Tom Brady

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

(Don Wright)

Tom Brady has missed more games than he has played, yet he somewhat incredibly faces little competition for the NFL's MVP award.

Just as the Patriots are heavy Super Bowl favorites near the midpoint of the season, Brady's 3/2 MVP odds are more than twice as low as the next player on Bovada's list, Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott, who holds 6/1 odds.

Brady has returned from suspension on a torrid pace, throwing for over 1,000 yards, eight touchdowns, and zero interceptions since Week 5. He leads the NFL in passer rating by nearly 20 points. He also has the league's best completion percentage (75.2) and yards per attempt figure (9.94).

Rex Ryan said it Wednesday: "I don't know if I've ever seen him better."

This will be a bizarre race as it unfolds; no player has missed four games in a season and gone on to win MVP. Two former MVPs, Joe Montana in 1989 and John Elway in 1987, missed three games and won the award.

Yes, there is a long way to go, and the odds after Week 8 are not always indicative of what will happen. At this point a year ago, Brady had 1/1 MVP odds -- even better than his current mark -- and was followed by Aaron Rodgers (2/1), Cam Newton (9/1), and Andy Dalton (18/1). All hell broke loose for the Patriots, whose offense was disfigured by injury, and Newton ran away with it in the end.

Two years ago, MVP odds entering Week 8 looked like this:

Peyton Manning - 2/1

DeMarco Murray - 3/1

Andrew Luck - 6/1

Aaron Rodgers - 6/1

Russell Wilson - 9/1

All hell broke loose for Manning -- beginning in Week 9 versus the Patriots -- and Rodgers ended up pulling away for the award.

Here's the issue this year: When Newton won in 2015, his Panthers went 15-1. When Rodgers won in 2014, the Packers went 12-4.

The MVP award does not go to a quarterback on a mediocre team. And trailing Brady right now are the quarterbacks of the 3-4 Colts, the 4-3 Falcons, and then Rodgers. The Packers are 4-2 and will be in playoff contention, but Rodgers currently ranks behind Cody Kessler, Carson Wentz, Tyrod Taylor, and Trevor Siemian in passer rating.

Matt Ryan and Andrew Luck will have the individual stats, but will their teams have the record?

Consider the quarterbacks that have won MVP since the league expanded to a 16-game schedule. On average, their teams have lost only three games per year. The Falcons have already matched that total, and the Colts have already surpassed it.

See the list here:

2015 -- Cam Newton 15-1

2014 -- Aaron Rodgers 12-4

2013 -- Peyton Manning 13-3

2011 -- Rodgers 15-1

2010 -- Tom Brady 14-2

2009 -- Manning 14-2

2008 -- Manning 12-4

2007 -- Brady 16-0

2004 -- Manning 12-4

2003 -- Manning 12-4; Steve McNair 12-4

2002 -- Rich Gannon 11-5

2001 -- Kurt Warner 14-2

1999 -- Warner 13-3

1997 -- Brett Favre 13-3

1996 -- Favre 13-3

1995 -- Favre 11-5

1994 -- Steve Young 13-3

1992 -- Young 14-2

1990 -- Joe Montana 14-2

1989 -- Montana 14-2

1988 -- Boomer Esiason 12-4

1987 -- John Elway 10-4-1

1984 -- Dan Marino 14-2

1983 -- Joe Thesimann 14-2

1981 -- Ken Anderson 12-4

1980 -- Brian Sipe 11-5

1978 -- Terry Bradshaw 12-4

So how about the backs in the running?

Well, David Johnson is a monster. Having already amassed over 1,000 yards from scrimmage, Johnson is on pace to rush for 1,556 yards, add another 738 through the air, and score 18 touchdowns.

Ezekiel Elliott is on pace for 1,872 rushing yards.

But remember: it takes a truly absurd season for a running back to win MVP. Adrian Peterson averaged six yards per carry -- 6! -- when he rushed for 2,097 in 2013. He also lugged the otherwise mediocre Vikings to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. In 2006, LaDainian Tomlinson scored 31 touchdowns for a 14-2 team. The year prior, Shaun Alexander scored 28 touchdowns for a 13-3 team.

All three of those guys won. A few that didn't....

In 2014, Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray rushed for 1,845 yards (a trajectory matched almost exactly by Elliott this year). Murray received two of the 50 MVP votes.

In 2003, Priest Holmes had 2,110 yards from scrimmage and 27 touchdowns for the 13-3 Chiefs. The MVP award was split between two players that year, Peyton Manning and Steve McNair.

In 1984, Eric Dickerson rushed for 2,105 yards, which remains a single-season record today. He lost to Dan Marino in the MVP voting by a landslide.

The award seldom goes to non-quarterbacks, and it never goes to quarterbacks on average teams.

By this measure, Tom Brady is already well ahead of the pack.