"It's become an annual rite. Bills fans watch the NFL playoffs and relate them to their own team, searching for signs of hope. Last week, I'm sure, people watched the quarterbacks in the divisional round and said, Ryan Fitzpatrick could do that, couldn't he?

Sure, Fitz could get to a playoff game and win one with the right supporting cast. If Joe Flacco can get the Ravens to two AFC championship games, why not? Alex Smith was written off as a failure after six seasons in San Francisco. Now he's one game away from the Super Bowl.

There are a lot of ways to win football games. Average quarterbacks can take you a long way. But they rarely win the big game, or even carry you there. That's why teams dream of getting franchise quarterbacks. It's why Buddy Nix and Chan Gailey told Fitz they would draft a QB last spring if they thought he could be a 10-year franchise guy.

When you reach this point in the tournament, with a berth in the Super Bowl on the line, it's usually the team with the better QB that prevails. The 49ers and Ravens are worthy teams with very good defenses. The idea of the Harbaugh brothers in the big game is intriguing.

But I can't go there. When in doubt, I'll take the team with the better quarterback. Strange things can happen in a football game. Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers, the top candidates for league MVP, are sitting at home today. But Tom Brady and Eli Manning are still standing, and logic says they'll still be on their feet at the end of the day. "