NFL wild card: Buccaneers defense makes rare stop of Eagles' 2-point conversion with help from missed call

Philadelphia's unstoppable "brotherly shove" fails in crucial playoff game against Tampa Bay, leaving Eagles trailing 16-9 at halftime.

The Philadelphia Eagles have a signature move known as the "brotherly shove" that has been incredibly successful for them in football. In fact, the team has achieved a 93.5% success rate with this play in 2022 and has maintained a rate of over 90% throughout the 2023 season. However, during a critical moment in their recent playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the "brotherly shove" failed to deliver.

After a slow start, the Eagles' offense came alive late in the second quarter with a 56-yard pass from Jalen Hurts to DeVonta Smith, setting up their first touchdown of the day. A penalty on the extra point attempt put the Eagles at the one-yard line, presenting them with an ideal opportunity for a two-point conversion.

Head coach Nick Sirriani made the decision to go for the two-point conversion, and the Eagles lined up in their traditional tightly bunched formation, a play that was no surprise to anyone in the football world. However, this time the Buccaneers were prepared and successfully stopped Hurts from reaching the goal line, leaving the Eagles with only six points instead of eight. This turn of events allowed the Buccaneers to carry a 16-9 lead into halftime.

The Buccaneers' defensive lineman Greg Gains was able to beat the Eagles' center, Jason Kelce, off the line, gaining leverage and ultimately preventing Hurts from reaching the end zone. Additionally, linebacker K.J. Britt grabbed Hurts' facemask, which went unnoticed by the officials, further hindering the Eagles' momentum.

Ultimately, the Eagles missed a crucial opportunity to gain ground against the Buccaneers, and the "brotherly shove" was unable to deliver as it had in the past. This turn of events had a significant impact on the game and the Eagles' chances of success.

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