By JEROME BETTIS

Bettis36.SOTL.com

It's too early for me to make a Super Bowl pick, but here's how I see the conference championship games playing out:

In the AFC, I'm taking New England. It's just too tough to beat the Patriots at home. If anyone can do it, it's Baltimore, but I'm still picking the Patriots.

In the NFC, I think the 49ers come into Atlanta and walk away with a victory. I think it will be a good game and that San Francisco won't necessarily win big, but I just think that the Falcons aren't going to be able to defend the 49ers' running game.

Now then, here's how I saw the four playoff games from the weekend:

PATRIOTS JUST IN A DIFFERENT CLASS

In the Patriots-Texans game, I think we simply saw a situation where the much better team won. There weren't a lot of dramatics, and you knew going in that New England was going to be methodical and win the turnover battle. It really was the same old story. Houston didn't have enough firepower, they couldn't sustain drives and when the game was on the line they couldn't make the crucial plays.

This shows why New England is still the class of the NFL. They have a quarterback who almost always finds a way to get it done and the defense thrives on a bend-but-don't-break philosophy, keeping opponents out of the end zone when they have to.

BRONCOS REALLY LET ONE GET AWAY

You knew going in that it was going to be a chess match between the Baltimore defense and the Denver offense. But what I don't think anyone anticipated was the Baltimore offense putting up a lot of points against a Denver defense that came in highly ranked.

I know all the hype about Baltimore focused on Ray Lewis and the defense, but the Ravens offense found a way to get it done, throwing a bomb in the final seconds of regulation for a score.

What this game showed was that the Denver Broncos weren't really ready for prime time. Nine times out of 10, they win this game, but they let this one get away. You can blame the Denver defense for letting it go to overtime, but you also have to blame Peyton Manning for the bad throw in OT that cost them the game. 

It was all inexcusable, and it cost Denver the chance to host the AFC championship game, an opportunity that doesn't come along often. This one will hurt the Broncos for a long time.

DOES ANYONE STILL DOUBT KAEPERNICK?

Colin Kaepernick. Wow. In one game he silenced any doubters that were left out there. At the start of the game a lot of questions still were being asked about his lack of playoff experience, and it looked like that was showing on the first series. But after that Kaepernick put on a show like no other quarterback has done so far in the playoffs.

Running the ball and throwing the ball, Kaepernick showed why the decision was made to have him replace Alex Smith. The 49ers are better with him, no question. Now their offense is more dangerous, and they can score from anywhere on the field. You couldn't say that before he became the starter. He creates problems that I don't see anyone solving in the short term.

A resurgent Green Bay team that was getting healthy at the right time couldn't contain Kaepernick, and it's going to be very interesting to see how Atlanta tries to defend him.

ATLANTA HAS A KNACK IN THE CLOSE ONES

Early on, you could see how everyone in Atlanta, on field and in the stands, was so up and excited for this game. The Falcons used that energy to build a big early lead, but at halftime it seemed like the bubble burst.

When Seattle got its second-half onslaught going you said "Whoa, where did this come from?" Seattle inched its way back into the game with incredible play from a rookie quarterback, and you have to take your hat off to Russell Wilson. He's not only good, but he's going to be good for a long time. The Seahawks can trust him with their future.

But Seattle ultimately fell short in a game they had every chance to win -- up with 31 seconds left, and needing only to keep Atlanta out of field goal range. That proved harder than it sounds, and you have to give credit to the Falcons. Matt Ryan put two passes exactly where they had to be, and Atlanta got a victory that was very similar to the way they beat Carolina in one game this season. 

I think that game gave them the ability to say "It's not over, we've done this before." When you have experiences like that it created the mindset that "We can get it done, regardless of how much time is left."

A WORD ABOUT THE UPCOMING HALL OF FAME VOTE

I'm blessed to be on the list of 15 finalists for this year's voting for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It's definitely a great honor to have my name mentioned among so many other great players.

But you have to take it for what it is. There are no guarantees, and I understand they may not call my name when the votes are counted. All of the names on that list deserve the honor, and if your name isn't called you can't be upset. It doesn't change my career and what I've been able to accomplish.

By JEROME BETTIS

Bettis36.SOTL.com

Black Monday has brought an expected wave of firings around the NFL, for coaches whose teams for the most part were underperforming. But the one surprised for me is seeing the Chicago Bears get rid of Lovie Smith.

