


The Eagles are planning to throw a few smooches right back at Jets coach Robert Saleh and his players.
One day after Saleh had said that the way to stop the Eagles’ infamous “Tush Push” play is to make sure quarterback Jalen Hurts receives “11 kisses” — or hits from every Jets defender — Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said the same tactic will apply against game-breaking running back Breece Hall.
“We gotta go kiss him 11 times,” Cox said Wednesday at Eagles practice.
“Put 11 helmets on him.”
The Eagles have run the play — essentially a quarterback sneak with teammates pushing Hurts forward from behind — 43 times in short yardage situations since last season, with 38 conversions.
Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett joked that he was “getting tingles right now” talking about tight end Tyler Conklin’s 37-yard reception — and his carrying of several defenders — on a third-down conversion in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s win in Denver.
“I think that, for me, I’ve been lucky enough to do this for a long time … and that was one of the most perfectly executed plays I’ve ever seen,” Hackett said. “The mentality and physicality afterwards, that is what as a coach, we all strive for.”
Zach Wilson on the Eagles’ defense: “Very challenging. These guys are obviously very good, all the way around. … I think I remember playing them my rookie year and they talk a lot. They make the game fun and those guys play hard. So it’s going to be a good matchup for us.”
Special teams captain Justin Hardee (hamstring) and CB Brandin Echols (hamstring) did not practice for a second straight day. CB DJ Reed (concussion) and OLs Mekhi Becton (knee), Joe Tippmann (knee) and Billy Turner (toe) were limited.
Rookie DT Jalen Carter (ankle) and CB Darius Slay (knee) didn’t practice for the Eagles.
Hackett was appreciative of being awarded a game ball after Sunday’s win over the Broncos, who had fired him as head coach late last season.
Denver’s current coach, Sean Payton, had ripped Hackett in the offseason for what “might have been one of the worst coaching jobs in the history of the NFL”
“I think anytime you win a football game, you’re absolutely ecstatic and to be honored with that is amazing,” Hackett said. “It’s a credit to our entire team. I just called the plays. Those guys went out there and executed. I’m so grateful for just how they played.”