NFL homeowners ought to be embarrassed for eager to ban the tush push

The NFL has only a few doldrums all through its offseason because of how plentiful the calendar is, however we had been simply in the midst of one and it’s fortunately over.

What saved us, you ask? The league’s homeowners are assembly in Florida to debate how superior it’s to preside over a multi-billion greenback company. Oh, they’re additionally speaking about some soccer stuff as properly.

These occasions present commentary and quotes from the league’s dignitaries and that’s necessary as they’re finally the individuals who form the league and recreation all of us love.

We right here at The Skinny Submit, Michael Peterson and RJ Ochoa, have some ideas on the whole lot they’ve needed to say thus far and are ready to share them.

We’re beginning one thing new this week too, as a result of we wish to hear YOUR takes on these points. In order you’re studying alongside, make sure to take our brief one-question surveys embedded within the submit, clarify your take within the feedback, and test again later this week to see how your fellow followers responded.

Let’s start.

It’s embarrassing that anybody would wish to ban the tush push

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RJ:

In case anybody forgot or doesn’t know… I cowl the Dallas Cowboys round right here.

With that context utilized, it brings me no pleasure to inform you all that I feel it’s the lamest factor on this planet that folks wish to outlaw the tush push. Studies proceed to swirl that this might occur and that homeowners at their fancy conferences are beginning to choose up steam as a gaggle for it… that’s extremely embarrassing.

The Philadelphia Eagles are actually good at this play. That’s the finish of the story.

Different groups can strive it (some have!). Nothing is stopping anybody else from doing the work concerned to get nearly as good at it as Philadelphia is. Eager to outlaw the play as a result of the Eagles are considerably higher than anybody else is humiliating for anybody on that facet of the argument and at the same time as a Cowboys fan I’ll arise and defend the Eagles for doing nothing unsuitable.

I hate this timeline.

Michael:

We’re beginning issues off with a little bit of battle!

I’m in favor of banning the tush push for various causes. Some are sensible, for my part, and a few are rather more subjective.

One of many grossest sequences I’ve seen within the NFL in recent times was the newest NFC Championship recreation between the Eagles and Commanders. The Eagles had the ball close to the aim line and lined up for the inevitable tush push. Washington linebacker Frankie Luvu tried to time the snap by leaping over the road however pulled the set off too early as he sailed into Jalen Hurts earlier than the whistle. On the following play, Luvu did it once more because the Eagles continues with an extended snap rely.

After the second offsides penalty by Luvu, the referees introduced to the group that they may award the Eagles with a landing if the Commanders continued to obtain penalties for leaping early, all of this within the title of security as a result of Luvu was hurdling into gamers that had been standing nonetheless on the opposite facet.

On this second, all I might take into consideration was “What else are the Commanders alleged to do?” Washington NEEDED to cease this play to offer them an opportunity at profitable the sport. It was a pivotal play within the recreation. One of many solely methods they may cease the play was by leaping the snap completely and getting a physique to crush Hurts so he couldn’t push by way of into the top zone.

This entire sequence was gross as a result of it was the encapsulation of what the tush push has carried out to the league. It appears like a cheat code when the Eagles do it and since one other workforce was doing EVERYTHING THEY COULD WITHIN REASON to cease it on the opposite facet, the refs had been simply going to award the Eagles the rating anyway? Nothing about this string of occasions appeared wholesome for the sport of soccer.

The tush push, in a vacuum, is just not a loopy idea that deserves banning with no context. However the discussions about banning it stem from what it has seemingly carried out to the panorama of the sport. The 31 different groups within the league might additionally merely construct their workforce to imitate the Eagles and their success, nevertheless it’s been a number of years now and nobody has come shut. Sure, all the opposite groups ought to simply hunker down and cease it. Merely be the higher workforce, however that simply hasn’t occurred and it doesn’t appear like it’s occurring anytime quickly.

In order it stands, one thing is both carried out about it this offseason or we’re going to proceed to listen to in regards to the tush push, the “brotherly shove”, or regardless of the latest nickname is over and over and over.

I’m simply uninterested in it. Finish rant.

Talking of rule modifications and such, do you suppose the dynamic kickoff ought to be right here to remain?

Michael:

As an avid fan of spring soccer leagues, I obtained my first style of the dynamic kickoff construction through the 2023 spring season of the XFL. Over a yr later, the NFL determined to adapt that construction as properly and it changed into a giant success through the 2024 common season. Kickoffs had been thrilling once more and it made a play that folks have begun to tune out for thrilling as soon as once more.

So far as the rumblings from this yr’s league conferences have gone, it looks as if the dynamic kickoff is right here to remain for the foreseeable future.

This rocks. The NFL doesn’t get so much proper on the subject of altering the league, however this has been a house run.

RJ:

Truthfully I wouldn’t have a passionate stance or tackle this.

I suppose that I miss the pageantry of the outdated kickoff, however I’m in favor of doing what retains gamers as secure as potential and this was offered as being that.

Outdoors of KaVontae Turpin in Washington I can not recall an unbelievable kickoff return second. Possibly the play basically is only a misplaced artwork because the NFL has progressed and developed.

In the end I’m good with the place we’re as a society right here.

Describe Stefon Diggs becoming a member of the New England Patriots in a single phrase

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RJ:

Final week introduced with it the information that the New England Patriots had been signing large receiver Stefon Diggs to a 3-year, $69M deal. That’s some huge cash.

That’s some huge cash basically, however particularly for a participant of Diggs’ age (31) and coming off of a torn ACL. New England had mainly a billion {dollars} in wage cap house so them spending is just not hurting them within the large image, however I’m fairly unmoved about this as an NFL fan.

Does Diggs make the Patriots higher? I suppose it’s honest to say that he does.

However does Diggs make the Patriots a challenger? Will Drake Maye now attain franchise quarterback standing? I doubt both of this stuff.

Michael:

I feel my phrase is…hope?

By handing Diggs a contract value $23 million APY, the Patriots are positive hoping that Diggs can return to kind after his torn ACL took a lot of the 2024 season away from him. Earlier than the damage, Diggs had hauled in 47 passes fro 496 yards and three touchdowns. That tempo put him roughly on the trail to his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Diggs is 31 years outdated and a torn ACL is not any joke, particularly at that age. Restoration takes longer and for a receiver like Diggs that depends on his shiftiness and savvy route-running, there’s an opportunity he’s simply not the identical from right here on.

Giving Drake Maye a receiver like Diggs positively raises the ground of the Patriot offense, however I feel the transfer simply provides them a median offensive ceiling this season.

What could be essentially the most chalk NFL remaining 4?

Michael:

The NCAA Closing 4 was set over the weekend with all 4 No. 1 seeds surviving up so far for simply the second time in match historical past. Now on the subject of the NFL playoffs, it’s more likely that the upper seeds find yourself making it deeper. Upsets nonetheless occur, however not practically as typically.

With that in thoughts, what could be essentially the most chalk NFL remaining 4 to see on championship weekend?

I feel I’d go together with the Chiefs-Payments for the AFC and Eagles-Lions for the NFC at this very second.

RJ:

In the end I agree with these 4 groups, so within the spirit of being a bit of completely different I’ll do it by way of the lens that school athletics are sometimes considered – bluebloods.

In my thoughts essentially the most “blueblood” remaining 4 that the NFL might have could be the Pittsburgh Steelers assembly the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the AFC Championship Recreation with the Dallas Cowboys assembly the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the NFC Championship Recreation.

This options 4 of the league’s oldest groups and 4 of their most embellished champions. It’s a good reply and if you happen to disagree then I disagree along with your disagreement.