Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell has shared his thoughts on the Tush Push and the many calls to ban the play ahead of his team’s highly anticipated matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Lions head to Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday to face the Super Bowl champions in what will be the latter’s second primetime game against NFC North opponents in less than a week, as they played the Green Bay Packers during the latest iteration “Monday Night Football.”
Campbell and his team will hope to secure a seventh win of the season, while the Eagles will look to earn their eighth victory in the upcoming “Sunday Night Football” affair.
The coach was asked whether he reckons Philly’s version of the quarterback sneak should be prohibited, and vehemently opposed a ban.
“I don’t want to take it out of the game,” he told reporters. “A team’s got a niche, they found something, they’re good at it, and it’s for everybody else to stop.
“It’s unique, it’s physical, and I, more than anything, don’t want to take anything else out of the game. I just want to leave the game alone.”
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently shared an opposing take.
“Only my opinion, but I think yes, it will be [banned],” Jones said in late October. “And it has to do with, while the merits of it have really been the merits of the play and the concerns have been addressed, you still see that it’s one that probably has enough criticism that it will come up again. I think it probably will come up for a vote.”
The Tush Push was expected to be outlawed heading into this season, but survived an owners’ vote following complaints regarding player safety.
It’s come under added scrutiny for false starts in 2025, as several replays have shown that offensive linemen are prone to move into the neutral zone prematurely.
The NFL has demanded improved officiating, specifically when it comes to the play, which suggests it might not receive as much support when owners meet to vote on changes next year.
The Detroit Lions are working toward a potential Super Bowl run in 2025. Detroit is riding high after a dominating win over the Washington Commanders in Week 10. However, they say that to be the man, you have to beat the man. In Week 11, the man comes around as the Lions take on the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football.
Star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has never played in Philadelphia. He has faced the Eagles once in his career. As a matter of fact, that game was his NFL debut, a loss at home to Philadelphia. Hitting the road for this matchup, Detroit’s defensive star cannot wait to experience the atmosphere in the City of Brotherly Love.
“You get in those college football-esque games that really bring that love of the game back. Not that it’s ever gone. But like, you’re out there, you’re 18 years old, you’re in college. Fans are screaming, people care about the tradition. That, to me, it really invigorates my soul,” Hutchinson said, via Lions beat reporter Eric Woodyard.
The Lions have had some stumbles this year, especially on offense. However, they hope those offensive woes are now behind them. Head coach Dan Campbell took over playcalling last week against Washington. And the Lions proceeded to score 44 points, their most since Week 2 against the Chicago Bears.
Meanwhile, the defending champion Eagles are also experiencing some issues offensively of their own. Jalen Hurts and company have won each of their last three games. However, they have the 10th fewest yards per game on offense this year. They managed just 10 points in an ugly 10-7 win over the Green Bay Packers on Monday.
Despite any struggles, this is still a matchup of potential Super Bowl contenders. There’s a non-zero chance this could be a preview of the NFC Championship Game. Hutchinson certainly is not the only one looking forward to Sunday night’s contest.
Following the Green Bay Packers’ 10-7 Week 10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Night Football,” head coach Matt LaFleur was immediately bombarded with questions about his job security.
Though he has a 72-36-1 record in six-and-a-half seasons with the Packers, LaFleur has come under fire in recent years for his third-, second-, and third-place finishes in the NFC North, respectively, the last three seasons.
Some might say it’s a bit premature to put LaFleur on the hot seat, but others like The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, believe the 46-year-old could be coaching for his job the rest of the season.
“I’ll leave that for everybody else to decide,” LaFleur said about whether he thinks his job is at risk. “I’ll just focus on the day-to-day. … I feel like you’re always coaching for everything in this league, you know? … That’s just my mindset and that will be my mindset ’til they tell me not to coach anymore.”
While the calls for LaFleur’s job will likely only get louder with each Packers loss, some feel he could have quelled some of those unruly fans wanting him ousted if he had done one simple thing: relinquish his offensive play-calling duties.
However, as LaFleur informed reporters during Wednesday’s media availability, that’s not something he’s willing to do at this moment.
“With a chuckle, Matt LaFleur says he isn’t giving up play calling,” Schneidman tweeted.
With a chuckle, Matt LaFleur says he isn’t giving up play calling.
While the Packers are playing championship-caliber defense through 10 games, the same can’t be said of the offense.
Green Bay ranks 12th in yards per game (349.3), 15th in points per game (23.7), and it has the 20th-ranked rushing offense. The Packers also have the sixth-worst average yards per rush (3.9).
Those numbers, while not terrible, don’t exactly paint the picture of an offense poised to make a deep playoff run.
LaFleur admitted that he knows changes have to be made.
“I think that, especially as the play-caller, you’re trying to put people in the best position possible to go out there and have success,” LaFleur added, via ESPN. “And when we’re not having collective success … you have to challenge yourself to do better, to find something else in order to go out there and move the ball and score points.”
Offensive struggles are something new for the Packers under LaFleur.
In his previous six season, Green Bay had a top-11 offense four times, including having the fifth-best offense last season.
That track record is likely why star quarterback Jordan Love hasn’t lost faith in his head coach. After Monday’s loss, Love stood up for his head coach, stating no one should be counting LaFleur out just yet.
“I’ve got a lot of trust in Matt,” Love said. “That’s something that’s not wavering at all. I’ve been with Matt since I got here. I know exactly what he’s capable of, what the whole staff is capable of; that’s not wavering. It comes back to all of us — players, coaches, everybody — finding ways to improve and get better.”