The Bears have spent their shortened week preparing to stop what defensive tackle Grady Jarrett calls “one of football’s most hated plays” — the “Tush Push.”
The Eagles have perfected the short-yardage play in which quarterback Jalen Hurts takes the snap and is shoved forward by his teammates. The was nearly ruled illegal this offseason and might not last beyond this year.
Defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said the Bears have a plan “in terms of not only trying to stop that play, but all the plays that come off of it.”
The Bears fell victim to the latter on Sunday. In the second quarter, they stopped the Steelers’ version of the “Tush Push” — a direct snap to tight end Connor Heyward. Later, facing another fourth-and-one, the Steelers lined up for a “Tush Push” and had Heyward hand the ball off to running back Kenneth Gainwell, who ran around the right end for 55 yards.
The Eagles have counters to their “Tush Push,” but the main concern is plugging the middle. Other NFL teams have gone to extremes to stop it. Last month, the Vikings had a defender lay down on the ground in front of the snap. In the NFC title game last season, the Commanders sent Frankie Luvu flying over the line of scrimmage. He was ruled offside twice in a row, prompting referee Shawn Hochuli to threaten to award a touchdown to the Eagles “if this type of behavior happens again.”
The Bears won’t try either tack. Allen coaches his players to treat it like a rugby play — if the man they’re responsible for covering shoves someone forward, then the defender shoves the person in front of him froward.
“Just a high-effort play with everyone doing what they needed to do,” Jarrett said.
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