Eagles News: Not time to abandon the Tush Push

Eagles Question of the Day:

Are you worried about the viability of the Tush Push? Why or why not? Head over to The Feed and weigh in with your answer and explanation!

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …

Bowen: Asking Eagles to abandon the ‘Push’? Bah, Humbug! Get it right, and then keep churning – PHLY
The Eagles absolutely should keep using the Tush Push/Brotherly Shove, in situations where it is the best option. That is, third-or-fourth down and really, really short, a yard or less. Guys, if you want to discard it because you feel you don’t have the juice up front to get the job done anymore, OK, but really, if your O-line can’t move the pile in short yardage – which is what we’re talking about here – know that you aren’t going to win many playoff games this season. This play embodies what the Super Bowl LIX Eagles were – the toughest, most physical team in the NFL. If you aren’t going to be that anymore, what are we even doing here? By no means should you let the anyone on the outside dictate to you – officials attempting to nitpick the alignment, other teams yelling for flags to be thrown randomly, pundits tut-tutting because they have just gotten bored watching it. This is something of value, that you have created, and how to proceed with it should be up to you. The best way to proceed is to block better, and not false-start.

Playoff scenarios, tush push problems, two-point controversy: Eight Eagles Thoughts – The Athletic
Penalties pose problem for tush push. For so long, the conversation about the tush push has been about whether teams can stop it. The way it’s being officiated this season might pose a bigger problem for the Eagles, to the point that there should be internal conversations about when and how to use the play. The Eagles were flagged for a false start at the goal line twice against the Commanders. Sirianni should have confidence that Hurts and the offensive line could procure the cherished yard at a high enough percentage of attempts to justify sticking to the play, and there are enough variations and wrinkles to add to the staple play to make it worthwhile. But when flags are flying, that changes the calculus because losing five yards makes a considerable difference. A short-yardage attempt becomes six yards. The Eagles have been flagged multiple times this season on short-yardage sneak situations, and even among players, there’s skepticism about how much longer the play will last because of officiating. Teams this year have done a great job of stopping that play,” Jordan Mailata said. “We have to do a better job of executing and go from there.” I’m sure this play might not even be around next year, to be honest, just the way they’re officiating it, to be fair. “Last week, it was, we can’t, our shoulders have to be parallel to the line of scrimmage now. Can’t be angled in. …They’re just officiating it a little bit harder. So if this is the last year we get to run it, we’ll run it until we can’t run it anymore.”

Reactions to “Hard Knocks: In-Season with the NFC East” episode 4 – BGN
Nick Sirianni harped on the Eagles being 41-2 over the last five years when they win the turnover battle in a team meeting that was shown in this episode. I count myself among the many people across the Philadelphia region when the Eagles offense looks overly vanilla, bland and downright conservative, but it appears that ball control has become its underlying philosophy. Play elite defense, run the ball and don’t turn it over. These are not the most advanced tactics the sport has ever seen, but they led to a Super Bowl parade 10 months ago. The Birds are hoping these principles will bring the same result come two months from now.

NFL Week 17 latest buzz, questions, news and fantasy tips – ESPN
What is one thing you’ve heard about the Pro Bowl rosters? Fowler: Heavy chatter around the Eagles and the snubbing of defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Teammate Jalen Carter got the Pro Bowl nod among NFC defensive tackles, but if you ask the Eagles who has been their most dominant force up front this season, it’s Davis without debate.

Eagles star, teammates react to Pro Bowl snub: ‘I’m kind of shocked’ – NJ.com
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Davis “should have” made it. Fangio then questioned the system that gives “everybody and their mother” a vote. Davis’ exclusion was met with the same level of confusion in the locker room. “I’m kind of shocked at that,” Eagles safety Reed Blankenship said. “I went up and told him, ‘I feel like you got snubbed, in my opinion.’” “We all know what he means to our defense and the type of year he’s having,” cornerback Cooper DeJean said. “Everybody in here understands his value.” “JD’s been playing lights out all year,” center Cam Jurgens added. Davis, meanwhile, tried not to take it to heart. “Everybody hopes to be a Pro Bowler,” Davis said. “I think selfishly, as athletes, we want to do stuff like that. But at the end of the day, I can only feel that way because I’m being selfish. And when I looked at it and I took a step back, I’m like, hmm. That’s very selfish of me. Let me give back, let me pour my cup into my teammates. That’s what I do it for. And selfishly, you want to get all the accolades, you want to be the best, you want to be considered one of the top guys in the league. But at the end of the day, when you take a step back and you play selflessly, I’m satisfied. I’m more than satisfied because I know I’m adding and I’m contributing and I’m being a force and I’m being dominant, and I can sleep at night with that.”

