Dak Prescott has perfect response for what went wrong on Cowboys' failed 'tush push' play

The Cowboys dipped into the trendy towards the end of the first half Monday. That’s when Dak Prescott and the Cowboys trotted out the “tush push.”

You know the play. Jalen Hurts and the Eagles run it to perfection. And the name basically describes what happens. So do you remember what happened when the Cowboys tried it on fourth and short?

How about no gain. But since the Cowboys won, 20-17, everyone could laugh about a failed play, right? Reporters asked Dak Prescott what happened on the play. And the Dallas quarterback offered the perfect response:

“They didn’t push my tush enough.”

The #Cowboys becomes the latest team to try the tush-push and fail.

"I think the Eagles are the only one who have figured it out." – Troy Aikmanpic.twitter.com/B2wRafTZDc

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 17, 2023

Let’s break down what specifically happened. The score was tied at 7 with 2 minutes, 30 seconds to go in the half at SoFi Stadium. The Cowboys were on the Chargers 13. They could’ve kicked a 40-yard field goal to break the tie. Or, Dallas could be aggressive and go for it.

The Tush Push isn’t a trick play by any means. An offense lines up in the formation and the defense knows immediately what’s up. It’s all about dictating your way. The two players in the backfield are supposed to push the quarterback or whomever lines up under center. (Has any team run the Push with a Wildcat QB? If not, some coach will).

Cowboys used Dowdle, Luepke as pushers of Prescott

On the Cowboys version of The Push, the two players right behind him were Rico Dowdle and fullback Hunter Luepke. Prescott took the snap and tried to find a hole in the middle of the line, right behind (pun intended) center Tyler Biadasz. But the Chargers defense collectively smashed The Push for no gain. Dowdle and Luepke couldn’t get enough ooomph to their push.

Dak Prescott took responsibility for the play failure. That’s what good leaders do. “I just didn’t get it honestly,” Prescott told reporters. “Just didn’t get it. It would have turned into more points. But yeah.”

The Cowboys defense came through in a big way late in the game. And Prescott made enough plays and put Dallas in a position to win with a Brandon Aubrey field goal right before the 2 minute warning. Then on the Chargers’ final possession, Micah Parsons sacked Chargers QB Justin Herbert. And then Stephon Gilmore intercepted Herbert. Two kneels later, and the Cowboys had the bounceback win after losing to the 49ers, 42-10, the week before.

For what it’s worth, team owner Jerry Jones says he likes the play and the call.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on the failed tush-push last night: “I’m all for it. I like the play. I think Dak is an excellent sneaker. I was just surprised we were stopped. I completely agreed that that was the play to run.” https://t.co/yrWKbIb0yo

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 17, 2023

We’re not sure if Mike McCarthy will call for the play again. The Tush Push, in some form, has been kicking around in the NFL since 2005. But it took the Eagles run to the Super Bowl last year to make it so popular that the league talked about eliminating it during spring meetings.

Maybe Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is the lone quarterback who can run it. Last year, he converted 36 of his 40 chances in the regular season. And 100 million fans watched him run The Push six times in the Super Bowl.