I thought Lovie had done a good job. I understand that at the end of the day it's about getting to the playoffs, but with a 10-6 record and a good history in Chicago, that move was more than surprising for me.

WISH AP COULD HAVE HAD THE RECORD, TOO

Seeing Adrian Peterson come up just nine yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record was disappointing, but the great thing is that AP was still the critical performer in a victory that put his team in the playoffs. What I didn't want to see in that game was Minnesota forcing the ball to Peterson, only to have them lose the game.

Ultimately, getting to the playoffs is what's most important, and who knows what will happen for the Vikings there? The fact they have beaten Houston and Green Bay in back-to-back games demonstrates the Vikings have the ability to beat anyone. They're in position to make a playoff run, and they may do some damage in the postseason.

If Minnesota had lost that game, I think AP wouldn't have been able to win the MVP or the Comeback Player of the Year awards. Now he's in line to get at least one of them, and maybe two. Obviously, the MVP is the more important award, but that's going to be tough to win, with Peyton Manning leading Denver to the No. 1 seed in the AFC. But Adrian still may walk away with all the hardware.

WHERE DO THE COWBOYS GO FROM HERE?

Tony Romo, oh my goodness. He and the Cowboys found a way to lose the game again. They couldn't hold up against Washington's pressure defense, and ultimately cracked. Now the Cowboys have a serious dilemma. What do they do at the quarterback position?

This was probably a defining moment for Romo. But the problem for Dallas is if they're not going to keep Romo at QB, then who do they go to? There really isn't an adequate substitute available and that, more than anything else, will probably be what gives Romo the opportunity to lead that offense again.

But at this point Romo still hasn't proven he can lead Dallas to the playoffs, or anything beyond that. Dallas has to make a decision on whether to give him a new contract, and based on his performance, how do you do that? It will be interesting to see what the Cowboys decide.

HOW I SEE THE FIRST ROUND OF THE PLAYOFFS

With Seattle vs. Washington, it's going to be interesting to see which Seahawks team shows up against the Redskins. Seattle has tended to go forward and backward, up and down, depending on whether it's playing at home or on the road. But the Seahawks have been better on the road lately, so maybe they've overcome that. But I still think the Redskins will have the edge, because of RGIII and Seattle having to fly all the way across the country.

I like Houston to beat Cincinnati, but I doubt the Texans will make a deep run in the playoffs. They haven't been playing as tough lately, and on Sunday they couldn't cash in a perfect opportunity to wrap up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They could have had a bye week, but they let an inspired Indianapolis team come out and beat them. I understand there was a lot of emotion for the Colts, with Chuck Pagano back on the sidelines. But the second half is when that kind of emotion subsides, and the better team should prevail. But the better team didn't rise up, and I think that loss destroyed any chance of Houston getting past the divisional round.

Baltimore will be favored at home, but I believe Indianapolis can get the upset. The Ravens aren't playing especially well, and their problem is that they have no identity. They don't know whether they're a running team or a throwing team. In the playoffs you better know exactly who you are, and play to your strengths.

Green Bay and Minnesota will play again, and I think the Packers will have the advantage, and not just because the game is moving back to their town. When you play back-to-back games like this the team that lost the previous time has the advantage, because it knows it has to make adjustments. A lot of the time, the winning team just sticks with the same plan, and loses when it faces an opponent that's coming in with a new scheme. That happened to one of my Steeler teams, when we played Denver late in the regular season, and then lost the AFC Championship game to a Broncos team that went on to win the Super Bowl. They had a totally different philosophy the second time they played us.

By JEROME BETTIS

Bettis36.SOTL.com

I had a feeling the Patriots-49ers game was going to be a Super Bowl preview, and it didn't disappoint. That game looked like it was over when San Francisco pushed its lead to 31-3, but we witnessed a rare feat when New England came roaring back with 28 unanswered points. You saw one team that has been a champion showing its spirit, and another team that's intent on becoming champions.

I believe this was indeed a preview of the next Super Bowl. And if that proves true it will be a great matchup and a great game to watch.

One more point about that game: It's clear to me now that Jim Harbaugh made the right decision by switching to Colin Kaepernick as his quarterback. He had that one bad throw late in the game, trying too hard to make a big play. But other than that he looked good for the entire rest of the game.

One subtle thing he does is give little hip movements when he runs that make the safeties move. Most casual fans wouldn't notice that or think much about it, but it's just one more thing that tells football people this guy is truly ready. Usually it takes a young quarterback awhile to use his eyes to move defenders, and that's another thing Kaepernick is doing, in only his second season.

