It wouldn't be a post-NFL Sunday fallout discussion without mention of the Philadelphia Eagles and their renowned yet controversial "tush push."
Frankly, many outside of Philadelphia are tired of seeing them use this unconventional quarterback sneak, claiming the Eagles need the contentious play to prevail. This isn't just because it's virtually impossible to stop, but folks believe the reigning Super Bowl champions regularly get away with penalties. Everyone becomes a pseudo-ref when Jalen Hurts and their offensive line are ready to plow through your favorite team's front seven!
If you ask Eagles star left tackle Jordan Mailata, he'll sympathize with the critics -- to some degree. However, he declares the notion that they need the "Brotherly Shove" to beat their opponents to be utter "bullcrap," adding that it "irks" him.
Eagles star Jordan Mailata draws line on tush push slander
Whether you like it or not, the Eagles win ugly. They don't care how or why, keeping the main thing the main thing: coming out of each week 1-0. Those in Philly aren't fazed by the outside noise, though Mailata isn't a fan of the narrative.
"I understand the outrage," Mailata said during a recent interview with 94WIP. "What I don’t understand is them using it as an excuse to why we won the game."
Specifically, Mailata referenced Philadelphia's 20-17 Week 2 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Eagles dialed up seven tush push calls (converting five of them), their other two units contributed to the result. The standout blindside protector wants his teammates to get the praise they deserve.
"I think it’s incredibly disrespectful to our defense and our special teams, who balled out [against the Chiefs]," Mailata declared. "My brothers on defense and special teams who balled out that game, who had our backs when we weren’t moving the ball or we weren’t doing anything."
Mailata focused on the Eagles' collective effort to take down the Chiefs in Kansas City. He lauded their defense for buying his side of the ball time to overcome a midgame rut and putting kicker Jake Elliot in scoring positions. The entire Philly squad did its job and had a hand in the outcome.
The Eagles held Chiefs superstar signal-caller Patrick Mahomes to under 200 passing yards. He was also Kansas City's leading rusher; none of their three running backs exceeded 31 yards on the ground or 3.9 yards per carry. mark. Elliot drilled a clutch 58-yard field goal to tie the contest at halftime despite a false start call on the prior play. Where does any of this factor into the conversation?