Call it what you will. A nail-biter, a heart-stopper or a squeaker. But whatever its name, if you were an Irish fan, it got you to sweat.

Yet, when the final gun sounded, Notre Dame left Atlanta unscathed albeit not without having to endure more than a few disconcerting moments.

For the Irish, it's was hardly a tour de force.

But they won and in the end, that's all that really matters.

You see, there really are no bad wins. Some are just more impressive than others. Or a bit more artistic.

But the bottom line remains the same. A win is still a win.

Pretty doesn't matter much if ultimately you lose the battle.

So give ND credit for walking away victorious.

But there's no denying that the Fighting Irish dodged a major bullet on Saturday night.

They sidestepped a pitfall, tiptoed around disaster and avoided what would have been a demoralizing upset.

More than anything else, they hung tough in a hostile environment and made the game-turning plays that eventually decided the outcome in their favor (14-10).

And in the process, they may have found themselves a defense.

With their vaunted offense misfiring much more that usual, it was the "D" that made the difference by holding Georgia Tech to but 259 total yards and pitching a shutout in the second-half.

Showing that there was no hangover from their embarrassing performance against Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, Rick Minter's troops played smart, hard and clutch.

When push came to shove, the Irish defenders didn't budge. They didn't give ground. They dug in and held the fort.

Now, the question is was this a sign of things to come or merely a temporary reprieve from the normal inconsistency that has plague the ND defense in recent years?

Who knows for sure. But there's no denying that this was a mighty positive first step.

One other thing to note. Both Charlie Weis and Brady Quinn have been quick to point out that the first-team defense was showing plenty of mettle during scrimmages. Quinn was finding it anything but easy to move the ball against the "D" during practice.

In this instance, the resistance the defense demonstrated in workouts translated into success in a real game. The trick will be trying to keep it up. 

Regardless of the encouraging start, it will be hard to be a true believer in the Irish defenders until they can stand tall week in and week out.

Too often in the recent past, it seemed as if the defense was primed to make an impact, only to regress and slip into mediocrity.

But now that the Irish have such lofty aspirations, occasional contributions from Minter's crew just won't suffice. The defense has to be a continual force and never again a farce. The days of playing erratically must be over.

And based upon what happened against the Yellowjackets, perhaps a new day has at last arrived.

Thought to be a weak link entering the season, the linebacking was particularly stout with Maurice Crum and Travis Thomas leading the way.

Playing in the middle for the first time, Crum didn't crumble. On the contrary, he starred. Maurice was a disrupter all night, registering six tackles, two of which went for a loss and a critical fourth-quarter sack.

There had been some concern whether Crum could effectively make the move from outside 'backer to the inside. After his effort in Atlanta, those fears have been greatly reduced.

Similarly, Thomas was the focus of plenty of questions because he was making the transition from offense. Could the still sometimes back be a more than adequate 'backer.

Answer, an emphatic yes!

Brought over because of his speed, physical style and willingness to hit, Thomas came up big with a pair of huge tackles for loss. 

The secondary also looked solid despite the fact that All-American receiver Calvin Johnson did grab seven passes for 111 yards. But the rest of the Tech receiving corps was rendered immaterial and held to a paltry 29 yards. And when it mattered most, the db's locked down on Johnson and kept him quiet.

The charismatic Tom Zbikowski was his usual reliable self with eight tackles and solid play in coverage.

The new look Chinedum Ndukwe, slimmed down and flying to the ball, was also a standout getting in on five tackles and notching a nice play for a loss.

And there was even a glimpse into the future from the secondary. The heralded Darrin Walls saw enough duty to make his first two collegiate stops.

Not to be forgotten, the line play was workmanlike if not spectacular. The front four put enough pressure on qb Reggie Ball so that he really never found a comfort zone. The line was also decent against the run with Trevor Laws pacing the way with four tackles.

But if the defense is to truly thrive, veteran down lineman like Derek Landri and Victor Abiamiri have to assert themselves much more forcefully than they did against Georgia Tech. They're big guys who must play a heck of a lot bigger.

But, by in large, the "D" shined and for one of the few times since Mr. Weis took over, it made more of a difference than did the offense.

So kudos to the defenders. Asked to step up, they did. Determined to prove they weren't a liability, they did. At least for one week.

What the Irish defense needs now is more of the same. Repeat performances like the one versus the Yellowjackets are greatly encouraged. 

With the "D" leading the charge, the Irish dodged a bullet instead of taking one.