2016 NFL QB power rankings: Week 9 edition

At least that's what Raiders fans are saying. The MVP race is heating up, as Derek Carr jumped back in the conversation with his 513-yard performance last week. Dak Prescott continues to make a case, Matt Ryan keeps lighting it up, and Tom Brady is playing like, well, Tom Brady.

Each week this season we're ranking the starting QBs, and the top spot is getting some competition it's never seen before. See who else is rising to the top.

At this point, gotta believe Chip Kelly is watching Deshone Kizer and Deshaun Watson more than any QB on his roster.

Last week: 32

2016: 46%, 110 ypg, 2-1 TD/INT, 66.2 rating

Kelvin Kuo Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

Followed his best game of the season (3 TDs vs. Lions) with his worst (4 picks vs. Giants). Both were losses. If LA drops a fourth straight game, it could be time to give Jared Goff a try. Or at least Sean Mannion.

Last week: 31

2016: 62%, 244 ypg, 8-10 TD/INT, 77.5 rating

Kirby Lee USA TODAY Sports

Looks and sounds lost. After his latest loss, Bortles brought in his personal passing coach to work with him this week. Jags, meanwhile, fired their OC and promoted their QB coach. What’s next, bring back Justin Blackmon?

Last week: 28

2016: 60%, 272 ypg, 12-9 TD/INT, 80.3 rating

Logan Bowles USA TODAY Sports

Rewarded New York’s lack of faith in him with a horrible half at Cleveland, then rallied the team to avoid a spectacular new low. Just daring Todd Bowles to start Bryce Petty.

Last week: 27

2016: 56.1%, 223.6 ypg, 7-11 TD/INT, 68.0 rating

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Cleared from the concussion protocol, the rookie should get the start after Josh McCown led a second-half collapse last week against the Jets. That’s 11 consecutive losses for Cleveland dating to last season.

Last week: NR (concussion)

2016: 66.9%, 189.4 ypg, 4-1 TD/INT, 94.4

Looked great in relief last week at Indy, to the tune of a 135.2 passer rating, and with Alex Smith sidelined by a concussion, Foles makes his first start since Week 13 last year. He gets a good draw in the Jags, but Foles was 4-7 as the Rams’ starter, including just 1-4 on the road.

Last week: NR

2016: 72.7%, 223 ypg, 2-0 TD/INT, 135.2 rating

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Cutler comes back, gives a halftime speech and beats the Vikings, and suddenly people are talking about how “reasonable” his $16 million option for next season is. OK.

Last week: 26

2016: 62.3%, 208.3 ypg, 2-2 TD/INT, 85.7 rating

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Can win a third straight with the Jets at home this week and wouldn’t even have to play that well. Just throw at Revis.

Last week: 25

2016: 65.3%, 246.9 ypg, 7-7 TD/INT, 87.5 rating

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Bounced back from his humbling loss at Denver with a fifth home win, over Matt Stafford and the red-hot Lions.

Last week: 24

2016: 59.3%, 214.9 ypg, 9-9 TD/INT, 73.1 rating

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Won last week’s matchup by virtue of how bad his defense made Philip Rivers look. Siemian threw a pick-six and failed to put the ball in the end zone.

Last week: 23

2016: 61.7%, 212.4 ypg, 8-4 TD/INT, 87.1 rating

Has four straight losses entering Sunday’s divisional duel with the Steelers but still can share first place with a win. The bad news is Flacco has more turnovers (9) than TDs (7), and Big Ben likely will be back for Pittsburgh.

Last week: 22

2016: 61.4%, 262.4 ypg, 5-6 TD/INT, 75.4 rating

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Snapped Carolina’s skid with last week’s win over Arizona, but his “don’t feel safe” comments after taking some more hits may have made him an even bigger target: Ray Lewis says teams smell fear on Newton.

Last week: 21

2016: 57%, 251.3 ypg, 8-6 TD/INT, 80.7 rating

After getting smoked by Tom Brady and the Pats last week, Taylor faces that tough Seattle D on the road Sunday. He can only hope to have LeSean McCoy back, and to get something out of an unretired Percy Harvin against the team that gave him away in 2014.

Last week: 20

2016: 58.7%, 185 ypg, 9-2 TD/INT, 87.2 rating

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Forced to throw last week against Carolina, Palmer racked up 363 yards and 3 TDs but absorbed eight sacks, lost a fumble returned for a TD and threw a game-sealing INT.

Last week: 19

2016: 62.8%, 295.4 ypg, 10-6 TD/INT, 87.9 rating

Jeremy Brevard USA TODAY Sports

Lost the battle of rookies last week at Dallas and now he visits the Giants on Sunday for another key divisional duel. All three of Philly’s losses have come on the road. 

Last week: 18

2016: 65.8%, 218 ypg, 9-3 TD/INT, 92.5 rating

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New York, one of the lowest-scoring teams, faces a top-five Philly defense Sunday. Manning must be tired of talking about distractions; he and ODB have to be dialed in at home if he wants to talk about catching the Cowboys.

Last week: 17

2016: 64.8%, 283.4 ypg, 8-6 TD/INT, 87.3 rating

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Got thoroughly outplayed by Derek Carr last week, then Matt Ryan on Thursday night – both at home. Winston was better against Atlanta but limped off after some late punishment, leading to a Mike Glennon sighting. That’s never good.

