Green Bay Heads to the Belly of the Beast: Eagles and Their Dreaded Tush Push Await
The Green Bay Packers are about to enter one of the NFL’s most hostile environments — Lincoln Financial Field — to take on one of the league’s most physically imposing teams, the Philadelphia Eagles. On Sunday, Matt LaFleur’s squad will be tested not just by Philly’s raucous crowd and balanced roster, but by a short-yardage juggernaut that’s become the stuff of legend: the dreaded “tush push.”
The Eagles’ version of the quarterback sneak — where Jalen Hurts takes the snap and is pushed forward by teammates — has become one of the most unstoppable plays in football. Though other teams have tried to mimic it, no one has executed it with Philadelphia’s consistent success. With a combination of brute strength, timing, and low leverage from their elite offensive line, the Eagles have turned what should be a 50/50 gamble into a virtual first-down guarantee.
Green Bay, meanwhile, comes into the matchup with a defense that has struggled in short-yardage and goal-line situations. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will need to come up with something special if he hopes to even slow down Philadelphia’s interior rush. But the real challenge might not be stopping the tush push—it’s preventing the situations that allow it in the first place.
“Every time they get to third or fourth and short, it’s basically an automatic,” Packers linebacker Quay Walker said earlier this week. “You know it’s coming. The hard part is stopping it even when you know.”
Beyond the schematics, this game has major playoff implications. Green Bay is clawing for a Wild Card spot in the crowded NFC race, while the Eagles are eyeing the No. 1 seed. That means neither side can afford a slip-up, adding even more intensity to what already promises to be a physically demanding showdown.
Offensively, the Packers will look to keep the Eagles’ high-powered offense off the field. That means long, sustained drives, and limiting mistakes from young quarterback Jordan Love. The Eagles’ pass rush, led by Haason Reddick and veteran Fletcher Cox, can quickly derail any offensive rhythm, so Green Bay’s offensive line will be under serious pressure.
But the storylines all circle back to the trenches. The Eagles pride themselves on dominance up front, and the tush push is the perfect symbol of that mindset. It’s not flashy, it’s not finesse — it’s just pure power and execution.
If Green Bay wants to walk out of Philadelphia with a win, they’ll need to match that physicality from the first snap to the final whistle. Because when it’s third and one and the crowd is roaring, everyone in the stadium will know what’s coming — and stopping it will be the ultimate test.
