Alabama
NFL Thursday night: Former Alabama prep star comes through for Eagles in fourth quarter
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.
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:
- 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.
South Alabama on Wednesday picked up its first transfer portal commitment of the current cycle, from former Samford wide receiver Brendan Jenkins.
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Jenkins caught 89 passes for 888 yards and seven touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulldogs, and was Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2023. A native of Hochston, Ga., he has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
South Alabama has a major need at receiver, with four seniors among its top five pass-catchers in 2024. First-team All-Sun Belt selection Jamaal Pritchett has used up his eligibility, as have Salute to Veterans Bowl Most Valuable Player Jeremiah Webb, tight end DJ Thomas-Jones and No. 4 receiver Shamar Sandgren (though it’s now possible Sandgren could return next season after a recent NCAA ruling involving former junior-college transfers).
Devin Voisin, who caught 34 passes this past season, is expected to return for a seventh year at South Alabama in 2025 after receiving a medical redshirt following an early-season knee injury in 2023. Also eligible to return are Anthony Eager (10 catches, 2 TDs as a redshirt freshman in 2024), program veteran Keyshawn Woodyard and a host of less-experienced receivers including Micah Woods, Noah Toster, Jeremy Scott and Jerrian Graham.
South Alabama is expected to add a number of other portal transfers before spring semester classes begin on Jan. 13. The transfer portal closes for new entries on Dec. 28, though a player already in the portal by then may commit to or sign with his new school at any time.
Winners, Super All-State and Mr. Football to be revealed Jan. 28 at a luncheon banquet at the Montgomery Renaissance.
Class 7A
Back of the year
Anquon Fegans, Thompson
Trent Seaborn, Thompson
Daylyn Upshaw, Central-Phenix City
Lineman of the year
Malik Autry, Opelika
Zion Grady, Enterprise
Jared Smith, Thompson
Class 6A
Back of the year
Corey Barber, Spain Park
KJ Lacey, Saraland
Na’eem Offord, Parker
Lineman of the year
Keenan Britt, Oxford
Jourdin Crawford, Parker
Anthony Jones, St. Paul’s
Class 5A
Back of the year
Conner Nelson, Leeds
Cam Phinizee, Russellville
Jotavion Pierce, Catholic-Montgomery
Lineman of the year
Jabarrius Garrar, Vigor
Kentonio Kelly Jr., Vigor
Ellis McGaskin, Williamson
Class 4A
Back of the year
EJ Crowell, Jackson
Landon Duckworth, Jackson
Gunner Rivers, St. Michael
Lineman of the year
Tristan Brown, Cherokee Co.
Tae Diamond, Cherokee Co.
AJ Rice, Madison Academy
Class 3A
Back of the year
Caden Chandler, Mars Hill Bible
Kadyn Mitchell, Houston Academy
Rollie Pinto, Piedmont
Lineman of the year
Myles Johnson, T.R. Miller
Billy Neill, Bayside Academy
Tucker Wilks, Fyffe
Class 2A
Back of the year
Chris Clemons, Winston Co.
Luke Gilbert, Pisgah
Preston Lancaster, Tuscaloosa Aca.
Lineman of the year
JJ Faulk, Highland Home
Clete O’Bryant, Coosa Christian
Grayson Gulde, Vincent
Class 1A
Back of the year
Alvin Henderson, Elba
Ziquayvion Jackson, McKenzie
Jaquez Wilkes, Wadley
Lineman of the year
Fred Curry, Georgiana
Hayes Farrell, Donoho
Tim Parnell, Leroy
AISA
Back of the year
Julian Curry, Wilcox Academy
Gerrell Perry, Banks Academy
Luke Tarver, Chambers Academy
Lineman of the year
Jackson Boykin, South Choctaw Academy
Ashton Yelder, Lowndes Academy
Asher Young, Fort Dale Academy
The Alabama Sports Writers Association is a professional organization for sports writers and editors throughout the state, or any person involved in disseminating sports information or publicity in Alabama including but not limited to sports information personnel, publicists of professional organizations or facilities, or publicists of non-profit organizations sponsoring or governing sporting events. The ASWA is a non-profit organization.
The ASWA prep committee’s primary responsibilities include conducting regular top-10 rankings of a variety of high school sports, and select all-state teams in those sports as well. The committee will determine the winner of a variety of annual awards including the annual Mr. Football winner, and the Jimmy Smothers Courage Award. For more information, check out: ASWA
See Also 2024 Alabama High School All-State Football Selections
Three Alabama high school alumni will wake up on Christmas morning on NFL rosters after starting Christmas eve out of the league.
On Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills signed linebacker Nicholas Morrow (Huntsville High School) to their active roster, the Atlanta Falcons signed linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High School, Alabama) to their practice squad and the Miami Dolphins signed defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (Murphy High School) to their practice squad.
Each of the players rejoined a team they had played for this season.
An eight-year veteran with 105 NFL regular-season games and 58 starts in his career, Morrow played in 11 games for Buffalo before the Bills released him on Dec. 7.
A seven-year veteran with 87 NFL regular-season games and 68 starts in his career, Evans played in two games for Atlanta before being waived on Saturday. This is the third time the Falcons have signed Evans for their practice squad this season. He joined the team on Oct. 1, was released on Oct. 12, re-signed on Oct. 21 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 1.
A three-year veteran with 19 NFL regular-season games in his career, Farrell played in seven games for Miami before being waived on Saturday. Farrell joined the Dolphins’ practice squad on Sept. 26 and moved up to the active roster on Nov. 11.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
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