantee the first goal. It has become an unstoppable version of the sneaky quarterback and rival teams are pushing the NFL to ban it. The NFL’s competition committee declined to take action on the game during the offseason, but frustration grew as the game continued to perform flawlessly. Although the Eagles will continue to use their tactics until told otherwise, Hurts admitted he could get hurt doing so.
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“I don’t know about that. We’re the only ones who do it as well as we do,” Hurts said when asked about the criticism they received. “One guy even wanted me to hurt myself because of it.”
Rival fans and players feel their tactic is ‘unfair’ but no other team has been able to master it like the Eagles. That’s exactly why former defensive star JJ Watt defended Hurts and the Eagles, by saying their O-Line was the difference rather than their sneak style.
“By the way, there’s a lot of talk about ‘tush push,’ which is a ridiculous name,” Watt tweeted. “Unpopular opinion:
If they aren’t allowed to attack from behind, the Eagles will still have a lot of success with stealth QBs. Yes, it helps, but motivation is not the reason for success. O-Line and Jalen are like that.”
But it was NFL analyst Rich Eisen who helped develop the debate, as he said:
“I do not like it. Now I know there’s a sneaky quarterback in football. It’s a necessary game. But I don’t like putting two guys behind him, it looks like a winning lineup but more like a first down.
Rugby scrum training. I do not like it. This is particularly unfair, which is why the competition commission is looking into the matter. …The offense has the opportunity to push a player toward the defensive line, take the ball out of that formation, and then throw it. So it’s almost impossible to defend.”
Other teams have tried the tactic but no others have succeeded like the Eagles, and it’s unlikely to be banned as it’s not at risk of breaching any rules. Teams either need to find a way to stop it, or the Eagles could be on their way to the Super Bowl once again.