NFL Makes Decision On Rule That Helped Philadelphia Eagles Reach The Super Bowl

The Eagles ran through the league like a Derrick Henry stiff arm last season. On the back of their unreal O-line and whirlwind receivers, they swept through most of their opponents.  And, of course, the Eagles rode to a Super Bowl appearance on the wings of their star QB Jalen Hurts. A huge part of their success in the NFL last season was the All-Pro-level play of Hurts and his offensive unit.

But a major reason for their success was also predicated on the role of the most ‘unstoppable’ play in the NFL. Why do we say unstoppable? Well, the Eagles were able to edge out opponents time and time again with the power of a loophole within the NFL rulebook. But even after the NFL’s final rule proposal list came out, it looks like the Eagles are going to continue to get away with it.

Eagles find ‘unstoppable’ loophole in NFL rules

So how exactly did the Eagles manage to make a play that no defense in the nation has an answer to? Well, they found out a way around the rulebook. The rule in question is the prohibition of teammates from pushing the ball carrier, especially during the famed QB sneak play. It was initially eliminated in 2006 but hasn’t been used strategically until the Eagles adopted the tactic during their Super Bowl run this season. 

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With games on the line, any time a defense has the Eagles stuck in a hole with a 4th & 1 situation, the Eagles pull out their best bet. An unstoppable QB sneak, which allows the Eagles lanky O-line to, quite literally, carry their QB past the 1-yard line. This sounds illegal, but going by the books, there isn’t necessarily any clear definition on the legality of the play. What does that mean? Well, it means the Eagles will run this play to infinity and beyond unless the league does something about it. 

The NFL continues to allow the ‘Rugby Maul’

The NFL has a long history of modifying its rules to ensure the safety of its players while promoting fair play. But it seemingly has turned a blind eye to the No. 1 menace to every defense in the league (apart from Patrick Mahomes, i.e.). In the full set of proposed rules changes for the upcoming season, the NFL and its competition committee failed to mention any details of the loophole being exploited by the Eagles. 

What does that mean for the rest of the league then? Well, we’re glad you asked. With the Eagles discovering this loophole, more and more teams are bound to abuse this play with games on the line to give their teams a chance to remain in the game. One coach who has expressed his intent to use the push tactic aggressively is Sean Payton.  If the rule remains unchanged, it will be interesting to see how Payton and other coaches use the ‘Rugby Maul’ tactic to their advantage.

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