By Eliot Shorr-Parks | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The Eagles are now 8-1 following their blowout, 51-23 win over the Denver Broncos that was even more lopsided than the score indicated.

A sentence that is one not many thought they would ever read about the 2017 Eagles that weren't projected by many to make the playoffs, let alone hold the best record in the NFL through nine weeks.

While quarterback Carson Wentz has, deservedly so, received the majority of the attention, what has made this Eagles' season so successful so far has been the contributions of so many unexpected players.

Here is a look at the 12 players who have been a big surprise this season:

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Bill Streicher | AP PHOTO

RASUL DOUGLAS

A third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, rookie cornerback Rasul Douglas was a healthy scratch in Week 1, and was expected to stay there -- until top cornerback Ronald Darby suffered a fractured ankle.

Now, eight weeks later, Douglas is not only starting, but he is playing at a high level.

According to Pro Football Focus, Douglas has been on the field for 238 pass coverage snaps this season, and has allowed just 24 catches in those snaps. He has picked off as many passes (2) as touchdowns he has allowed.

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The numbers aside, however, Douglas has provided a physical presence to the cornerback position this team didn't have last season, as at 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, he has been able to handle some of the bigger receivers the Eagles have had to cover.

The Eagles seemed to be in big trouble when Darby went down, but with Douglas stepping up to the challenge, the team has been able to be ultra-conservative with Darby, and keep Douglas on the field.

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COREY CLEMENT

The 2017 NFL Draft was littered with young, talented running backs, and when the team had to place Donnell Pumphrey on injured reserve, it appeared they had missed out on all of them.

Corey Clement, however, has stepped up big time for a running game that needed help.

Clement finished with three touchdowns against the Denver Broncos, giving him five on the season, two of which have come through the air. Clement was not viewed as a good pass catcher coming out of Wisconsin, which is part of the reason why he went undrafted.

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On the Eagles, however, Clement has been the team's most versatile back, and has contributed in big spots, converted huge third downs and contributed on special teams.

If Clement doesn't step up and surprise the team by contributing right away, the running game likely would not be as productive as it has been, which would have an impact on the entire offense.

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CARSON WENTZ REPORT CARD FROM EAGLES' WIN

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VINNY CURRY

Last season, defensive end Vinny Curry was unable to see consistent playing time because of his poor play against the run, making him a situational player for the Eagles' defense.

This season, Curry has stepped up big time against the run, and it has helped the team's run defense become one of the best units in the NFL.

Curry had a monster game against the Broncos, both as a pass rusher and against the run. Curry started his day off by forcing a holding penalty on the first drive of the game, which pushed the Broncos back into 2nd-and-17 and out of field goal territory.

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On the Broncos' second drive, Curry drilled running back CJ Anderson in the backfield for a two-yard loss, the kind of plays he has been making all season. Combined with the team's starter on defensive end opposite Curry, Brandon Graham, the Eagles have been getting great play against the run from their bookends on the defensive line

On the year, Curry has two sacks and 25 quarterback hurries, when combined with his strong play against the run, has helped the team' defensive line go to the next level.

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NELSON AGHOLOR

When the team traded away receiver Jordan Matthews, their best wideout over the last few seasons, it put a ton of pressure and expectations on third-year receiver Nelson Agholor.

Not only has he met the expectations, he has far exceeded them -- and has been the team's best wide receiver.

On the season, Agholor has 29 catches for 428 yards and five touchdowns, numbers that have already surpassed the production he was able to put up last season. Agholor's strong play in the slot, along with the production from tight end Zach Ertz, has helped the Eagles dominate the middle of the field, and given Wentz an extra safety net against the blitz.

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In 2016, Agholor struggled to deal with the pressure of being a full-time starter on the outside, and those struggles made it far from a guarantee that he would step up to the challenge of taking over for Matthews this season.

His ability to do so through the first nine weeks of the season has given the Eagles' offense a major boost, and taken away some of the pressure on the team's outside receivers.

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THIS TREND SHOWS EAGLES COULD BE GOING TO THE SUPER BOWL

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ZACH ERTZ

Although he has been one of the better tight ends in the NFL over the last few seasons, Ertz has never had the kind of impact in the red zone to hear his name mentioned as one of the best at his position.

This season, despite missing the team's win over the Broncos with a hamstring injury, Ertz has taken his game to the next level.

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Ertz has 43 catches for 528 yards and six touchdowns on the season, best on the team in every category, and among the best in the NFL for tight ends. His impressive numbers, however, do not completely tell the story of the impact he has had on the offense, as he has hauled in a number of key third-downs this season, and stepped up big in the team's biggest game of the season so far, their road win over the Carolina Panthers.

Ertz has asked for consistency at the quarterback position throughout his career, and now that he has it with Wentz, he is showing what he is capable of doing -- dominating.

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NIGEL BRADHAM

Linebacker was one of the Eagles' thinnest positions entering the season, and when middle linebacker Jordan Hicks went down with a season-ending injury, it seemed like the unit was going to take a big dip.

Although he doesn't play middle linebacker, Nigel Bradham has made sure the unit hasn't missed a beat.

