The regular season is over. It's now "money time."

Now we separate the men from boys, the winners from the losers, the champions from the wanna-be's. There is a lot of talk on the internet about the Steelers being made three point underdogs. Despite having won 15 games in a row. And after having already beaten the Pats this season. And having home field advantage.

But if you were a bookmaker what would you do - make the defending world champs the underdog? And right after they vanquished the betting publics darlings - the Indy Colts?

If you did you had better be prepared to write strictly one-way action on the Pats! There is also a lot of talk of how being in the role of underdogs will motivate the Steelers to victory, as they are aware of the number Vegas has hung on them.

Yes, teams know the spread. No, they will never admit it.

And knowing they own a regular season win over the Pats means little to Pit, and Cowher will not let them rest on the fact they won that first game.

Why?

This is a different time, playoff time, championship time, MONEY time. And the entire league knows the Pats are a different animal in these times.

The knowledge that they are an underdog can also act to demotivate a team. If their recent play has been off, as Pittsburgh's has the last two games, (three fourth quarter scores needed to squeak past Buffalo and a little luck as NYJ misses two fourth quarter FG's), then knowing the public has lost some faith in them can ADD to any self doubts they may already be entertaining.

Add this to the already tremendous pressure a championship team may be under and you could have a recipe for disaster. Not to mention the pressure on a head coach who hasn't gotten over this hump before. So, using the knowledge that they are a dog, which way does a team go? It's all in a teams mental make-up and the HC's ability to motivate and lead. In both those categories give me the proven entity - Brady and Belichik.

It's a simple fact, one that has been proven repeatedly now - when the money is on the table Belichick steps up and says "thank you very much." And Brady is as cool as they come under pressure. And in this case his opponent is a rookie. Being a rook is tough enough in money games such as this, but add to that the fact that he is even more under the 'scope because of his last couple games and it is now a double tough task for the kid to overcome.

I'm betting that right before kickoff he's tasting his breakfast for the second time that day, heading in the opposite direction from whence it came. I'm betting he has butterflies the size of Pterodactyls. I'm betting he's headed for a completion or two. To the DB's.

I'm betting the same way I bet last week, the only way I can bet.

Throw stats out the door, forget about player matchups, and strengths and weaknesses. I'm betting the proven vs. the un-proven. I'm betting Brady and Belichik............