I think the sky's the limit for him, and that he has made his team more explosive and ready to go to the next level.

MY STEELERS HAVE BECOME VERY AVERAGE

Dallas vs. Pittsburgh was another great game, going into overtime before Ben Roethlisberger gave up that pivotal interception. But in reality, I thought the Steelers lost the game much earlier. Antonio Brown's fumble on a punt return in the fourth quarter cost Pittsburgh the ball and great field position.

The Steelers were looking at getting at least a field goal, going up 10 points and perhaps putting the game out of control as they forced Dallas to be one-dimensional.

Instead, it turned back into anybody's ball game as the Steelers shot themselves in the foot again. It was another example of Pittsburgh being turnover-prone, which has been the case most of the season. It's very atypical for the Steelers, but it is what it is, and it's why Pittsburgh is an average team, at best.

RAVENS BROUGHT THIS IMPLOSION ON THEMSELVES

After all those seasons where Baltimore was a division rival, it's no secret that I'm not a Ravens fan. Even so, it's mind-boggling trying to understand what's happened with them.

Why do you fire your offensive coordinator when you're in first place in the division? Yes, they've had a tough run lately, but deciding to fire a coordinator this late in the season is a recipe for disaster. The timing is just brutal and I don't see much chance of Baltimore making a meaningful playoff run.

If I'm a Ravens fan, it's very disheartening and I'm sick to my stomach. It's very sad to see this happen to a team that had so much going for it, and if the Ravens do make it to the playoffs they'll be limping in.

AP JOINING THE LEGENDARY RBS

Another 212 rushing yards for Adrian Peterson? Wow. We are watching what I believe will end up ranking as the third-greatest season ever by a running back.

O.J. Simpson's 2,003-yard season in 1973 -- in just 14 games -- still ranks first. Second is Eric Dickerson's 2,105-yard year, which set the single-season record in 1984. And AP is on the verge of being third.

We all know he's coming off being hit by a seriously injury late last season, but don't overlook the fact he's headed for a 2,000-yard season on a team that doesn't even have a top-10 quarterback. Everyone in the stadium knows Christian Ponder isn't going to win the game, and that the ball will be going to Adrian Peterson. But they still haven't been able to stop him.

If he breaks Dickerson's record, he obviously moves to No. 2 all-time. It might top O.J.'s season, and it might not, since he was the first to get to 2,000, and he did it in a shorter season.

That said, I still don't think AP is the MVP or the Comeback Player of the Year, because of a guy named Peyton Manning.

Ask yourself what we were thinking at the start of the season. With Peterson, we knew he was coming back, and the question was only whether he'd return to the same level. With Peyton and his neck injury, the question was whether he could still play at all. And Manning had missed the entire 2011 season, not just two games, like Peterson.

So Peyton gets my votes for both of those awards.

I CAN'T BLAME THE COWBOYS

I know the Dallas Cowboys' reputation is taking a beating for having Josh Brent on the sideline Sunday, so soon after being the driver in the tragedy that caused Jerry Brown's death. But I think this is a situation where the team still has to show him support and give him the opportunity to be around the people who care about him.

Obviously, this tragedy was his fault, but you have to understand that Josh Brent is still human, and that he's grieving as well. Sometimes, doing the thing that's not popular to do is still the thing you need to do, for the sake of a person who's still with us.

By JEROME BETTIS

Bettis36.SOTL.com

It looked as though my Pittsburgh Steelers didn't come to play football on Sunday. It seemed as if they thought that because Ben Roethlisberger was back on the field that none of them would have to do too much. And San Diego quickly showed that wasn't the case.

The Chargers feasted on Pittsburgh's numerous errors and the Steelers couldn't overcome having poor field position throughout the game. Now, if the Steelers expect to have any chance of making the playoffs they must win every remaining game, especially the one coming up Dec. 23 against Cincinnati, at home.

I thought Ben looked okay in his first appearance back, after suffering the sprained shoulder. He was able to throw the deep ball, but he obviously was rusty. He threw some balls in the dirt, which is very uncommon for him. But what really hurt the Pittsburgh offense was that the running game wasn't there and they had some drops. A lot of drops, which you can't recover from unless you're playing at 100% of your ability.

