As the tension builds ahead of Sunday night’s showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles (7–2) and Detroit Lions (6–3), the pregame fireworks have already ignited — and this time, they’re verbal.
It all started when Lions quarterback Jared Goff took a shot at Philadelphia’s offense, calling them “the team that lives off the Cheat Shove” and adding, “Some teams fight for yards. Others just get shoved into them.”
The comment quickly went viral, stirring up reactions across social media and inside the Eagles locker room.
But Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ franchise quarterback and the centerpiece of the very play Goff mocked, wasn’t about to let that slide. Standing tall amid another strong season —
2,187 passing yards, 17 total touchdowns, and a 68.9% completion rate —
— Hurts fired back with confidence that perfectly matched the team’s attitude.
“If someone wants to call what we do cheating,” Hurts said, “that tells me they’ve never stood across from us. The Philadelphia Eagles don’t win because we get shoved — we win because we push ourselves harder than anyone.”
The comment immediately sent shockwaves through the NFL world, echoing across fan communities from Philadelphia to Detroit. Eagles fans flooded X with the hashtag #EarnEveryInch, while Lions supporters backed Goff’s criticism of the controversial formation.
Behind the media storm, though, the numbers speak for Hurts’ growing influence.
He’s completing nearly 69% of his passes, leading all Eagles playmakers, and is on pace for another Pro Bowl-caliber season. More importantly, his leadership has anchored a Philadelphia offense built on physicality, discipline, and relentless identity.
Still, Goff’s jab touched a nerve for a team that has been at the center of league-wide debate over the legality and fairness of the Tush Push — a play many opponents privately resent, even if they can’t stop it. Yet Hurts’ response embodies Philadelphia’s fiery, us-against-the-world mentality, one that’s powered their seven wins and defined their trench-dominant style.
As kickoff nears, one thing is certain: the war of words has transformed this Week 11 matchup into something more — a clash of pride, philosophy, and legitimacy. And in Hurts’ words, it’s no longer about accusations or shortcuts.
It’s about the here and now.
The Philadelphia Eagles want to prove that nothing about their identity is a Cheat Shove —
it’s earned through force, unity, and will.
