As if the tush push isn’t robust sufficient to defend already, the Eagles knew they’d an obscure rule of their pocket to assist them if opposing groups go overboard in making an attempt to cease the play.
Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni revealed he reminded the referees throughout Sunday’s NFC Championship sport that the officers may award the Eagles a landing if the Commanders stored leaping offsides in an try to cease the short-yardage speeding play within the 55-23 beatdown.
Referee Shawn Hochuli warned Washington of the potential landing that could possibly be awarded after a 3rd straight encroachment penalty.
“I said to the referees on the side, ‘Hey, they keep doing this, it can be a touchdown, right?’” Sirianni stated Tuesday. “And they said, ‘Yeah, that is correct.’”
It’s truthful to say many didn’t know NFL referees had the ability to award groups touchdowns till Hochuli introduced that not often used rule could possibly be utilized in stated conditions.
The Eagles confronted a second-and-goal from the one-yard line earlier than Washington went offsides on three straight performs whereas trailing, 34-23.
Washington’s first two penalties concerned a participant leaping excessive of the pile in an try to time the snap, which led to Hochuli asserting that the Commanders had been warned that an unsportsmanlike penalty could possibly be referred to as if it occurred once more.
The third encroachment concerned a participant crossing the road early and that’s when Hochuli revealed the weird rule.
“Washington has been advised that at some point the referee can award a score if this type of behavior happens again,” Hochuli stated. “For now, it’s a replay of second down.”
Former NFL guidelines czar and present Fox analyst Mike Pereira revealed that “deliberate” acts such because the repeated penalties can result in a “palpably unfair act.”
Quarterback Jalen Hurts then scored on a tush push to take a 41-23 lead with 12:24 remaining.
Sirianni, who has led the Eagles to the Tremendous Bowl for the second time, stated he realized of the rule from a former Chargers assisant coach Dan Shamash.
He didn’t consider that could possibly be an actual factor at first.
“‘That’s not a rule, are you out of your mind?’ I remember saying that to him. That’s not a rule,” Sirianni stated. “I remember him being very emphatic with me because he knows the rules really well and telling me it was. I texted him after the game, ‘Smash, you were right.”
Sirianni added that he didn’t discover the sequence humorous, including that he fearful a few potential harm. Defenders leaping on offensive linemen’s backs opens the door for potential scary conditions.
Mentioned Sirianni: “I was thinking about the safe and health of our players.”
