NFL QB rankings, Week 9: Baker Mayfield bounced from No. 1; two new passers enter Tier 1

NOTE: Up/down arrows illustrate movement from the Week 8 QB Index.

TIER 1

• More of the same from Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the NFL through eight weeks. Everything is available to him and he's using all of it to terrorize defenses.
• First, an admission: I intended to drop Baker Mayfield to No. 2 last week but made an error when submitting my ranking. Mayfield is in his rightful place now, following up a rough outing in Detroit with a competent but forgettable showing in New Orleans. That doesn't wipe out what he did in the six weeks prior, though, which is why he's sitting at No. 2 even if the MVP chatter has cooled.
• Dak Prescott has played like one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL this season, but he endured a rough outing in a lopsided loss to Denver, throwing two interceptions. Prescott still made plenty of highlight-worthy throws, but it was surprising to see him make those two mistakes.
• Drake Maye is on one heck of a run. After a challenging first half against the Browns, he tossed three touchdowns and earned a perfect 158.3 passer rating in the final two quarters of a runaway win. He's broken 200 passing yards and posted a 100-plus passer rating in seven straight games, tying for the longest such streak in league history by any QB 23 or younger, per NFL Research.
• Josh Allen's Bills bounced back in a big way in a win over Carolina, but Buffalo didn't need him to do all that much to get there. Allen is the reigning MVP for a reason, but with Maye playing so well, Allen's recent challenges are enough for me to move Maye ahead of Allen (for now).
• Justin Herbert put together one of the best games you'll see from any quarterback this season, making almost every type of play imaginable while powering the Chargers to a dominant win over the Vikings. It's remarkable to see how well Herbert can play when he has at least one of his starting tackles available.

TIER 2

• I'm a firm believer that the Colts are not a fluke, and Daniel Jones is playing really good football. He also has the luxury of Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, which isn't a detriment to his standing, but I must consider this detail when evaluating him. Regardless, Jones is playing better than anyone expected and is probably one more good showing from jumping into Tier 1, a sentence I thought I'd never write.
• Jordan Love and the Packers still haven't played a truly complete game this season, but I can't ignore how good he was in the second half against the Steelers. The man completed 20 straight passes and powered a comeback that was so one-sided, it felt as if Green Bay had dominated from start to finish. I'd love (pun unintended) to see what Love and the Packers could do if they played like this for four quarters every week.
• Jalen Hurts put together two sharp performances in consecutive weeks at a time in which the Eagles needed to quiet the noise that seemingly follows them everywhere. Hurts is no longer simply managing the offense -- he's propelling it with his play.

TIER 3

• Some of C.J. Stroud's passes in last week's win over the 49ers were truly breathtaking. The Texans frustrate me because they don't make it easy for their quarterback, but when they have the basics figured out, he reminds us of just how special he can be.
• Jaxson Dart deserves a ribbon for the effort he made to try to keep the Giants competitive against the Eagles, especially after they lost Cam Skattebo to injury. He deserved a better fate and continues to be one of the most entertaining watches in the NFL.
• Bo Nix finally found consistency! He let it fly all over the field against the Cowboys, tossing four touchdown passes, a quartet that included a beauty to rookie Pat Bryant, his best throw of the day.
• Aaron Rodgers can certainly still sling it, but I understand his frustration with the Steelers right now. Their offense is being asked to do too much to keep them in games. A winnable contest devolved into a Sisyphean climb in the second half against the Packers.

TIER 4

• Each week provides us with unexpected outcomes. A seemingly disinterested Dolphins team shredded the Falcons, who had a defense widely believed to be legitimate entering the weekend. Tua Tagovailoa bounced back from a terrible outing in Cleveland to light up the Falcons to the tune of 205 yards and four touchdowns -- and did it with a swollen left eye.
• Marcus Mariota's stat line against the Chiefs isn't telling you the whole story. He played quite well for much of Monday night's loss, but he couldn't make up for Washington's struggles elsewhere. He's a plus backup who will keep a team afloat offensively, but I feel for him.
• Joe Flacco played through an AC joint sprain in the final minutes of Cincinnati's stunning collapse to the Jets, a testament to the 40-year-old's toughness. Before that, he was largely sharp -- but he can't play defense.
• Caleb Williams threw it all over the yard at M&T Bank Stadium and kept Chicago's offense moving, but his crushing mistake -- an avoidable interception deep in his own territory -- doomed the Bears. It's easy to see the vision with Williams, but he's still lacking the consistency I'd like to see from a quarterback with his potential.
• Tyler Huntley did exactly what I expected him to do as the starter for Baltimore: Pace the offense, make sharp throws, extend plays when necessary and keep things moving forward. He's done it before and did it again versus the Bears, giving us all reason to question why Cooper Rush was playing ahead of him at all.

TIER 5

• Cam Ward's story is largely the same from week to week. He makes some very nice throws, tosses a pretty touchdown or two, then succumbs to the Titans' general inferiority. It's been nice to see Ward build a rapport with Chimere Dike in recent weeks, though.
• Justin Fields finally secured the win he desperately wanted against the Bengals and, like he did in Week 1, looked capable of handling the job versus a porous defense. While Fields wasn't the sole reason for the Jets' comeback, they don't move within striking range without him.
• Carson Wentz should be commended for playing through a painful injury last week and giving maximum effort. He delivered a touchdown pass, lofting a throw over second-level defenders into an open window in the back of the end zone to Jordan Addison. However, he also held onto the ball for too long at times and was never going to overcome the brick wall that was the Chargers' defense. As he heads toward surgery and recovery, we can tip our cap to him to honor his courage in these trying times.

TIER 6

• Well, the magic ran out for Spencer Rattler. He had strung together a promising start over the first month and a half, but his last two outings were abysmal. Head coach Kellen Moore is turning to rookie Tyler Shough as his starter.
• It was a tough weekend for a couple of seasoned veteran backups called into action. Both Kirk Cousins and Andy Dalton looked old and out of place, struggling amid pressure and failing to elevate their offenses in lopsided losses. It's never good when Father Time arrives unannounced.