All in all, it was a very disappointing performance from a team that was in a must-win situation. For the Steelers to look like a team that wasn't up for the game was highly unusual for a Mike Tomlin-coached team.

COLTS CONTINUE TO AMAZE ME

The Cardiac Colts found a way to do it again. This is a team that's defying logic, because logic dictates that when you have a rookie quarterback you're not going to be very good. But they are finding ways to win games and come back from big deficits to win in the final minutes.

That is so rare for a young team, and especially for a young quarterback.

As for the Titans, I have to say that Jake Locker looks all right, but not much more than that. When you look at all the rookie quarterbacks who are having an impact this season, there's no question that every one of those guys is special. When I look at Locker, I don't see the same spark, and there isn't that confidence that he can get the job done. To me, he just hasn't shown special qualities yet.

And it's hard to evaluate Chris Johnson, because he has been so up and down. Given all the yards he has run for in the past, you wonder what's holding him back now. The Titans' offensive line is a little suspect, no question. But Johnson has to be held accountable for Tennessee's inconsistency with the running game, too. The line and the running back are both underachieving.

COWBOYS SHOWED COMPOSURE AT TOUGH TIME

For the Cowboys to respond the way they did, after the tragedy that hit them the day before, was very impressive. They pulled together a drive late in the game, which is where they had been struggling so much this season.

In the late minutes they have mostly been unable to pull out wins, but this time they did it, and at the same time found a way to honor the teammate they have lost.

That had to have been extremely difficult, after learning about the death of Jerry Brown Jr. while they were on their way to play in Cincinnati, just the day before. With something like that, it consumes your thoughts, and it's not easy to block it out and execute, especially in a road game against a tough Bengals team.

This also marked the NFL's second tragedy in two weeks. We know these are isolated incidents, but they affect everyone in the NFL family. It's time for all of us to stress to today's players that the decisions we make can affect you for the rest of your life. We must make better decisions in these situations, and strive to keep the game positive.

GIANTS' WIN WAS MORE ABOUT DREW BREES' TROUBLES

The Giants scored a lot of points while beating New Orleans, right on schedule, because this is the time of year when they traditionally pull their A-game together. 

But for me this game was more about what a disappointing season it has turned into for the Saints. In particular, Drew Brees.

He has been saddled with turnovers for two weeks in a row, and now he's tied with Andrew Luck for most interceptions in the NFL. With a rookie, that's not unexpected. But for Brees to be in that situation tells you that he probably is the player who has been hurt the most by Sean Payton's one-year suspension.

It looks to me like Brees misses Payton far more than we ever could have guessed, and he doesn't look at all like the guy who last year broke Dan Marino's record for most passing yards in a season.

REDSKINS ON A ROLL

The Redskins-Ravens game was a great one to watch, and I think we saw a young Washington team show signs of growing up fast against a Baltimore team that most people favored to win.

Washington kept fighting and fighting and wound up winning in overtime with its backup quarterback. But for Washington the most important thing that happened in this game was that Robert Griffin III has probably finally learned that he must be smarter about running the ball.

I thought he'd figure it out after his concussion earlier this season. But on Sunday we saw him take off and then turn around and go back into traffic. Putting himself in harm's way like that wasn't smart. Now he'll likely have a week or two off to fully understand his importance to the Redskins, and the need to either get down or get out of bounds instead of getting hit.

That's it for this week. Wish me a little luck, because on Wednesday I'm going in to have my knee scoped, by the Steelers' team doctor. I need a little work on my meniscus, and I'm still trying to figure out how I twisted it, about six months ago. Maybe I re-tweaked an old football injury, or maybe it's just wear and tear. This will be my fifth surgery. I've had two on my knees, one on an ankle and an emergency appendectomy, so I know the drill.

By JEROME BETTIS

Bettis36.SOTL.com

Two weeks ago I thought my Pittsburgh Steelers were on the verge of falling out of playoff contention. But now they are right back in the thick of the hunt, thanks to an inspired performance against Baltimore on Sunday.

Pittsburgh went into that game like a wounded dog, with Ben Roethlisberger still hurt and unable to play. But sometimes a wounded dog is the most dangerous animal, because he's going to defend himself and fight to the end. That's what the Steelers did. They fought off an excellent Ravens team and they survived their turnovers. 

The defense was spectacular the entire game, but most importantly it stepped up and got the ball back for the offense at the most crucial time.