How Tyler Steen found himself brawling with half the Commanders’ roster – NBCSP
Tyler Steen was having a quiet conversation with a couple reporters at his locker in the back of the Eagles’ locker room Tuesday afternoon when Fred Johnson strode toward the group with a huge smile on his face. “The champ is here! The champ is here! The champ is here!” Johnson cracked up and Steen just stared at him with a hint of a smile. “He took that Rocky movie seriously! No, not Rocky … CREED.” The good-natured ribbing has been going on since Sunday, after Steen was ejected Saturday along with two Commanders after a two-point conversion with 4 ½ minutes left gave the Eagles a 29-10 lead. “They’ve been joking about it since Sunday,” Steen said. “They thought it was funny.” But the reality is that everybody in that locker room respects Steen for sticking up for 5-foot-11, 210-pound receiver Darius Cooper, who was getting pushed around by a group of Commanders.

NFL offensive line rankings ahead of Week 17 – PFF
6) Philadelphia Eagles (Up 5). Philadelphia’s offensive front was efficient in Week 16 to the tune of seven pressures allowed across 37 dropbacks, including just one sack. The unit’s 89.2 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating ranked seventh in Week 16. Right tackle Fred Johnson gave up two pressures and earned a team-low 53.7 PFF pass-blocking grade against the Commanders. Usual starter Lane Johnson is expected to return from his injury and be back at right tackle in Week 17.

Eagles vs. Bills in Week 17: These are the numbers that matter – Inquirer
Jordan Mailata described Saquon Barkley’s 12-yard touchdown Saturday as an “angry run.” It was one of Barkley’s highlights from a 2025 season that has not been easy. But Barkley broke out Saturday for 132 yards on 21 rushing attempts. Barkley broke six tackles and accumulated 63 yards after missed tackles, a season high, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Barkley was at his best running to the left side with Mailata leading the way. According to Next Gen, Barkley picked up a season-high 101 yards (7.8 yards per carry) and a touchdown on 13 carries to the left side of the formation. That makes sense. The left side of the offensive line features Mailata and Landon Dickerson, while the right side features backup tackle Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen, who has not had a great run-blocking season. Lane Johnson, however, could make his return at right tackle this week.

Quinyon Mitchell has no time for individual honors | Eagles at Bills Daily Updates – PE.com
“It’s a great honor and I’m really appreciative,” he said. “I’m really blessed and excited and thankful for my teammates, coaches, and all the staff.” Mitchell has been a starter since Day 1 and has continued to get better and better. In his second season, Mitchell says the game has slowed down. “The mental aspect of the game, learning about the game and processing things, that’s the biggest difference from last year,” he said. “The game has slowed down. You have to have confidence and the willingness to get better each and every day and that’s the approach I’ve taken. Yesterday’s news is old news. I just want to get back to work and get better.”

Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, other vets DNP Tuesday, listed “day-to-day” – Buffalo Rumblings
Head coach Sean McDermott revealed ahead of Monday’s practice session that quarterback Josh Allen would be considered day-to-day with a right foot injury suffered just before halftime in Week 16 against the Cleveland Browns. After finishing out that series, Allen was attended to on the sideline by athletic trainers for several minutes. Ultimately, Allen headed to the locker room early for x-rays, but he came back out after halftime no worse for wear having been cleared to return to the game. Later, Allen told CBS reporter Evan Washburn “we’re gravy, baby” when asked about the injury during his postgame interview. McDermott added that Allen’s injury could impact his practice statuses this week, but he doesn’t believe it will affect his availability for Sunday’s home game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17. Joining Allen as “day-to-day” on Monday were defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (calf), linebacker Shaq Thompson (neck), and safety Jordan Poyer (hamstring). Jones’ injury is likely the pre-existing calf injury he’s been managing most of the 2025 NFL season. Thompson injured his neck early in the game during a tackle. He was designated questionable to return, and did eventually get back on the field to finish the game with the defense.

Josh Allen says he’ll be “ready to go” despite foot injury – PFT
As a Week 17 game against the Eagles approaches, there’s a question regarding whether the foot will be a factor. On Tuesday, coach Sean McDermott said Allen might miss practice time due to the “obviously sore” foot. Allen separately provided a more positive assessment. “Feels good,” Allen said, via Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com. “Feels good. Ready to go.”

