Former Alabama cornerback joins Eagles’ starting lineup for primetime game –

With New England facing a fourth-and-11 snap at the Philadelphia 20-yard line while trailing the Eagles by five points with 29 seconds to play on Sunday, Patriots cornerback Mac Jones connected with wide receiver Kayshon Boutte at the 8-yard line.

But New England didn’t get a first down. Philadelphia cornerback Josh Jobe managed to push Boutte out of bounds before he could get both feet down inbounds to seal the Eagles’ 25-20 victory.

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Jobe was on the field because, after making a tackle on the first play of New England’s final series, Eagles cornerback James Bradberry left to be evaluated for a concussion, and Jobe played the final eight snaps with the Philadelphia defense.

After he made the Eagles’ roster last season as an undrafted rookie from Alabama, Jobe got on the field for 21 defensive snaps and 279 special-teams plays in 14 games last season, including three playoff contests.

In Sunday’s game, Jobe had 22 special-teams plays before taking Bradberry’s spot on defense during New England’s final possession.

On Thursday night when the Eagles play the Minnesota Vikings, Jobe will be in Philadelphia’s lineup from the beginning.

Bradberry is in the concussion protocol, and the former Pleasant Grove High School and Samford star will not play against Minnesota.

“We got a lot of confidence in Josh,” Philadelphia coach Nick Sirianni said. “That’s why he’s made our roster the last two years. I think he’s a really physical corner who is long, strong, is able, when he gets his hands on you, to control you.

“And so we got a lot of faith in Josh. Regardless of who’s in there, we know we can play the schemes we want to play because Josh is our third corner. Your third corner has to play. There’s times when he’s going to have to play some.”

The Vikings opened the season with a 20-17 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, even though Minnesota All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson had nine receptions for 150 yards.

The Eagles will have Pro Bowler Darius Slay at one cornerback on Thursday, with Jobe stepping in for a 2022 second-team All-Pro selection on the other side of the field.

“Josh has just done a great job of getting himself ready to go as well,” Sirianni said. “And so you get really excited about that when an undrafted free agent comes in and performs like Josh has both on special teams and gives you the confidence that you have in him on defense.”

Philadelphia will be without two members of its starting secondary on Thursday night, with safety Reed Blankenship joining Bradberry on the sideline. Blankenship will miss the game because of a rib injury.

Like Jobe, Blankenship made the Eagles as an undrafted rookie last season. The former West Limestone High School star started five games, including a playoff contest, in his first season.

Against the Patriots, Blankenship led the Philadelphia defense with 11 tackles. He also broke up two passes and made a tackle on special teams.

The Vikings and Eagles square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT Thursday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Prime Video will televise the game.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.