I GET MENTIONED: Over at Off-Wing Eric highlights comments I left and adds a response from his reader Dave Smith:

Not for one microsecond do I believe that Alex van Pelt could've done what Manning did. If you actually watched the games, as I did, you would've seen one QB who did nothing exceptional to help his team win (and in fact threw some terrible balls up for grabs in both games, but especially against the Ravens)... and one QB who was so in command, he seemed to know what every player on the defense was going to do before every play, communicated to his teammates, and delivered the ball in perfect position for big plays time and time again. Or, audibled to just the right running play against the defensive scheme. It was amazing to watch. . .

[T]he MVP award is based on regular season performance. But both QB's had a chance to prove their "value" to their teams the last two weeks. One did, and one didn't.

But it's largely a subjective issue, so some people will never be convinced.

Who decides on the MVP, anyway? Votes by writers? It's not as if someone decided to make it a tie... it just worked out that way. But I personally have a strong disagreement with anyone who voted for McNair over Manning, Ray Lewis, Priest Holmes, or Jamal Lewis.

Man, I can't be rational on the subject of Peyton Manning, even after the two playoff weeks and no punts thing. Hopefully Dave is right and the MVP is a subjective thing, which means I have every right to my devaluation of Peyton as MVP. I can't take Peyton--that stupid hat he wears, the way he never congratulates anyone after a touchdown, the constant studying on the sidelines (and the announcers constant "What a good boy!"), the incessant, unnecessary audibles, the hissy fits when he gets sacked. He's the spoiled brat of NFL quarterbacks. AND--once again--the glorious Canadian hero VANDERJAGT has more competitive fire than Peyton does. Peyton's competitive fire is limited to situations where things are going absolutely right for him.