Philadelphia safety Reed Blankenship made two possession-ending plays in the fourth quarter as the Eagles rallied for a 26-18 victory over the Washington Commanders on Thursday night.
Philadelphia trailed 10-3 after Washington opened the third quarter with a field goal. But the Eagles maintained their hold on the top spot in the NFC East by scoring on their four full second-half possessions, including three fourth-quarter touchdowns.
After Philadelphia took a 12-10 lead with 12:00 to play, Washington went for it on fourth-and-2 at the Eagles 26-yard line rather than have up-from-the-practice-squad kicker Zane Gonzalez try a 44-yard field goal to take the lead, even though he’d already connected from 45.
Blankenship and linebacker Zach Braun tackled quarterback Jayden Daniels for no gain to end the series.
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The Eagles offense ripped down the field in five plays for another touchdown, and on the Commanders’ first snap after the TD, Blankenship intercepted Daniels at the Washington 46-yard line.
This time, it took only two snaps for Philadelphia to get running back Saquon Barkley into the end zone again for a 26-10 lead with 4:38 remaining.
Barkley ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries and caught two passes for 52 yards.
In addition to his second interception of the season and seventh of his career, Blankenship made 10 tackles against Washington.
Blankenship is a former West Limestone High School standout. During the Washington-Philadelphia game, 13 more players from Alabama high schools and colleges got on the field:
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Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Eagles cornerback James Bradberry (Pleasant Grove, Samford) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Landon Dickerson (Alabama) started at left guard for the Eagles. Dickerson limped off the field after the third snap, but he returned for Philadelphia’s second possession.
Eagles offensive lineman Jack Driscoll (Auburn) did not record any stats.
Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff (St. Paul’s Episcopal) recorded one tackle for loss.
Jalen Hurts (Alabama) started at quarterback for the Eagles. Hurts completed 18-of-28 passes for 221 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions and ran for 39 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries. Hurts scored on a 1-yard sneak with 12:00 remaining as Philadelphia took a 12-10 lead.
Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville, Auburn) started at cornerback for the Commanders. Igbinoghene made six tackles.
Commanders defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis (Alabama) made two tackles.
Daron Payne (Shades Valley, Alabama) started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Payne made three tackles.
Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (South Alabama) made two tackles on special teams.
Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks (Alabama) was designated as a game-day inactive.
Brian Robinson Jr. (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa, Alabama) started at running back for the Commanders. After missing two games because of a hamstring injury, Robinson ran for 63 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries and caught a 9-yard pass. Robinson scored the game’s first points on a 1-yard run with 3:26 left in the first quarter.
Commanders offensive tackle Trent Scott (Lee-Huntsville) did not record any stats.
DeVonta Smith (Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Smith had four receptions for 29 yards.
Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen (Alabama) did not record any stats.
Eagles tight end C.J. Uzomah (Auburn) did not record any stats in his debut for the 2024 season. Philadelphia elevated Uzomah from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.
Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young (Alabama) is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Washington (7-4) plays the Dallas Cowboys at noon CST Nov. 24 at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Maryland.
Philadelphia (8-2) plays the Los Angeles Rams at 7:20 p.m. Nov. 24 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. carries the football during an NFL game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith runs after a reception during an NFL game against the Washington Commanders on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.(AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Tennessee Volunteers forward Alyssa Latham (33) fouls Alabama Crimson Tide guard Jessica Timmons (23)Thursday, March 5, 2026, during the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament second round game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Alabama Crimson Tide won 76-64.
(Alex Martin/Greenville News, Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Former Alabama guard Jalil Bethea has officially committed to Pittsburgh, per Rivals’ Joe Tipton.
Bethea struggled to make a consistent impact throughout his one and only season at Alabama. The former Miami transfer averaged 3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists this past season, as Bethea could potentially play a much larger role throughout his time at Pitt next year. Bethea averaged just eight minutes per game this season as well, as the former Crimson Tide guard will now turn his full attention towards a fresh start with the Panthers.
Bethea was ranked as the No. 3 shooting guard and the No. 7 overall player from the class of 2024, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was listed as the No. 1 overall player out of Pennsylvania as well, as a return to his home state could undoubtedly be exactly what Bethea needs to turn his career around during the 2026-27 campaign.
Following the commitment of Bethea, Aiden Sherrell and Taylor Bol Bowen are the lone Alabama players in the portal who have yet to announce a transfer decision.
