by Sports Xchange

The 2005 NFL season is mercifully finally just around the corner, which means it's time for our preseason previews from Sports Xchange. In a league where parity rules, can any team catch the Patriots as they shoot for an unprecedented Super Bowl three-peat?

Click around through our team-by-team preseason guides to find out the chances your favorite team will be playing to win Super Bowl XL in Detroit this February. Feel free to thank us now or later.

SEASON PREVIEW & PREDICTION | Position-by-Position Analysis

The Steelers solved some of their more pressing questions in training camp but enter the 2005 season confronted by two unexpected new ones: What has become of quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers' vaunted ground game?

Roethlisberger, coming off the most successful rookie season of any quarterback in NFL history, looked like a rookie just starting out in the preseason. Through three preseason games, he had a 30.0 passer rating, completing only 46.7 percent of his passes with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

That's a long way from the quarterback who went 13-0 as a starter in the 2004 regular season and won Rookie of the Year honors with a 98.1 passer rating and a completion percentage of .664, both rookie records. He has been throwing off-balance and his passes have not been on target.

"Our passing game has not been in sync, really, this entire preseason," coach Bill Cowher said.

The first offense produced no touchdowns and one field goal in the first three preseason games.

"They haven't even put the ball in the end zone yet," Cowher said. "I think we certainly have a ways to go to be where we want to be by opening day."

The loss of two starters on the offensive line seemed to be overcome with guard Kendall Simmons' return after he missed a year with an injury, and the play of massive right tackle Max Starks. But the ground game took two early blows behind them when they lost their first two halfbacks -- Duce Staley had arthroscopic surgery to repair a lateral meniscus in his knee Aug. 8 and Jerome Bettis went down with a calf injury in the third exhibition game.

STEELERS AT A GLANCE Head Coach: Bill Cowher 14th year, all with Steelers (130-77-1) Player to Watch: RB Willie Parker He earned a starting job at North Carolina one spring, quickly lost it to a back injury and never did start. Steelers signed him as an undrafted rookie in 2004 and he has been explosive. He has outstanding speed combined with quickness the Steelers have never had at that position. They've featured big, tough backs who get their yards between the tackles. Parker is 5-10, 212, not a slight back by any means, but nothing like Pittsburgh has ever seen. Even when Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis are healthy, Parker will play a lot, at the very least as the third-down back. By the Numbers 33 — Receptions Hines Ward needs to pass John Stallworth and become the team's career leader. Ward currently has 505. Quote to Note "I just couldn't stand the blood and guts." — LB Clark Haggans, responding to his parents' goal that he follow in their footsteps and become a doctor

The prognosis on each looks good for their return, likely by the second game, but early injuries to backs on the far side of 30 are never a good sign. Still, young Willie Parker could make it all a moot point because he has looked like Gale Sayers.

Parker has been phenomenal in his brief stint with the Steelers, who signed him as an undrafted rookie in 2004 from North Carolina, where he did not start. He led the team with 202 yards rushing (4.4 yards per carry) last preseason and then averaged 5.8 yards on 32 carries in the regular season, including a 102-yard game on 19 carries in the regular-season finale at Buffalo.

Parker might be an unknown because of his lack of experience, but everyone loves what they've seen to date.

"There's a lot of unknowns going in, but I think every player, until he plays, has a degree of unknown about him," Cowher said. "I think he's earned this opportunity. If indeed Jerome can't go. I'm not concerned. I'm rather excited."

Parker would be the fourth starter at halfback to open the past four seasons. Staley started last season, in 2003 and Bettis in 2002. They also have fourth-year pro Verron Haynes behind them.

"I felt all along going into training camp we have four great backs," center Jeff Hartings said. "Two of them are down right now, so we still have two left."

There's plenty to be excited on the defensive side of the ball as well. The defense that led the NFL last season is poised for a better performance in this one. Every starter returns and 2003 Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton is back from an ACL tear that put him on injured reserve at midseason.

Three defensive players scored touchdowns on returns in the first three preseason games -- linebacker James Harrison with a fumble and cornerback Willie Williams and safety Troy Polamalu with interceptions. Famously aggressive coordinator Dick LeBeau wants to step up the heat even more this season and has added schemes to do so.

SEASON PREVIEW & PREDICTION | Position-by-Position Analysis