Opposing defenses may not be able to stop the “tush push,” but the referees sure can.
The referees penalized Eagles center Jason Kelce for moving the ball a half-yard prior to what would have surely been a tush push on a third-and-1 early in the second quarter.
Kelce’s attempted rules violation derailed the drive and the Eagles settled for three points instead of a potential seven, which loomed large in their 20-17 loss to the Seahawks.
“They’ve been warning me of that for years,” Kelce said after the game. “When you’re trying to get a forward lean, and really do that – I had a tendency to do that in the past, so they’ve definitely warned me before.
“I’ve got to be smarter, especially in that situation.”
Kelce may have inadvertently tipped off the world to one of the secrets of the tush push on “Monday Night Football” and also cost his team in the process.
The Eagles had a third-and-1 at the Seahawks’ 3-yard line roughly midway through the second quarter while nursing a 7-0 lead.
Everyone knew what was coming and the Eagles lined up in tush push formation, but the referees flagged Kelce for a false start.
While some questioned the call at first, replays showed that Kelce clearly moved the ball forward a significant amount that would have turned the one yard into perhaps just one foot.
That penalty forced the Eagles into a third-and-6 and running back D’Andre Swift was swallowed up on a rushing play to force a field goal that pushed the Eagles’ lead to 10-0.
“I think if that’s a full yard to gain, probably not as much, but I think because it was so short the fact I moved it forward at all it’s going to be called, and I’ve just got to be smarter than that,” Kelce said.
The Eagles could have used those extra four points in their three-point loss as their much-maligned defense faltered in the clutch.
They still control their NFC East destiny and have a favorable schedule remaining with matchups against the Giants and Cardinals.
The Eagles host the Giants on Christmas Day Monday.
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