This week, the Green Bay Packers have the honor and privilege of playing the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, which, of course, means the defense has to be prepared for the most polarizing play in sports: the tush push.
Granted, teams around the league are putting their own spin on it, utilizing tight ends or other means to replicate the Eagles' most effective play in their playbook. Still, Philadelphia has brought more controversy to the play with consecutive calls and a tendency to get a head start with their guards before the snap.
Nonetheless, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur had a simple suggestion for stopping the play: don't let them run it.
Matt LaFleur's solution to Eagles' tush push is easier said than done
"You can't allow them in those short-yardage situations because you know exactly what they're going to do," LaFleur said Thursday during his press conference. "And they've been pretty successful at it, obviously."
For what it's worth, LaFleur's plan to simply prevent the Eagles from having a chance at running the play is somewhat feasible based on the defense's performance on second and third downs this season.
According to Pro Football Reference, the Packers, on average, face second downs with 7.7 yards to go and allow five yards per play. On third downs, Green Bay often faces 6.9 yards to go and allows 4.8 yards. Those might be pure averages, but that two-yard difference could be all Green Bay needs to keep Philly from having the chance to run the play.
READ MORE: It's time to say the quiet part out loud about Matt LaFleur's Packers
Of course, every circumstance in the NFL can't rely so heavily on averages. The first time Philadelphia faces a down with one yard to gain, they're running the play.
The Eagles typically run the tush push 2.6 times per game this season, 21 times in eight games. They've had so much success with the play in recent years, though, that they seemingly use it any time they need to pick up a single yard.
Surprisingly, though, the Eagles aren't quite as effective this season, converting just 76.5 percent of their tush push attempts, according to ESPN Research. Last season, the Eagles converted 82.1 percent. They have seen a steady decline in the success rate of the play since first utilizing it in 2022 and converting 92.6 percent of their attempts. That's not to discredit the absurdity of a play having a three-quarters chance of being successful.
Of course, former Packers president Mark Murphy led the charge in trying to outlaw the play in the NFL, bringing the proposal to the league last summer. The proposal came up two votes short of being banned.
"It is what it is," LaFleur said of the play still being legal. "The NFL made a decision, and we have to find a way to try to stop the play, and it's a tough play to stop."