And I also give a lot of credit to Charlie Batch. A week ago he was heavily criticized, and many fans were wondering why he was still the designated starter. His arm strength was questioned widely, but in one week he changed all those thoughts and erased the memory of his rough outing in Cleveland. 

Charlie is a good friend, and an intensely competitive guy, but he also has a very soft heart. He does so much for the city of Pittsburgh with charity work, and his foundation and basketball camp. It's always great to see good things happen for a truly good guy.

HARD TO BELIEVE WHAT ANDREW LUCK'S DOING

Andrew Luck made a ton of mistakes against Detroit, but the important thing was that it never rattled the rookie. Usually, a rookie quarterback will start dwelling on what he has done wrong, and lose that ability to focus on what he needs to do on the next play or series.

Luck showed tremendous poise and led his team downfield at crunch time, producing clutch plays on fourth downs. He remained a gunslinger from the first throw to the last throw. It won't be long before we start discussing him as an elite quarterback, in a very select circle of the best passers.

AP DEFINITELY STANDS FOR ALL-PRO

Adrian Peterson is an animal, and it seems like every week he does something new to amaze me. Here's a guy who's coming off reconstructive knee surgery and yet as the season progresses he's looking better than ever.

The MVP conversation almost always revolves around quarterbacks, but it's time for AP to be included in that dialogue. What he's doing is special, and perhaps historic. To run for more than 200 yards is awesome, and he did it with some of the best breakaway sprints of his career. Every single play, you were on the edge of your seat, knowing he could go the distance at any moment.

MY HEART GOES OUT TO EVERYONE IN KC

The circumstances surrounding Kansas City's game against Carolina on Sunday obviously couldn't be any sadder. My prayers go out to the families of both people who died, and especially to the 2-month-old girl who no longer has parents.

I know the Chiefs must be torn in different directions, wanting to remember their teammate in a positive way, yet finding it impossible to understand how he could take his girlfriend's life. The outcome of their football game was trivial by comparison, but it was impressive to see them pull themselves together and be professionals amid the tragedy that unfolded on their doorstep.

JETS STILL PAYING FOR THE TEBOW MISTAKE

Reality has really caught up with the Jets now. I think until Sunday's game they still believed Mark Sanchez was their franchise quarterback, or at least a good quarterback. Now it's apparent that's not the case. He's struggling mightily and they have to look at other options.

But they also have to regret trading for Tim Tebow, because this is a team that desperately needs a veteran backup QB to step in. At best, Tebow is serviceable. And as bad as Sanchez has been it would be even worse if they handed the offense to Tebow. This experiment has really cost them.

I STILL DON'T HAVE A SUPER BOWL FAVORITE

This is shaping up to be a very memorable playoff season, maybe one of the best and most competitive ever. All the teams that are closing in on division championships look really strong, but no one team stands out significantly from the rest of the pack.

I don't have a Super Bowl favorite, and I really believe this is one of those years where numerous teams could win. The other great factor is that the likely wild card teams are showing the capacity to win big games on the road, as Indianapolis and Pittsburgh did on Sunday.

So this won't be a year where the playoffs are decided by home-field advantage.

By JEROME BETTIS

Bettis36.SOTL.com

It's not a good Monday morning for me. With that loss to the Cleveland Browns, my Pittsburgh Steelers may have lost the opportunity to reach the playoffs.

That loss means every game from here on out is a must-win for Pittsburgh. And if Ben Roethlisberger isn't able to get back on the field soon the chances of that happening are very slim. It's obvious the team is struggling mightily without his leadership, and that they just can't manufacture points without him at quarterback.

The must-win scenario is particularly tough, because the Steelers face a tall order this week in the rematch with Baltimore. On the positive side, Pittsburgh's defense didn't allow Baltimore's offense to score a touchdown the last time they played, and the Steelers could have won if the special teams hadn't beaten them.

So it's not impossible to beat Baltimore, just highly improbable.

The loss to Cleveland was especially hard to watch because of what happened to my good friend, Charlie Batch. It was frustrating, because at the age of 37 he was forced to try to do more than he should have to. The Steelers running backs kept fumbling the ball, all of them. Charlie's arm isn't as strong as it used to be, and he couldn't deliver the deep ball, especially late in the game.

But if Pittsburgh plays the game it's supposed to, and pounds the ball, he doesn't have to make those passes. Instead, every one of their running backs fumbled the ball, and it was very difficult to stomach.

