The Real MVP

Is whomever Peter King doesn't vote for.
I didn't understand all the "Peyton Manning is the MVP" talk that started up in the last six weeks or so of the season. Sure, he was playing better, but his defense got healthier as did his receiving corps. That had as much to do with the team's winning streak as did Manning. He also played like garbage at the start of the season and had an awful game late in the season against the Browns. The Browns? Really?
In my mind, the MVP should have been Philip Rivers. He threw for more touchdowns and yards than Manning, threw fewer interceptions, and had a better rating than Manning. Brees had a good argument, but Rivers' team made the playoffs. Michael Turner also had a good argument, but Matt Ryan had a large part in that team's success (although Turner was more important as running the ball and playing good defense wins championships).
Rivers was the key in the Chargers' turnaround from dead in the water to AFC West Division champ. He kept throwing for touchdowns, he kept moving the ball down the field, and he did it all without LT playing well (to say the least), with an inconsistent defense that saw a change at coordinator, and a banged up Antonio Gates who missed A LOT of practice all season. Sure, Rivers can be an immature punk some times, but you can't hate on his ability or on what he accomplished this season.
Manning, however, is the new Brett Favre, the darling of the media who gets all sorts of excuses made for his poor performance (remember the injury rumors early on this year?). While Manning is a great QB, and more consistent and less turnover prone than Favre, he isn't the best QB ever. Heck, he stinks in the postseason record-wise, although this year he put up good numbers in his latest one-and-done performance (and I feel bad for him, the last several years he's played well in the postseason, but his team hasn't gotten it done since winning the Super Bowl).
And who did Manning lose to this year? The same team Manning and the Colts lost to last year, the Chargers. And who is the QB for the Chargers? Who led the team that shut down the Colts in their first and only playoff game this year and last?
Philip Rivers. The real MVP.