Manning has his moment in AFC title game

In public, Manning will never say how good winning this game felt. Nor will he do what some might do and tell all those doubters where to stick it.

But privately, when he spends time at the celebratory dinner Sunday night or when his head hits the pillow sometime early Monday morning, you can bet there was some of that inside. Who could blame him?

As he walked off the podium Sunday night, I told him that his hat should have read something different, something in a nasty message mode for all those who doubted him.

He laughed, but didn't bite. This wasn't the time, plus he's not that kind of guy in the public eye.

"It just felt good to put that one on," Manning said.

We can only imagine how good it really did feel. Now maybe everybody will get off his back.