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Lawrence County crash kills mother and 2 children, injures 2
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TEACH OTHERS THESE SAME SKILLS. IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY OUT AT REGIONS FIELD, THE SKIES ARE BLUE. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE ON THE FIELD, AND JUST A GREAT DAY TO SOAK UP THE SUN 84 DEGREES RIGHT NOW IN BIRMINGHAM AND ACROSS THE MAP. WE ARE IN THE MID TO LOW 80S FROM 84 IN WINFIELD JASPER ALABASTER. SAME THING IN PELL CITY AND ANNISTON. THE WARMEST SPOT ON THE MAP 85 THE COOLER SPOT IN THE MAP UP IN COLEMAN AT 82 AND 82 DEGREES UP THERE IN ALBERTVILLE TOO. RADAR IS DRY. HAS BEEN FOR THE PAST 6 TO 7 DAYS, AND THE REST OF THIS EVENING WILL REMAIN DRY. WILL DROP TO THE 80S LOW 80S BY 7:00, MID 70S BY 9:00, AND THEN OVERNIGHT WILL DROP TO THE 60S AND WILL WAKE UP TOMORROW MORNING IN THE MID TO UPPER 50S. SO MAYBE A LITTLE BIT CHILLY FOR SOME, BUT OTHERWISE WARM AND WARMER THAN WE SHOULD BE FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, NOT ONLY IN THE MORNING, BUT IN THE AFTERNOON. TOMORROW TOO. WE’RE BACK IN THE MID 80S, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE WERE TODAY, WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE HUMIDITY. NOW WE HAVE NOT SEEN THAT MUCH RAINFALL SO FAR THIS ENTIRE MONTH. THIS IS MONTH TO DATE. AS YOU CAN SEE, TODAY IS THE 12TH. WE HAVE UP TO 11. AND ANYWHERE YOU SEE THAT ORANGE COLOR, THAT’S WHERE WE’VE SEEN NO RAIN. THE BEST RAINFALL WE GOT WAS LAST WEEKEND, MAINLY ON SATURDAY WITH JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. NOW THIS IS JUST FOR BIRMINGHAM AND IT REPRESENTS A DROUGHT. AND THAT’S NOT JUST THE CASE FOR BIRMINGHAM. IT’S THE CASE FOR MOST OF ALABAMA. THIS RED AND THE DARK RED COLORS REPRESENT ANYWHERE BETWEEN ONE AND UP TO THREE, IF NOT FOUR INCHES OF A 30 DAY RAINFALL DEFICIT, MEANING WE NEED MORE RAIN THAN WE’VE GOTTEN IN THE PAST 30 DAYS. AND THAT LACK OF RAIN PULLING A LOT OF MOISTURE OUT OF THE GROUND DUE TO THAT DROUGHT IS WHY THERE’S A RED FLAG WARNING IN PLACE FOR BOTH NORTH AND PARTS OF CENTRAL ALABAMA. FROM FLORENCE ALL THE WAY DOWN LINEVILLE CLAY COUNTY, TALLADEGA. SHELBY. JEFFERSON. JEFFERSON WALKER ALL THE WAY UP TO MARION COUNTY’S. JUST MEANS THAT THERE IS A HIGHER FIRE DANGER. SO DON’T BE BURNING ANYTHING OUTSIDE TODAY, EVEN THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS, BECAUSE FIRE RISK IS HIGH AS THE DROUGHT CONTINUES. HERE’S A FORECAST MODEL SHOWING WHERE WE COULD SEE THE MOST RAINFALL OVER THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, NOT MUCH. NORTHWEST ALABAMA COULD SEE A TRACE OF SHOWERS AS THESE TINY ISOLATED SHOWERS POP UP MONDAY EVENING ACROSS MARION FRANKLIN LAUDERDALE COUNTY BUT EVEN THAT CLEARS OUT AS EARLY AS 10 P.M. MONDAY NIGHT. AND OVERALL, IT’S NOT A WHOLE LOT. BUT HERE’S THAT SEVEN DAY FORECAST. HIGH STICK AROUND IN THE 80S AS HIGH AS 89 FRIDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW CHANCES FOR ISOLATED SHOWERS THURSDAY THAT RETURNS SATURDAY A
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Lawrence County crash kills mother and 2 children, injures 2
Updated: 7:42 PM CDT Apr 12, 2026
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Video above: Weather forecastThree people died and two were injured, including children, in a northern Alabama car crash Saturday, according to our news partner WAFF.The Lawrence County coroner told WAFF that a vehicle driven by Ashley Hagood, 33, was hit on the side by a truck near Highway 157 and Highway 24 in Moulton.Hagood and her four children — Bryant Ballew, 13; twins Bryleigh and Brynleigh Pledger, 7; and Bentley Pledger, 10 — were inside the car at the time of the crash. Ballew and Bryleigh died at the scene, while Hagood was taken to a hospital, where she later died.Bentley and Brynleigh were taken to a hospital in Birmingham. According to WAFF, Bentley was taken off a ventilator Sunday afternoon. Brynleigh is recovering from surgery and dealing with brain swelling and bleeding, which doctors anticipated and hope the surgery will alleviate. Brynleigh also reportedly suffered seizures Saturday night.The crash remains under investigation, according to WAFF.
MOULTON, Ala. —
Video above: Weather forecast
Three people died and two were injured, including children, in a northern Alabama car crash Saturday, according to our news partner WAFF.
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The Lawrence County coroner told WAFF that a vehicle driven by Ashley Hagood, 33, was hit on the side by a truck near Highway 157 and Highway 24 in Moulton.
Hagood and her four children — Bryant Ballew, 13; twins Bryleigh and Brynleigh Pledger, 7; and Bentley Pledger, 10 — were inside the car at the time of the crash. Ballew and Bryleigh died at the scene, while Hagood was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
Bentley and Brynleigh were taken to a hospital in Birmingham. According to WAFF, Bentley was taken off a ventilator Sunday afternoon. Brynleigh is recovering from surgery and dealing with brain swelling and bleeding, which doctors anticipated and hope the surgery will alleviate. Brynleigh also reportedly suffered seizures Saturday night.
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The crash remains under investigation, according to WAFF.
