The Buffalo Bills could be losing one of their most effective plays from quarterback Josh Allen.
The Green Bay Packers introduced a ban on the “tush push” play, where one or more members of the offense line up behind a quarterback and push them forward on a quarterback sneak. The Bills have found great success running the play with Allen under center, but Bills head coach Sean McDermott has spoken out against it.
McDermott serves on the league’s rules committee and this week signaled that a ban could be coming.
Sean McDermott Explains Opposition to Controversial Play
McDermott said he has some concerns about the safety of the play, even though there is not yet solid evidence pointing to a higher risk of injury.
“It’s two things,” McDermott said, via Syracuse.com. “It’s force, added forced, No. 1, and then the posture of the players, being asked to execute that type of play, that’s where my concern comes in. … I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to get too deep into that situation there, in terms of how much data, how much sample. I don’t think that’s really always the best way to go. There is other data out there that suggests when you’re in a posture like we’re talking about, that that can lead to serious injury. I think being responsible and proactive in that regard is the right way to go.”
The Bills and Philadelphia Eagles are the two teams that utilize the play the most, though the Bills more often ran a conventional quarterback sneak last season with Allen diving forward without the help of a “pusher” from behind. The Bills often turned to Allen on third- and fourth-down situations with one yard or fewer to gain.
McDermott also admitted that there are other variations of the quarterback sneak that teams can still run if the league does decide to ban the “tush push.”
“I think it’s a loose term, really, in terms of what defines a ‘tush push.’ So there is different forms of it out there,” he said. “I know we are one of the teams that people identify that run it. That’s fair. There are other teams as well. Look, we’re going to always act in a way that’s best for the health and safety of the players, and I think that’s the responsible way to go.”
Bills Fell Short in Playoffs
Though the Bills found great success on quarterback sneaks during the regular season, they struggled in an AFC Championship game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs defense stuffed Allen on short runs several times, including a key fourth-quarter drive.
Despite their history of success with the play, the Bills — especially McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane — have also emphasized the need to keep Allen healthy and free from hits. The team called on Allen to cut down on the number of hits he takes on quarterback scrambles and called fewer designed runs for him over the course of the last season.
The league is set to vote on the proposed “tush push” ban on Friday.
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