Tom Brady Is Biggest Winner in MVP Race, as Stafford, Prescott and Allen Struggle in Week 9
By Ben Heisler
Most players and teams prefer to control their own destiny. If your team wins and you play well, the results take care of themselves.
For Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, however, Week 9 in the NFL was a classic example of how being out of control and not on the field was actually a net-positive.
With the Bucs on their bye week, three of the NFL MVP favorites: Josh Allen, Dak Prescott and Matthew Stafford all were favored by double-digits in their Sunday matchups. Allen and the Bills entered Jacksonville as 14.5-point road favorites vs. the Jaguars, Prescott and the Cowboys hovered around -9.5/10 against the Broncos, and Stafford saw the spread move for his Rams team from -6 to -7.5 following their acquisition of Von Miller, as well as Derrick Henry not being available to play them.
In stunning fashion, all three teams went down. Jacksonville stomped the Bills 9-6 as Allen threw two costly interceptions, one of which to Jaguars' linebacker Josh Allen and Buffalo's top 4th-ranked offense didn't get in the end zone all day.
Prescott and the Cowboys didn't get on the board until the 4th quarter in their 30-16 loss to Denver, and Matthew Stafford threw two brutal interceptions, leading to 14 points for the Titans in their Sunday Night Football loss at home.
According to the most up-to-date MVP odds before Week 9 at WynnBET Sportsbook, here's how these four quarterbacks all stacked up:
2021 NFL MVP Odds Before Week 9
- Josh Allen: +300 -- opened at +900
- Kyler Murray: +450 -- opened season at +1800
- Dak Prescott: +600 -- opened at +1100
- Matthew Stafford: +600-- opened season at +1500
- Tom Brady: +600 -- opened season at +1000
Tom Brady Is The New MVP Front-Runner over Kyler Murray
WynnBET has released the latest odds to win NFL MVP, and Brady's name is atop the list at +350 (bet $100 to profit $350). Brady's consistency this season, as well as his eye-popping numbers at the age of 44 should still make him the front-runner.
Brady leads all quarterbacks with 25 touchdowns to just five interceptions, is second behind Stafford in passing yards, and has accounted for two-plus touchdowns in every game but one; his comeback to New England against the Patriots.
Furthermore, one could argue that Arizona's dominant road win without Murray or DeAndre Hopkins actually HURTS his chances rather than helps it.
As long as Brady continues to excel at this level, even with improved performances from the rest of the pack, it will be difficult to pry the MVP from Brady's hands the rest of the season.
2021 NFL MVP Odds After Week 9
- Tom Brady +350
- Josh Allen +400
- Kyler Murray +450
- Matthew Stafford +700
- Dak Prescott +750
- Lamar Jackson +900
- Aaron Rodgers +900