Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills
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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen had a simple but strong three-word message for his team after defeating the Baltimore Ravens.
The Buffalo Bills had an incredible comeback Sunday night when the team came back from 15 points down in the fourth quarter to beat the Baltimore Ravens 41-40.
There were tons of standout plays in the game, but two of them caught the eye ofPhillyVoice writer Jimmy Kempski.
During the game, the Bills ran the famous play known as the “tush push”, which the Philadelphia Eagles have made famous throughout the years.
The “tush push” occurs when the quarterback gets under center and, from behind, players push the quarterback in the back, trying to gain a yard.
The Bills ran the “tush push” twice, with the second time being the last touchdown of the game when Josh Allen was pushed in the back, jumping over the offensive line to get into the endzone.
Kempski noted that the Bills were among the few teams this offseason who wanted the play banned from the game, despite running it the second most last year and using it twice on Sunday. He also points out that the Allen touchdown was a lot more dangerous than the typical play the Eagles use.
“The second was arguably even more dangerous than any typical version, with Josh Allen leaping, and a player pushing him forward while he was in mid-air,” Kempski wrote Monday.
Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott Spoke on “Tush Push”
The Bills’ head coach, Sean McDermott, made it known inMarch that the “tush push” is a safety issue.
“My biggest concern is the health and safety of the players, first and foremost, McDermott said via Jayna Bardahl. “It’s added force and then the posture of the players being asked to execute that type of play. That’s where my concern comes in, who is part of the NFL’s competition committee, which reviews rule proposals and will present supporting statistics to the voters.
“That’s not a healthy posture, to me. Then, when you add force to that posture, that’s concerning for me as to the health and safety of the players. To me, (the Green Bay proposal) takes away the force. Traditional quarterback sneaks have been around for a long time. That’s the context of it that’s important. Then the pushing adds the force piece, and it exponentially raises my concern.”
For the NFL to pass any motion 75% of teams have to vote in favor of it. The league was unable to ban the “tush push” because at least 10 teams voted against banning the play.
0% Injury Rate on “Tush Push” In 2024
CBS writer Jonathan Jonesreported in February that there was a 0% injury rate on the “tush push” during the 2024 season.
“The league’s internal data on the tush push revealed there was a 0% injury rate on what is known as the Tush Push,” Jones wrote. “There’s concern over the ‘potential’ for injury, but to date, there have been no reported injuries from that play.”
The “tush push” is here to stay in the NFL for at least this year, but teams will probably revisit banning the play next offseason if any data shows players are injured during it this season.