Darius Slay's Jealousy Aside, Reed Blankenship, Josiah Scott Make Big Plays

Slay didn't get the pick-ball he wanted from Aaron Rodgers, but a pair of young players did and they were huge plays in the Eagles' 40-33 win to reach 10-1

PHILADELPHIA – Darius Slay talked during the week about adding a “pick-ball” from Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers to his Mount Rushmore of interceptions that feature one each from heavyweight quarterbacks Tom Brady and Drew Brees.

The Eagles veteran CB, who played in his 145th game on Sunday night, didn’t get one, but a pair of young defensive backs did, and they made it look relatively easy.

Josiah Scott, playing in his 29th NFL game, had one and undrafted free agent Reed Blankenship, who had played just two NFL snaps on defense coming into the game, also victimized Rodgers in the Eagles 40-33 win over the Packers on Sunday Night Football to become the first team in the league to reach 10 wins.

“I’m low-key jealous,” said Slay. “I’ve been in the league 10 years, he’s a rookie, but have to give props to him, my dog went off today. Low key jealous got a pick from A-Rod. I’ve been in this for (a long time) and he got one. Good for him.”

Slay looked like a World Cup soccer player on Scott’s interception. With Javon Hargrave pressuring Rodgers, the ball ricocheted off Slay’s helmet into the waiting arms of Scott.

“I’m jealous of him, too,” said Slay.

Slay was only half-kidding because Scott’s pick set the Eagles' offense up at the GB 29 and the offense needed all of three plays to cash the turnover into points and a 13-0 lead before the game was even six minutes old.

“Regardless of it being Aaron Rodgers, a great Hall of Fame quarterback, it was my first one, first one of my career, so to get the monkey off my back felt good,” said Scott, who is filling in for injured Avonte Maddox, who is on IR.

Blankenship’s pick halted a Packers march that had reached the Eagles’ 28.

It appeared as if the rookie safety baited the Hall of Fame QB, backpedaling to start the play, then turning on the jets to break quickly on the throw.

“I’m surprised he actually threw it, though," said Blankenship. "That’s what surprised me. I’m happy got there in time and was able to do something for my team.”

Rodgers said afterward his target, backup tight end Tyler Davis, ran the wrong route and he shouldn’t have thrown it.

Blankenship was only playing because Chauncey Gardner-Johnson suffered a rib injury in the first half and did not return.

“Going into this game, didn’t know I was going to be able to go in there do what I was supposed to do,” he said. “I know that my name was going to get called eventually, it’s a long season. I was ready for it. I was prepared for it. I went in confident. There are guys in the room who are mature and I just learn from them.”

Blankenship ended up playing 35 snaps (71%).

He had been inactive for the team’s first four games then was on the gameday roster but only playing special teams for the next four weeks, though he made it onto the field for two defensive snaps last week against the Colts.

“You’ve got to work the nerves out a little bit,” he said. “I haven’t played defensive snaps in forever but as soon as I made that hit I was like, ‘I’m back.’ I’m back in college, back in high school again, ready to play football.”

Blankenship tied for the team-high in tackles with six tackles. 

He is the first undrafted rookie to ever pick off Rodgers and he is the Eagles’ first undrafted rookie to record an interception since Roderick Hood in 2003 against Washington.

Blankenship isn’t an average rookie, though. He was a five-year starter at Middle Tennessee State and will turn 24 in March.

“A couple of the guys that I coached with in Indy were at Middle Tennessee State,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “When we signed him to rookie free agent deal, they said, this guy is a stud. You don't understand this guy. We love this guy. This guy, one of them was Parks Frazier. He was like, man, you don't understand how special that kid was for us.”

The Eagles got an idea of that on Sunday night.

READ MORE: Eagles Run Wild in 40-33 Win over Packers - Sports Illustrated

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.