Loss to the Chargers exposes an unfortunate truth about the Cowboys cornerback position – Blogging The Boys
It doesn’t feel like that long ago when the Dallas Cowboys were sitting pretty at cornerback. This team was expecting to have both its All-Pro cornerbacks healthy again and eventually add a promising young rookie to the mix. How could we not be happy with that? Sadly, things have not worked out as fortuitously as we hoped. It’s been quite the opposite, in fact. Every element of the Cowboys’ cornerback situation has turned out poorly. Every single one. In less than a full season, the outlook at cornerback has gone from pleasantly hopeful to desperately in need of assistance. Let’s take a look.

Dak Prescott vows eliminated Cowboys won’t be ‘in this spot’ in 2026 – NFL.com
As Cowboys haters relish Dallas missing the postseason for the second consecutive campaign and their 30th straight year falling short of the NFC Championship Game, Dak Prescott made a guarantee for 2026. “We won’t be back here in this spot,” Prescott said Tuesday, via ESPN. The 6-8-1 Cowboys prepare for a Christmas Day bout against the Washington Commanders, coming off three consecutive losses to sink their postseason hopes. “I feel like the last few times I’ve said that were playoff losses,” Prescott added. “Each year has its own troubles. Each year has its own highs, lows, ebbs and flows and everything within it. The importance is controlling what you can … I’m going to do my damnedest, controlling what I can and as you get older, I think having more input, having more say so and being asked more questions from the front office. Maybe there’s a little bit more that I can do, and it’s not physically or me getting better at my game. Maybe it’s speaking up and saying that this will help or I think this can help. Whatever it takes, once again I’m going to do my damnedest and make sure that I’m influencing and encouraging everybody else around me, not just the players, to do the same.”

2025 Commanders’ Tank Watch – Week 17 – Holiday Edition – Hogs Haven
Thanks to multiple gifts from Santa’s little helpers, the Commanders find themselves picking seventh overall if the season ended today, and in striking distance of several teams ahead of them in the draft order. Another key development was that several favorable Week 16 game outcomes dropped the Commanders SOS from 0.508 to 0.500, giving them tiebreak advantages over every team ahead of them in the draft order, aside from the Cleveland Browns, whose margin of advantage also narrowed by 0.007 pts. With just two games remaining, it now becomes possible to consider meaningful end-of-season scenarios. After Week 16, the ceiling for the Commanders’ draft position is second overall. But moving that high would require a magical sequence of events. More realistically, they are positioned to make a run at a position in the top five.

Wanted: Receivers for the NY Giants who can actually catch the ball – Big Blue View
The No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft has been a quarterback in nine of the past 11 years. As of this writing, the New York Giants are still in position to have the No. 1 pick in 2026. Do they need a quarterback, though? A surprising number of people on X think the Giants should stay put if they get the No. 1 pick, trade Jaxson Dart, and draft Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza rather than trading down. You can make the case considering that after winning two of his first three starts Dart hasn’t won another, that the hits he takes and his regular visits to the blue tent portend low longevity, and that his current head coach didn’t even have confidence in him to win Sunday’s game against the Vikings. Dart has looked really good in a variety of advanced metrics until recently, but football is about scoring points. After a two-week stretch in which the Dart-led Giants hung 34 and 32 points on the Eagles and Broncos, two of the best defensive teams in the league, the Giants have scored 20, 24, 20, 15, 21, and 13 points in Dart’s starts, i.e., 19 points per game. That’s worse than all but five other teams’ season scoring average. Is it Dart, or is it the weapons he has to work with? In support of the latter hypothesis, as of a month ago he had faced perfect coverage more often than all but a few other QBs while only having a slightly negative EPA on such plays.

Have we seen Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce’s final game together? – SB Nation
Have we seen the final game Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will play together? RJ: Being frank here, I don’t know how it is possible that we haven’t. Mahomes has often been compared to Tom Brady in terms of the greatness that each achieved in different respects and it appears that the former is at the point in his career where his team has to set up the run for a second type of dynasty. That is obviously easier said than done. If we live in the Brady comparison then this means that Mahomes will have to move on past the original core of talent around him toward a new one. Nothing lasts forever and it seems like it is just time for Kansas City and Travis Kelce to go their separate ways. I think the most fascinating part of all of this will be what Kelce’s future looks like and if he is playing anywhere else. Maybe a homecoming to Cleveland? Who knows.

Eagles News: Not time to abandon the Tush Push

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