The Bills’ victory in their season opener against the Ravens left several wounds for Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott. The most valuable, however, seems to be: don’t use the play wanted to ban, or risk feeling the critics’ wrath.
Until a few months ago, McDermott was one of the most ardent critics of the so-called “tush push,” the Philadelphia Eagles’ signature play in short-yardage situations, in which quarterback Jalen Hurts is pushed to advance one yard or less and gain a first down.
Before the team owners voted on whether to ban the play, McDermott had sharply criticized the also called “brotherly shove.” Until then, the Bills’ helmsman claimed it was harmful to the players’ health, but everything suggests that something changed as they approached the game against the Ravens.
McDermott embraces the “tush push”
In Sunday night’s game, which his team won 41-40, McDermott called the play not once but twice. The first time at his own 25-yard line, and the second time was a slight variation, in which quarterback Josh Allen leaped over the line of scrimmage while being pushed from behind to enter the end zone.
Critics were quick to criticize the Bills coach for his apparent hypocrisy. “Sean McDermott voted against the tush push because of concerns with ‘player safety’ and was very adamant about it,” recalled Chase Senior of ChatSports via X (formerly Twitter).
“Week 1 and he’s running the tush push,” Senior charged. “Guess he doesn’t care about the safety of his players. Such a loss of energy. If his team didn’t go 0/3 on the tush push in the AFC Championship, they probably would have made it to the Super Bowl,” the analyst said, summing up the sentiment of many fans.
The Bills have their own “tush push”
However, many forget that the Bills have their own variation of the play, nicknamed the “Shnow Plow,” in honor of Buffalo’s frigid climate. The difference with the “brotherly shove” is that Allen remains vertical, and the Bills don’t use as many pushers as the Eagles.
While critics remain outraged by McDermott’s decision to use the “tush push,” the coach must be more than satisfied after the narrow victory. What’s more, he’s already preparing for their Week 2 game against the New York Jets. The question now is: Will McDermott dare to use the infamous “tush push” again? We’ll find out soon.
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