NFL Week 9 Predictions: Projecting the Week's Top QBs

A good quarterback can make plays even when it seems none are there, can beat opposing secondaries into submission even when they're statistically stronger and lead his team to a decisive victory. And that's exactly what these three quarterbacks are poised to do in their respective Week 9 contests.

The Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers returns from his team's bye week to take on the San Diego Chargers, a team that just came off of a tough overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Halloween night.

Surely, the Chargers are going to be playing with a serious chip on their shoulders, and there's no better way to redeem themselves than by shutting down the undefeated Green Bay Packers when seven other teams couldn't do so.

However, Rodgers always seems to find a way to steer his team to win after win, and his astounding numbers through seven games prove this.

He's thrown 171 completions for 2,372 yards, 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions, completing 71.5 percent of his passes. He averages 338.9 yards per game and has had just one game this season below 300 passing yards, at 297.

So it's ridiculous to assume that Rodgers won't have yet another huge day in the air, with a minimum of three touchdowns and 300 yards in the cards, especially against a San Diego defense that allowed the struggling (to put it lightly) Chiefs offense nearly 250 passing yards in Week 8.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is far more feast-or-famine than Rodgers, with a season high of 416 passing yards in Week 4 augmented by a Week 3 total of 176 yards, and everything in between. While a number of minor injuries have influenced that wide fluctuation, he does have one thing that Rodgers doesn't—real mobility.

Vick has completed 63.2 percent of his passes, for 1,852 yards and 11 touchdowns (and eight interceptions), but he also has 52 rushes for an impressive 422 yards. While he doesn't have a rushing touchdown to his name this season (likely due to a shift away from having Vick run at the goal line, where injuries are more possible), those 422 yards have made a major difference for his team.

His team hosts the Chicago Bears on Monday night, and they're susceptible to the big pass, especially when it comes to top receivers. Considering how many weapons, and how many ways, the Eagles offense can attack an opponent, Vick's arm—and his legs—will be a major component to what looks like a yet another win for the resurgent Eagles.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has helped his team shift from being dependent on the running game to being a pass-first offense, with the help of his impressive receiver corps.

His team hosts the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday in the two teams' second meeting, and it will be on the strength of Roethlisberger's passing game that the Steelers will attempt to prevent a repeat of their Week 1 35-7 loss at Baltimore.

The Steelers have struggled with producing many yards via the run game, making Roethlisberger the architect of the team's offense; he's responded well to this increased responsibility, with 183 completions in 284 attempts, for 2,302 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

He's averaging 287.8 yards per game, that number increasing in each of the last two weeks, when he's thrown for an impressive 361 and 365 yards, respectively, resulting in two wins and the lead in the AFC North.

He can extend that lead on Sunday with a defeat of the Ravens, and it's going to take another 300-plus yardage performance to do so.

While Baltimore's defense is only allowing an average of 174 passing yards per game, the Ravens have yet to face a team so dedicated to and so successful with the passing game. Roethlisberger should prove surprising to the Ravens defense, pulling out a win on the strength of his arm and his receivers' smarts and speed.