Ban the Tush Push? Yea or Nay?

[Chris]

I have heard all of the arguments. The main talking points against the ban is ‘get better players on defense, get better coaches, practice defending it more, etc’. The main talking points for the ban seems to revolve around injuries and player safety.

What do you think?

 

[burgold]

Ban it. The play was illegal ten years ago and it should be illegal today. If we wanted rugby scrums then allow holding and everything else that goes along with it.

 

[Busch1724]

Teammates shouldn't be pushing or pulling the ball carrier, simple as that.

 

[Riggo’sRangers]

This is not a football play, but a Rugby play. Is was illegal in the past, but the ban lifted in 2005. Regardless of the team running it, it is not football as we know it.

 

[NickyJ]

Teammates shouldn't be pushing or pulling the ball carrier, simple as that.

Some of the best plays in football have come from a RB struggling to keep his feet moving in the middle of 3+ defenders grabbing him when his teammates suddenly appear and push the pile. If it's going to be banned, I'd rather they specify that you can't push or pull a teammate only behind the line of scrimmage.

 

[Busch1724]

Some of the best plays in football have come from a RB struggling to keep his feet moving in the middle of 3+ defenders grabbing him when his teammates suddenly appear and push the pile. If it's going to be banned, I'd rather they specify that you can't push or pull a teammate only behind the line of scrimmage.

Fair enough and good point.

 

[skinsmarydu]

Big topic on the radio the other day.

Ban it.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Blow the fucking whistle when forward progress has been stopped. Like they used to do. Not only does the tush push take away a very exciting play in the goal line stand it's totally unfair to the defense. This would apply at the goal line or at the 50 when a player is stopped, the defense did their job. But the whistle does not blow and a host of offensive players blast the pile forward well that simply should not be allowed.

I have no idea why they stopped blowing the whistle, I believe it's still in the rules that the play is over when forward progress is stopped. This rule was designed to avoid unnecessary collisions. Isn't the league trying to make the game safer? WTF is going on here?

 

[dudleylaywikeer]

never ban a play because you can,t stop it imho.

 

[PETEGEE77]

Pulling a team mate forward- NO . Tush PUSH - OK You shouldn't ban a play just because you can't stop it.

 

[Boone]

As others have stated, I think the problem with the 'tush push' isn't that teams have struggled to stop it, it's that allowing physical assistance from other players to advance the ball is not allowed in other respects. Hell - you can't even jump off another player's back to try and block a kick. So it's inconsistent with other rules involving physically engaging another player to your team's benefit.

It's weird that the NFL has yet to ban it - because I think most agree that it isn't consistent with other rules. I suspect it will eventually be banned, but we'll see.

The NFL certainly has it's share of inconsistent rules.

 

[Chris]

The offense already has a big enough advantage in knowing the snap count. I think it’s allowance as it is currently executed is straight bs.