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Jalen Hurts and the Eagles Are Perfecting Football’s Easiest Play

Quarterback sneaks are the most effective call in the N.F.L., but some teams hesitate to turn their most critical player into a projectile. The Eagles’ strategy changes that dynamic.

This season, the Philadelphia Eagles executed 33 sneaks for 29 first downs or touchdowns, both figures the highest on record.Credit...Chris Szagola/Associated Press

The quarterback sneak is football’s simplest play. So simple, in fact, that N.F.L. coaches have long underestimated its value.

The sneak is currently enjoying a surge in popularity. N.F.L. teams sent their quarterbacks plunging into the heart of the line of scrimmage in short-yardage situations 291 times during the regular season.