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Bradham has been a monster for the Eagles this season on defense, making big plays against both the pass and run. Bradham's biggest plays have also come at the biggest moments, including 10 tackles against the Carolina Panthers, and nine tackles over the last two weeks in blowout wins for the Eagles.

Without the consistency Bradham has provided for the team's linebacker group, it is unlikely they would have been able to recover as well as they have from the loss of Hicks.

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4 TAKEAWAYS FROM JAY AJAYI'S DEBUT

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JALEN MILLS

The Eagles tried to provide some relief to cornerback Jalen Mills this season when they traded for Darby prior to the start of the season. Instead, just two quarters into the first game of the year, he found himself in the same situation he spent the majority of last season in -- the team's top cornerback left sitting on an island.

This season, however, Mills looks like a player who was better prepared for the challenge.

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Mills is having a Pro-Bowl caliber season, with three interceptions on the year, one of which he returned for a touchdown, to go along with 10 passes defended. He has met each challenge the Eagles have thrown at him, including the task of shadowing Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for an entire game back in Week 3.

Mills has not been perfect, but he has done exactly what the Eagles have asked him to -- hold the cornerback group together by consistently covering the other team's best receiver.

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STEFEN WISNIEWSKI

After the team's decision to just hand the starting left guard job to Isaac Seumalo prior to training camp backfired, the Eagles found themselves forced into a rotation at the position starting in Week 3, shifting between Chance Warmack and Stefen Wisniewski.

The strong play of Wisniewski ended that competition in a hurry, and has been a large reason the Eagles' offense line has done a good job protecting Wentz this season.

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Wisniewski has played at a high level since he won the job away from Warmack, and was especially effective against the Broncos, landing a key block in running back Jay Ajayi's 46-yard run with just under two minutes to play in the first half.

Consistency and chemistry is key along the offensive line, and although they got it later than expected, Wisniewski has finally given the Eagles both by playing at a high level at the left guard position.

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EAGLES RUN A 'COLLEGE OFFENSE', SAYS BRONCOS PLAYER

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KENJON BARNER

Signed off the streets following the loss of running back Darren Sproles for the season, veteran running back Kenjon Barner has come in and given the team a reliable -- and dangerous -- option at punt returner.

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Since signing with the team prior to Week 4, Barner has returned 11 punts for a whopping 161 yards, including a long of 76 yards. Barner has also chipped in on offense, running the ball 12 times for 34 yards, and catching three passes for 20 yards.

When Sproles went down, it looked like the Eagles could be in for a major problem at punt returner, but Barner has not only come in and solved the need, he has been a playmaker at the position.

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HALAPOULIVAATI VAITAI

Perhaps the biggest loss the Eagles have had to handle this season is the injury to starting left tackle Jason Peters, who is out for the season with a torn ACL. After it was announced that Peters would be done for the season, many assumed the team would go out and overpay for a new left tackle.

Instead, they decided to stick with second-year offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and at least for two games, the results have been promising.

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Vaitai turned in his second-straight solid game on Sunday against the Broncos, doing his job of keeping Wentz clean in the pocket and time to pick apart the Broncos' defense. He was also very solid in the running game, making a key block in Ajayi's long touchdown run.

Vaitai still has some tough upcoming tests, but in his two starts at offensive tackle, the Eagles' offense has scored 84 points, and the job he has done stepping up and helping the soften the blow of losing Peters is a reason why.

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PATRICK ROBINSON

In training camp, it looked like cornerback Patrick Robinson might not even make it to Week 1. Now, as the team enters their bye week in Week 9, he has been one of the best players on the entire defense.

Robinson has been a lifesaver for the Eagles at nickel cornerback, doing an elite job covering the opposing team's slot receiver each week.

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His strong play has taken some of the pressure off of the young cornerbacks on the outside, and has allowed the Eagles to let safety Malcolm Jenkins spend more time at his actual position as opposed to coming up to the line of scrimmage like he did last season.

Robinson has been the glue the Eagles' defense desperately needed in the secondary.

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JAKE ELLIOTT

Replacing a kicker is never easy in the NFL -- just ask the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Eagles, however, have not missed a beat since kicker Caleb Sturgis went down in Week 1 with an injury.

The play of rookie kicker Jake Elliott, signed off of the Cincinnati Bengals' practice squad, has been a game changer for the Eagles, and it is safe they say they would not be 8-1 if Elliott didn't come in and kick at an elite level.

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Even outside of his 61-yard, game-winning field goal against the Giants in Week 3, Elliott has been money from deep this season, making five of his six attempts from 50-plus yards this season.

Elliott has not only replaced Sturgis, but he has out kicked the team's original starter, and the Eagles have at least one win they wouldn't have had otherwise because of it.

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WATCH: JAY AJAYI TALKS ABOUT DEBUT WITH EAGLES

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WHERE TO REACH ME

Eliot Shorr-Parks may be reached at eshorrpa@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @EliotShorrParks. Find NJ.com Eagles on Facebook.

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THE PODCAST: THE NO-HUDDLE SHOW