Eagles' tush push draws fresh scrutiny after four sneaks

Philadelphia’s signature short-yardage play drew fresh controversy Thursday night when the Eagles ran four consecutive "tush push" quarterback sneaks late in the second quarter at MetLife Stadium, culminating in Jalen Hurts’ one-yard touchdown that gave Philadelphia a temporary 17-13 lead in a game the New York Giants ultimately won 34-17. The sequence reignited debate over the legality and safety of the play after slow-motion replay appeared to show an Eagles lineman moving before the snap, and a Giants player was injured during the final shove.

Facing third-and-1 from the New York 3-yard line, the Eagles employed the same push-heavy tactic twice to gain the first down, then ran it twice more from the 1-yard line, with Hurts finishing the fourth attempt in the end zone. One slow-motion angle showed right guard Tyler Steen initiating movement before the snap on the fourth attempt, a motion that replays made more visible than it appeared in real time. An NFL rules analyst who reviewed the footage said the movement would be a false start but added such infractions are often difficult for officials to detect live. League officials have acknowledged in instructional material...