Eight Eagles defensive backs played at least 200 snaps last year for the NFL’s No. 1 defense and No. 1 pass defense and Super Bowl champions. 

Five of the eight are gone. 

And the secondary just might be even better.

How is this even possible?

“We just love playing for each other and with each other,” Adoree’ Jackson said. “To be able to celebrate all the wins from small to big because we know that those little wins can add up to something big, and those big wins can keep the momentum going to keep letting you do great things. 

“Having accountability of your brothers, knowing, like, man, you don’t want to let them down, they don’t want to let you down, and you just keep going and keep fighting.”

C.J. Gardner-Johnson (1,171 snaps), Darius Slay (947), Isaiah Rodgers (420), Avonte Maddox (358) and Tristin McCollum (257) combined to play 3,153 snaps last year, including the postseason.

All are gone.

Gardner-Johnson was traded to the Texas, was briefly with the Ravens and is now starting for the Bears, Slay signed with the Steelers, Rodgers with the Vikings, Maddox with the Lions and the Raiders claimed McCollum on waivers in August.

How do you recover from those losses?

The Eagles’ new-look secondary, with rookie safety Drew Mukuba and veteran corner Jackson joining Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship, has been playing at an elite level, and they’re getting better each week. They’ll face their biggest challenge Sunday in Arlington when the Eagles face the Cowboys and the NFL’s top-ranked pass defense. But so far, the secondary’s performance has been outstanding.

They play together. They play physical. They play smart. They communicate. And best of all, whenever one of them makes a play, they’re all just as happy as if they made it them.

“That speaks volumes to who we have in the room and the coaches that are involved,” Blankenship said. “Everybody that we have and regardless if you’re new or not we’re going to welcome you with open arms because we want to win. 

“We want to win ball games and the best way to do that is be friends, have great relationships, have fun, whether that’s outside of the football field. meeting room, whatever. Get to know somebody, you’re going to play harder with somebody.”

The Eagles lead the NFC with an opposing QB passer rating of 78.0, 3rd-best in the NFL behind the Texans (72.7) and Chargers (75.9). They lead the NFL in opposing completion percentage at 56.6, and they’re tied with the Chiefs and Broncos, allowing an NFL-low nine touchdown passes.

That 56.6 completion percentage is lowest against the Eagles in 17 years, and the 78.0 passer rating is lowest in 16 years. The nine TD passes equals the fewest through 10 games since 2001.

What’s really striking about the Eagles’ secondary is how close they are and how they’re all just as happy when someone else makes a play as when they do. And it’s genuine.

“Yeah, I feel like that’s just the culture that we’ve built in our room,” Sydney Brown said. “Everybody’s comfortable with one another, everybody helps each other out. You can relate it to just having family members on the field with you. And you’re willing to go a little further for somebody that you’re closer to. 

“You’re able to get on them, but you know it’s coming from this place of love and that we all want what’s best for the team. I think everybody’s kind of bonded to that. 

“Everybody has the same common goal. Everybody wants the same thing out of this.”

How good has the Eagles’ pass defense been?

→ The only quarterback to record a passer rating over 90 against the Eagles this year is Jaxson Dart (who did  it twice).

→ Baker Mayfield, who’s completing 64 percent of his passes, completed only 55 percent against the Eagles. 

→ Matt Stafford had an 82.4 passer rating against the Eagles, his lowest this year, although he remains the only QB to throw two touchdowns in a game against the Eagles.

→ Dak Prescott had a 76.6 passer rating in the opener vs. the Eagles, his 2nd-worst this year. 

→ Patrick Mahomes’ 72.1 rating vs. the Eagles was his 2nd-lowest this year. 

→ Carson Wentz only started five games for the Vikings, but his 64.9 passer rating against his former team was his lowest this year. 

→ Jordan Love had his least-accurate game (55.6 percent) and worst passer rating by far (68.7) vs. the Eagles. 

→ Jared Goff had the lowest completion percentage of his 10-year career at a 37.8 percent accuracy and his worst passer rating this year.

“We can sit back and cover for two seconds and they’re already getting to the quarterback.”

As well as the Eagles’ secondary is playing, they only have six interceptions, tied for 17th-most in the league. Mukuba has two, and Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, Jalyx Hunt and Cooper DeJean have one each. 

So the secondary has just three in 10 games.

But Mitchell has the 3rd-lowest defensive passer rating of any cornerback at 64.4 and DeJean is 9th-lowest at 75.5. (minimum 50 targets). They’ve been the true stars of this secondary but everybody else is doing their part.

“We don’t care who’s making the plays because at the end of the day, it’s all about winning,” Jackson said. “Man, everybody can’t be Michael Jackson in the Jackson 5, but at the end of the day, you can all get your shot, you know? 

“I mean, it might not always be your time to get a solo. Somebody has to be Tito, somebody has to be Jermaine. Maybe today you’re Michael. Maybe somebody’s going to have to be Janet.

“Because we don’t care who gets the credit. Once you get that all figured out, that’s all that really matters.”