re: Why does everyone just ignore what happened in the first 53 minutes of the game?

All of what you said.

Peterson won because in the era of needing a QB to win, the team literally rode him to the playoffs and 10 wins. 348 carries, 6.0ypc, and 2097 yards only 8 yards shy of tying a record set in the 80s. THAT is considered insane in today's age. Even Murray, who started off hotter than Peterson ended up cooling down.

Dickerson took 379 carries at 5.6ypc to get 2105
Lewis took 387 carries at 5.3ypc to get 2066
Sanders took 335 carries at 6.1ypc to get 2053 (MVP w/ Favre)
Davis took 391 carries at 5.1ypc to get 2008 (MVP)
Johnson took 358 carries at 5.6ypc to get 2006
Simpson took 332 carries at 6.0ypc to get 2003 (MVP)

In league history, even in years with great QB play, 5/7 players received the MVP that year of breaking 2k.

Sounds to me like he earned it by carrying his team.