Blandino: Sean Payton Says He'll Use Eagles' Rugby Scrum Play Until NFL Changes Rules

The most unstoppable play in the NFL last season was undoubtedly the Philadelphia Eagles' scrum play, essentially a quarterback sneak in which two players pushed Jalen Hurts from behind.

Philadelphia earned 31 first downs on quarterback sneaks, according to Pro Football Focus (h/t Keegan Abdoo of Next Gen Stats), but no other team has had more than 20 in a season in over a decade-and-a-half. And as long as the play remains legal, new Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton intends to use it.

Payton, when talking to Fox Sports rule analyst Dean Blandino during Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, said that Denver will lean on that play heavily in short-yardage situations with him at helm.

However, Blandino said on The33rdTeam.com (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk) that he expects the NFL to make a decision on whether to reverse the ruling that a ball-carrier can be pushed from behind:

"I think the league is going to look at this, and I'd be shocked if they don't make a change. I was talking to Sean Payton during Sunday's game, and he said we're going to do this every time next season if they don't take it out.

"It amounts to a rugby scrum. The NFL wants to showcase the athleticism and skill of our athletes. This is just not a skillful play. This is just a tactic that is not an aesthetically pleasing play, and I think the Competition Committee is going to take a look at it.''

Prior to the 2006 season, it was illegal for a runner to be pushed in the open field by a teammate, and with the Eagles turning it into an art form in 2022, changes could be coming sooner rather than later.