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In a chaotic Week 8 clash, Jalen Hurts forward on fourth-and-1 as the Philadelphia Eagles tried signature "tush push." Giants defender Kayvon Thibodeaux stripped the ball loose, and New York recovered what appeared to be a turnover.
However, Officials ruled that Hurts' forward progress was stopped before the ball came out. The play was not reviewable and stood as a first down for the Eagles. It became controversial because analysts and fans believed it to be a fumble.
Jason Kelce discussed on Wednesday the officiating that upset many fans.
"It's a fumble, they missed it," Kelce said, via the "New Heights" podcast.
"But his forward momentum wasn't stopped, right? Like, listen, I know everybody wants to get on the twist push again. I don't see how this has anything to do with the twist push officials Miss forward progress calls all the time, all the time, so I know there's been a lot of noise around false starts."
He reiterated that the "tush push" is tough to officiate, which many teams analysts and fans have been calling out.
"And now this play, and I get it, and if the twist push truly is hard to officiate," Kelce said. "That would certainly be a reason to ban it. I'm not looking to make excuses. I just don't know how these little things have to do with the actual pushing of tushes. It wasn't like it wasn't visible, like it was. I think the officials missed the call."
The Giants lost 38-20, and the overturned turnover loomed large in postgame discussions.
Thibodeaux reacts on Eagles tush push play
Kavyon Thibodeaux explained the toughness defenses face against the controversial play from Eagles. Brian Burns added that managing consistency has been a problem all season, saying similar plays were allowed just two weeks earlier.
"It is tricky. Two weeks ago, they allowed them to push the pile [against us]. Now, we stopped the surge, and they blow the whistle quick. Thibs had a heads-up play by getting the ball out. I really feel like that should've been a turnover. Weird call," Burns said, according to Yahoo Sports.
Both players believe that poor level of execution played a big role in the loss. Burns told USA TODAY the defense "got our a** whooped," while Thibodeaux said that missed tackles and lapses against the run created the difference.
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