Ron Borges

The defending Super Bowl champions return 19 starters from a team that went 31-7 the past two seasons, but there already are problems in paradise they will have to overcome if they intend to successfully defend that title.

First, it is never a good sign when your coach is saying he's taking his coaching career one year at a time. If Bill Cowher is not sure he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, why should anyone else feel that way?

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's efforts to duplicate the motorcycle feats of Evel Knievel in the offseason resulted in major facial injuries and a near-death experience, so when camp opened he was a question mark. Then he seemed healed during the exhibition season, showing he's the same guy who has gone 27-4 in two years as starter. But just days before the season opener against the Dolphins, Roethlisberger underwent an emergency appendectomy and will miss at least one game. He's apparently a quick healer, so he shouldn't miss too much time. But the Steelers will miss him when he's out.

When Roethlisberger is playing, he limits his mistakes, delivers big plays when his team needs them and has a competitive streak. After all, he made the tackle that probably saved the Steelers' season in the open field against the Colts when he tripped up Nick Harper after Harper picked up a Jerome Bettis fumble at the goal line in the playoffs and appeared to be headed for a game-changing touchdown. He's the goods.

With Roethlisberger out to start the season, Bettis retired and Duce Staley clearly slipped, the load at running back will fall more heavily on the shoulders of young Willie Parker. The hope had been that Staley would replace Bettis' power runs, especially around the goal line. But after missing 11 games last season after knee surgery during training camp, it became clear his body could no longer take the pounding that Bettis' seemed to welcome. Still, there is a role for a powerful inside presence, and it might fall to Vernon Hayes or newly acquired rookie Patrick Cobbs, who came from New England.

The defense lost two starters, defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen and free safety Chris Hope, so there will be some adjustments. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau doesn't intend to change his style, so new faces had to be blended into the lineup. Chief among them is Ryan Clark, the ex-Redskins' safety who will replace Hope. He is not as physical, but that won't matter as long as he learns to sit back and protect strong safety Troy Polamalu from himself when he takes off like a rocket to make big plays near the line of scrimmage. Hope was very adept at reading the situation and watching Polamalu's back, especially when Polamalu walks up to the line of scrimmage to help out in run support.

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Clark has to show he has the speed and quickness to do the same.

Overall, the Steelers seem solid from end to end, so their most difficult task may be remembering how hard they had to work to become Super Bowl champions and repeating that because the Steelers didn't even win the AFC North last season.

Hot seat
Brett Keisel. A four-year backup, Keisel replaces the reliable von Oelhoffen and the Steelers hope he can become for them what Mike Vrabel has been for the Patriots — a disruptive force. Keisel is a superior pass rusher who can collapse the pocket, but can he hold the edge against the run? That was von Oelhoffen's speciality, and it's necessary for the Steelers defense to be at its best. Keisel has to prove he is up to the job.

Overheard
The loss of Antwaan Randle-El takes a dynamic player from the offense. He was not only a deep threat (despite scoring only one touchdown receiving last year) but also a guy who could run the reverse and throw (14 of 16 passing during his NFL career). To fill that hole, the Steelers moved up seven slots to draft Ohio State bad boy Santonio Holmes as a future replacement. Not long after that, Holmes was in trouble with the law, which is not a good way to start your NFL career. Cedric Wilson will step in at first, and he has to show he is more than a third receiver. He failed to catch more than half the balls thrown in his direction a year ago, but he did step up in the playoffs and the Steelers are counting on that as a foreshadowing of what he can do.

Outlook
The only things that could keep the Steelers out of the playoffs are injuries or a loss of the edge that has made them what they are. Injuries can't be controlled. But many Super Bowl winners experience letdowns. Can Cowher make his team immune from that? Maybe but Roethlisberger's accident and appendectomy, Holmes' off-field problems, linebacker Joey Porter's complaints about his contract and Cowher's own waffling on his makes you wonder.

Prediction
Second if the Bengals' Palmer stays healthy.

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