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By Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

With the exception of Monday night's clash between the Dallas Cowboys and Tennessee Titans, Week 9 of the 2018 NFL season is in the books.

Sunday afternoon, several of the top NFL MVP candidates such as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley had solid performances.

Here's a look at how the betting odds are shaping up for the race, as well as how each top candidate performed on Sunday with a breakdown on why they will ... and won't ... take home the award at season's end:

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Jack Dempsey | AP Photo

10. Deshaun Watson - QB, Houston Texans

Current betting odds: +3300

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2018 Stats: 2,389 passing yards with 17 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 64.9 percent completion percentage, 44 rushes for 230 yards and 1 touchdown.

Week 9 Stats: 213 passing yards with 2 touchdowns, 70.8 completion percentage, 1 rush for 14 yards

Why Deshaun Watson will win MVP ...

Since losing to the Giants back in Week 3, the Texans have won six consecutive games and Watson has been the catalyst. Not only has Watson hit his stride from last season's torn ACL, but the Texans added wide receiver Demaryius Thomas at the trade deadline to bolster his arsenal. If Watson keeps up at this pace, don't be surprised to see Houston push for a division crown as he becomes a bigger part of the MVP conversation.

Why Deshaun Watson won't win MVP ...

Watson will have to stay healthy and continue to produce at his current level if he is going to become top of mind among voters by season's end. However, he's off to a fine start ...

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

9) Cam Newton - QB, Carolina Panthers

Current betting odds: +2500

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2018 Stats: 1,893 passing yards with 15 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 67.3 completion percentage, 62 rushes for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Week 9 Stats: 219 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 72.4 completion percentage, 10 rushes for 52 yards and 1 touchdown.

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Why Cam Newton will win MVP ...

Cam Newton is playing some of the best football of his career, and emerging as the league's premier dual-threat quarterback. Newton has completed the highest percentage of passes in his career this season while leading the Panthers to wins in four of their last five games on their way to a 6-2 record, one game behind the New Orleans Saints. If Newton continues at this pace, and the Panthers overtake the Saints for the division crown, look for Newton to emerge as an MVP favorite.

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Why Cam Newton won't win MVP ...

The Panthers have struggled to develop a reliable receiving option beyond running back Christian McCaffrey for Newton. While Curtis Samuel and D.J. Moore have shown flashes, Newton has had to largely carry the Panthers' offense. Newton's numbers have been solid, but he'll likely need a Herculean second half of the season for the Panthers to overtake the Saints in the NFC South, and climb the MVP rankings.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

8) Carson Wentz - QB, Eagles

Current betting odds: +2000

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2018 Stats: 1,788 passing yards with 13 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, 70.7 completion percentage in 6 games.

Week 9 Stats: BYE Week

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Why Carson Wentz will win MVP ...

After missing the first two weeks of the season due to a torn ACL suffered last December. Wentz has completed over 70 percent of his passes each of the past three weeks and posted a passer rating in each of the last four. Improving each week since returning from injury, Wentz has the Eagles in the mix both for the NFC East crown and a potential return trip to the Super Bowl.

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Why Carson Wentz won't win MVP ...

The Eagles are just 3-3 in games that he has started this season, and while quarterback wins are not the be all-end all when it comes to this award, they can be a deciding factor when there are several quarterbacks worthy of the award in a given season. Five of the Eagles' final eight games come against teams currently projected to make the playoffs, which will make or break their season and Wentz's MVP candidacy.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

7) Tom Brady - QB, New England Patriots

Current betting odds: Tom Brady +1600

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2018 Stats: 2,494 passing yards with 17 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 67.5 percent completion percentage.

Week 9 Stats: 294 passing yards with 1 touchdown, 62.9 percent completion percentage.

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Why Brady will win MVP ...

Brady has won three MVPs, including last season, and the Patriots sit comfortably atop the AFC East division after nine games. If Brady keeps up this pace, he'll surpass 4,000 passing yards for the seventh time over the past eight years. Assuming New England stays in the Super Bowl picture late in the season, Brady will only help his cause to repeat as MVp.

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Why Brady won't win MVP ...

Is Father Time finally catching up to Brady? While he remains among the game's premier passers, Brady has only surpassed 300 yards three times during the first half of the season, and the Patriots appear to be more beatable than in the recent past. If Brady and the Patriots stumble down the stretch, there are too many other passers having strong seasons that Brady might not wind up top of mind among voters.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

6) Jared Goff - QB, Los Angeles Rams

Current betting odds: +1600

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2018 Stats: 319 passing yards with 20 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 67.9 percent completion percentage.

Week 9 Stats: 391 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 70 percent completion percentage.

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Why Jared Goff will win MVP ...

Don't look now, but Jared Goff is emerging as one of the NFL's top quarterbacks, in his third season. Under the tutelage of head coach Sean McVay, Goff is second in the NFL in passing yards, third in touchdowns, owns a passer rating of 112.9, and led the Rams to an 8-0 start prior to Sunday's loss against the New Orleans Saints.

Goff's game film this season has been a highlight reel of throws made into tight windows, flashing improved accuracy and arm-strength. If the Rams remain in the Super Bowl hunt, and Goff continues to thrive, his odds will likely shorten for the MVP award each week.

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Why Goff won't win MVP ...

Fair or unfair, the perception nationally is that Goff is a system quarterback and his production is a byproduct of McVay's scheme and a supporting cast that includes Todd Gurley, Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks, among others.