Last week: 13

2016: 59.1%, 254.6 ypg, 17-9 TD/INT, 85.4 rating

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Mariota was an efficient 18-of-22 with a 148.1 passer rating against a reeling Jags team last week, lifting the Titans back to .500. In the past four weeks, only Tom Brady has a better passer rating than Mariota (120.7), who’s thrown for 10 TD passes with just one interception.

Last week: 16

2016: 63.3%, 234.3 ypg, 14-6 TD/INT, 95.1 rating

In need of a win against a quality opponent, Dalton and Cincy … tied Washington last week in London. That won’t grow the game. Despite stellar stats for the past five weeks (9 total TDs, 1 INT), Dalton has only started to unlock his offense – Bengals hadn’t scored more than two TDs in a game until the past two weeks.

Last week: 14

2016: 67%, 293.6 ypg, 9-3 TD/INT, 98.0 rating

Threw the ball a season-high 56 times for 458 yards last week at London, but a missed kick in OT left Washington with a tie. But with Cousins on pace to throw for almost 5,000 yards, FOX Sports’ Chris Chase predicts he’ll get that long-term deal he wants.

Last week: 12

2016: 67%, 306.8 ypg, 12-7 TD/INT, 93.1 rating

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Rodgers’ remarkable 4-TD performance last week — three receivers got their first career touchdown – was lost in Matty Ice’s last-minute game-winner. Rodgers was also Green Bay's leading rusher with a career-high 60 yards. Looks like he’s ready for Andrew Luck and the Colts at home Sunday – especially with the next three on the road.

Last week: 11

2016: 64%, 248.9 ypg, 17-4 TD/INT, 96.4 rating

Win or lose last week, Prescott had to know his job security would be the hot topic again this week, and he guaranteed it by playing like a rookie for three quarters before rallying Dallas past Carson Wentz and Philly. FOX Sports’ Cameron DaSilva writes that the performance proved the Cowboys need Tony Romo back at QB, but perhaps Prescott can change that with a big game Sunday against the Browns.

Last week: 10

2016: 65.2%, 253.3 ypg, 9-2 TD/INT, 99.6 rating

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A second straight sputter by Minnesota’s offense cost Norv Turner his job; now Bradford’s guy Pat Shurmur takes over as coordinator. He’ll need to make adjustments after the QB was sacked 11 times the past two weeks.

Last week: 9

2016: 66.5%, 240.3 ypg, 8-1 TD/INT, 98.2 rating

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Luck’s up-and-down season dipped again with last week’s home loss to the Chiefs, as a pick and a lost fumble negated his two TD tosses. Outplayed by Nick Foles, now he goes to Green Bay. Chuck Pagano needs a win.

Last week: 8

2016: 63.7%, 285.5 ypg, 16-5 TD/INT, 96.2 rating

Brian Spurlock USA TODAY Sports

Beat the Broncos once this season but wasn't so lucky last week in Denver, where he was held to 20-of-47 and picked off three times, including a pick-six, for a 48.8 passer rating. How good is Denver’s D? Rivers became the first QB to throw 2 TDs in game against it.

Last week: 7

2016: 62.3%, 285.6 ypg, 15-7 TD/INT, 93.8 rating

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Big Ben had knee surgery two weeks ago but is expected to play Sunday, most of all by Terrell Suggs. “We all know who’s playin’,” the Ravens star said. “Tell Ben he’s not foolin’ anybody. I’ve seen this movie too many times before. We all know we’ll see No. 7.”

Last week: NR (injured)

2016: 64.2%, 280.8 ypg, 16-6 TD/INT, 99.2 rating

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Couldn’t pick apart the Saints’ defense last week thanks to a ground-and-pound strategy by New Orleans, yet just missed throwing a winning TD pass as Jermaine Kearse landed out of bounds.

Last week: 5

2016: 65.6%, 258.9 ypg, 5-2 TD/INT, 91.5 rating

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Stafford put the ball in the end zone only once last week at Houston as the Texans halted the Lions’ three-game win streak and their QB’s MVP buzz. Now he gets the tough Vikings D.

Last week: 4

2016: 67.7%, 269.3 ypg, 16-4 TD/INT, 103.4 rating

Had himself a ballgame — 40-of-59 for 513 yards and 4 TDs l– ast week at Tampa Bay. That win put his name back in the MVP race, and now he really can make a statement with a win over Denver on Sunday.

Last week: 6

2016: 66.3%, 290.1 ypg, 17-3 TD/INT, 100.9 rating

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New Orleans dialed back the passing attack to win the time-of-possession battle, and the game, last week against Seattle. But Brees still was an efficient 27-of-35 with a TD through the air and on the ground in a season-saving win.

Last week: 3

2016: 69.5%, 338 ypg, 18-5 TD/INT, 104.7 rating

Threw a game-winning TD to beat the Packers last week, then shredded the Bucs for 344 yards and 4 TDs on Thursday night. He’d be the odds-on favorite for MVP if not for …

Last week: 2

2016: 69.6%, 331.1 ypg, 23-4 TD/INT, 119.0 rating

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Continued his dominance of Buffalo with 315 yards and 4 TDs last week, matching an NFL record in beating the Bills for the 26th time and avenging a Week 4 shutout loss. Just four games in, Brady is the favorite for MVP. Sheesh.

Last week: 1

2016: 73.1%, 329.8 ypg, 12-0 TD/INT, 133.9 rating

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