GIANTS REMIND THEY'RE STILL THE DEFENDING CHAMPS

Everyone naturally expected the Giants-Packers game to be very close, but New York totally dismantled Green Bay. I think this is one of those situations where even though the Giants had just lost two in a row that you say, "Oh, yeah, they're the defending world champions."

New York's defense simply destroyed a Green Bay offense that's also great, but that right now can't block a pass rush like the Giants have.

This game pointed out that the Giants' greatest strength is their defensive line, and also showed that the Packers' most glaring weakness is their offensive line. It's also clear now that even though we gave the Packers the benefit of the doubt because they're only two years removed from a Super Bowl championship that they're no longer the same team. They're good, but not the team they were.

But the Giants look refocused after their bye week, and are definitely the team we thought they were. And that just emphasizes that these are two teams headed in different directions.

TIME FOR JIM HARBAUGH TO MAKE A DECISION

San Francisco had a big win at New Orleans, but it's time for coach Jim Harbaugh to make a decision about their future. He needs to decide now who his starting quarterback is going to be, and remove any questions his team has.

By not defining the starting QB he's holding up the entire team. That's the one position where you really can't play musical chairs. Everyone needs to know before the game who it's going to be, to establish a comfort level about what kind of team you are.

Sometimes, you know your quarterback isn't all that athletic, so you go in knowing you have to block better. Sometimes, it's obvious he can't throw downfield, so everyone knows the running game must step up. Every team needs that awareness, based on its personnel.

So this is a situation that could be detrimental to the 49ers, because if it's not handled properly it forces the players to pick and choose. And whenever you have a divided locker room it's a major problem. Jim Harbaugh needs to clean this up immediately, or else it could blow up in his face.

If I was making the decision I would go with Colin Kaepernick. The 49ers know what they have in Alex Smith, and they can always go back to him. But Kaepernick is making great progress, and looks like he could be the difference in an NFC championship game.

I think San Francisco needs to find out just how special Kaepernick is, because his upside is greater than Alex Smith's upside. That's a potential they need to explore.

SEAHAWKS WON'T BE A DANGEROUS PLAYOFF TEAM

There's no question the Seattle Seahawks are the NFL's Dr. Jekyll-Mr. Hyde team. At home, they are the wild Mr. Hyde, able to overpower anyone. But when they go on the road, as their loss at Miami showed, they put on the glasses and become the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll.

That's very disappointing, because a good team shouldn't have to depend that much on its home crowd. But home apparently is the only place where the Seahawks reach their full potential.

That factor also downgrades them considerably for the playoffs, because it's almost guaranteed San Francisco will win the division and Seattle will get there only as a wild card. So I'll predict the Seahawks won't go anywhere in the postseason, and that if they get there they'll be one and done.

FALCONS KEEP HANGING IN, AND BUCS ARE FOR REAL

Atlanta's win at Tampa Bay was a significant game, for both teams. These are two teams that are playing exceptionally well, as the Falcons' one-point margin of victory on the road demonstrated.

The Falcons aren't really playing as well as their record indicates, but they keep finding ways to win despite not playing at their highest level. That usually indicates a team that's ready for the playoffs. Winning on the road, despite struggling against a good team, tells you they will be a force.

But I'm also very impressed with the Bucs, because they have changed their personality and identity with Greg Schiano as coach.

Schiano has introduced a physicality that has been lacking forever in Tampa Bay, on a team that used to be the doormats of the NFL. The Bucs are clearly a team on the rise, and it's going to be fun to watch them develop.

MY IRISH WILL PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE

Here's a shout-out to my alma mater, Notre Dame, which is headed back to the national championship game. I know a lot of people thought their victory at USC would be a no-brainer, because Trojan quarterback Matt Barkley was sidelined. But that USC offense has a lot of weapons, and with a Notre Dame offense that's never going to put up 40 points it was imperative for the Irish defense to step up.

And that's what they did. Notre Dame basically rode that defense all the way to the national championship game.

I know that a lot of people are probably expecting an SEC team to win the BCS championship for the seventh straight time, whether it's Alabama or Georgia that plays. But I think that's the kind of opponent that gives the Irish the best chance to win. 

They're both pro-style teams that play with two running backs and two tight ends, and defending that type of offense suits an Irish defense that relies on its front seven. I think playing a team with a spread offense might have been more of a problem for Notre Dame.

Notre Dame can stop the run, and both of those teams depend on the run. Hopefully, that scenario spells a championship for my alma mater. Go Irish!