Likewise, Goff's votes could be split with Gurley, who has been the centerpiece of the Rams' offense the past two seasons.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

5) Philip Rivers - QB, Los Angeles Chargers

Current betting odds: +1400

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2018 Stats: 2,236 passing yards with 19 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 67.1 completion percentage.

Week 9 Stats: 228 passing yards with 2 touchdowns, 50 percent completion percentage.

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Why Rivers will win MVP ...

Philip Rivers is playing some of his most dominant, and efficient football of his career. After the first half of the season, Rivers is on pace for a career-high 38 touchdowns while the Chargers are squarely in the playoff hunt.

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Why Rivers won't win MVP ...

Rivers is in the midst of a strong statistical season, but the Chargers are 1.5 games behind the Kansas City Chiefs for the division lead. In an era where team success is so tied to quarterback play, Rivers will need to lead the Chargers not just past the Chiefs, but also out play Patrick Mahomes to likely give himself a chance at winning the MVP award.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

4) Aaron Rodgers - QB, Green Bay Packers

Betting odds: +1400

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2018 Stats: 2,542 passing yards with 15 touchdowns, 1 interception, 61.3 percent completion percentage.

Week 9 Stats: 259 passing yards, 2 touchdowns, 55.8 percent completion percentage.

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Why Rodgers will win MVP ...

Rodgers' value to the Packers was evident last season, when Green Bay was 4-2 through the first six weeks last season before he suffered a broken collarbone and wound up 7-9 .

If the Packers are able to win the NFC North and Rodgers continues to play at a high level, he will be in the conversation for his third MVP since 2011.

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Why Rodgers won't win MVP ...

The Packers entered Sunday in a three-way tie in the NFC North with the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears, with games remaining against each along with a trip to Seattle to take on the Seahawks. If Rodgers is unable to lift Green Bay to a division championship, it's going to be difficult to view him as the league's most valuable player.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

3) Drew Brees - QB, New Orleans Saints

Current betting odds: +750

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2018 Stats: 2,336 passing yards with 18 touchdowns, 1 interception, 77.4 completion percentage.

Week 9 Stats: 346 passing yards with 4 touchdowns, 69.4 completion percentage.

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Why Brees will win MVP ...

After becoming the NFL's all-time leading passer earlier this season, Brees just might be the sentimental favorite to win his first MVP award.

More importantly than reaching a career milestone, Brees has the Saints in the driver's seat atop the NFC South standings with a 6-1 record, with one of the league's most complete and dynamic offenses at his disposal to continue to rack up wins and stats over the second half of the season to pad his resumé.

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Why Brees won't win MVP ...

Brees' prolonged career success is well documented, but this might be his best supporting cast, which could leave some voters casting their ballots elsewhere.

In addition to Brees, the Saints boast multi-faceted threat Alvin Kamara at running back, wide receiver Michael Thomas, and a ferocious secondary that have helped the Saints emerge as a Super Bowl favorite. By season's end, will Brees even be viewed as his team's MVP?

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

2) Todd Gurley - RB, Los Angeles Rams

Current Betting Odds: +200

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2018 Stats: 184 carries for 868 yards and 12 touchdowns, 37 catches for 362 yards and 4 touchdowns.

Week 9 Stats: 13 carries for 68 yards, 1 touchdown, 6 catches for 11 yards.

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Why Gurley will win MVP ...

Gurley is the centerpiece of a Rams offense that is the most dynamic in the NFL, and owns the league's best record. Through nine weeks of the season, Gurley leads all players with XXX total yards from scrimmage. If the Rams wind up clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and Gurley stays healthy, it will be difficult to give the award to anyone else.

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Why Gurley won't win MVP ...

Recently, the MVP award seems to be earmarked for the game's best quarterback, in an era where running backs are perceived as being less valuable to an offense's success.

Only two running backs have won the MVP award since 2006, when Adrian Peterson took home the award in 2012 and Hall of Famer Ladanian Tomlinson earned the honor in '06. Every other year, it has been a quarterback that was named MVP. Gurley might need record-breaking statistics to buck the trend.

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Matt Lombardo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

1) Patrick Mahomes - QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Current Betting Odds: +100

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2018 Stats: 2,901 passing yards with 29 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 66.2 completion percentage.

Week 9 States: 375 passing yards with 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, 71.9 percent completion percentage.

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Why Mahomes will win MVP ...

Patrick Mahomes has been the marquee storyline of the 2018 NFL season, as he has taken the league by storm in his first full season as the Kansas City Chiefs' starting quarterback. Mahomes leads the league in yards, passing touchdowns, and has the Chiefs atop the AFC West with an 8-1 record. If the Chiefs are able to carry their success over to the second half of the season and Mahomes' holds serve with his strong play, he'll run away with the ward.

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Why Mahomes won't win MVP ...

There is no doubt that Mahomes appears to have all the trappings of both a franchise quarterback and MVP favorite, but this is his first full season as a starter, and his second trip around the AFC West schedule might not go as smoothly as his first.

The Chiefs still must travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks, host the Baltimore Ravens, and take on the Los Angeles Rams in Mexico City. How Mahomes navigates those three contests will likely define the Chiefs' ceiling this season and could clinch or derail his MVP chances.

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HOW TO REACH ME:

Matt Lombardo may be reached at MLombardo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardoNFL