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Buccaneers Petition NFL to Ban Tush Push Ahead of Eagles Clash — Confident They Have Backup Plan to Make Philly Pay

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Tampa, FL – The war over the NFL’s most controversial play has taken another dramatic turn. Just days before their Week 4 showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have formally requested the league to ban the Tush Push.

For two seasons, defenses around the NFL have been humiliated by Philadelphia’s signature move — a quarterback sneak powered by a synchronized push from linemen and backs. Even after an offseason vote failed to outlaw it, the play continues to spark outrage across the league.

Tampa Bay is now raising the stakes. According to league sources, the Buccaneers sent an urgent petition to NFL headquarters demanding the Tush Push be prohibited immediately, arguing that it undermines competitive balance and endangers player safety.

But here’s the twist: even if the NFL rejects their last-minute appeal, the Buccaneers insist they are ready. Tampa believes they’ve developed a countermeasure capable of neutralizing Philadelphia’s go-to weapon in short-yardage situations.

Head coach Todd Bowles struck a confident tone. “If the league won’t act, we will. We respect the Eagles, but we’re not going to let one gimmick define the game. We’ve prepared a solution, and we’ll prove it on Sunday.”
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That solution may come in the form of sheer size. The Buccaneers quietly added 450-pound defensive tackle Desmond Watson to their practice squad this week, a move many believe is part of a strategic plan to clog the middle and crush the Tush Push.

The signing raised eyebrows across the league, with some calling it desperation, while others see it as the boldest attempt yet to counter Philadelphia’s dominance in the trenches. Watson’s massive frame could be activated as the ultimate answer to Jalen Hurts’ patented sneak.

Either way, all eyes are now on Tampa. If the Tush Push comes into play at Raymond James Stadium, the Buccaneers claim they’ll be ready to flip the script with Watson leading the charge — and leave the Eagles stunned.

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Eagles Head Coach Announces A.J. Brown To Start On The Bench For Standout Rookie After Poor Performance vs. Broncos
  Philadelphia, PA — the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach confirmed that A.J. Brown will start on the bench in Week 6 against the New York Giants, with the boundary starting spot going to rookie WR Taylor Morin—an undrafted signing out of Wake Forest who flashed through rookie camp and the preseason. The decision follows an underwhelming offensive showing against the Denver Broncos, where several snaps highlighted the unit being out of sync between Brown and Jalen Hurts. On a midfield option route, Hurts read Cover-2 and waited for an inside break into the soft spot, while Brown maintained a vertical stem and widened to the boundary to stretch the corner. The ball fell into empty space and the drive stalled. On a separate red-zone snap, a pre-snap hot-route signal wasn’t locked identically by the pair, resulting in a hurried throw that was broken up. The staff treated it as a reminder about route-depth precision, timing, and pre-snap communication—the micro-details that underpin the Eagles’ offense when January football arrives. Starting Morin is part of a plan to re-establish rhythm: the early script is expected to emphasize horizontal spacing, short choice/option concepts, and over routes off play-action to probe the Giants’ responses. Morin—who has shown strong hands in tight windows and clean timing in the preseason—should give the call sheet a steadier platform, while Brown will be “activated” in high-leverage downs such as 3rd-and-medium, two-minute, and red zone to maximize his body control, early separation, and the coverage gravity that can force New York to roll coverage. Facing the tough call, Brown kept his response brief but competitive:“I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect his decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is in the air, everyone will know who I am.” Operationally, the staff is expected to streamline the call sheet between Hurts and Brown: standardize option-route depths, clearly flag hot signals, and increase game-speed reps in 7-on-7 and team periods so both are “seeing it the same and triggering the same.” Handing the start to Morin also resets the locker-room standard: every role is earned by tape and daily detail—even for a star of Brown’s caliber. If Brown converts the message into cleaner stems and precise landmarks—catching the ball at the spot and on time—the Eagles anticipate early returns: fewer dead drives, better red-zone execution when back-shoulder throws and choice routes are run “in the same language,” and an offense that regains tempo before taking on Big Blue. With Taylor Morin in the opening script, Philadelphia hopes the fresh piece is enough to jump-start the attack from the first series.