NFL to officials -- Keep eye on false starts with tush push - ESPN

The NFL said the Philadelphia Eagles should have been flagged for at least one false start when they used the tush push against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and instructed officials this week to call the controversial play «tight» going forward.

The message from the league, which was first reported by The Washington Post and later confirmed by ESPN, came in its training tape to officials, which was distributed to all 32 teams Wednesday.

The NFL showed the Eagles running the QB sneak on third-and-short late in the fourth quarter for a first down in an eventual 20-17 win in Kansas City.

«Anytime we have this situation we're in short yardage, we know we want to make sure that we officiate these plays — the offensive team has to be perfect in every aspect,» NFL vice president of officiating training and development Ramon George said, according to the Post. «We want to officiate it tight. We want to be black and white and be as tight as we can be when we get into this situation where teams are in the bunch position and we have to officiate them being onsides, movement early.

»Prior to the snap, looks like we have movement by the right guard. We also have movement coming across from the defensive side. This is a very hard play to officiate. I get it."

Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the game that the Eagles «might have had a couple [QB sneak plays] that they got off a little early on,» putting further scrutiny on the play. Fox analyst Tom Brady also suggested during the broadcast that Eagles offensive linemen were getting off the line of scrimmage before the snap but weren't penalized.

Philadelphia ran the tush push six times Sunday, gaining four first downs and scoring a touchdown.

«I've heard a million different takes