Bill Cowher hopes the changes will prevent another postseason collapse.
By The Associated Press

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been to the playoffs in eight of Bill Cowher’s 11 seasons as head coach.

Despite a changing cast of luminaries, there’s no reason to think they won’t make the postseason this year. The problems come when they get there: The Steelers have made only one Super Bowl under Cowher and lost three AFC title games at home.

On paper, the Steelers are clearly the class of the AFC North and Cowher’s intensity ensures they’ll be that on the field.

Yes, Kordell Stewart is gone and Jerome Bettis has been benched, but the talent flow continues. The Steelers almost always draft well and safety Troy Polamalu, for whom they made a rare upward move in the draft, could well be the best defensive rookie in the NFL.

Cleveland made the playoffs last season for the first time since returning to the NFL in 1999. The Browns gave Pittsburgh a battle in their wild-card playoff game, taking a 17-point lead before losing to the Steelers in overtime.

Baltimore retains its outstanding defense, augmented by the return of Ray Lewis. Cincinnati, 2-14 last season, should be better just because Marvin Lewis is now the coach and president-general manager Mike Brown has stepped into the background.

But Pittsburgh remains the clear favorite, in part because Cowher isn’t afraid to keep upgrading – even when it involves his biggest stars.

Last week, for example, he announced Amos Zereoue would start the season at running back ahead of the 31-year-old Bettis, the NFL’s 10th leading career rusher with 11,542 yards, and the second leading active runner behind Emmitt Smith.

“He’s disappointed, but he accepted it,” said Cowher, who hopes Bettis will be fresher down the stretch after being beset by late injuries the last two seasons.

The other sign of Cowher’s ability to adjust is the emphasis on the passing game after years of featuring a running team.

Tommy Maddox, who needed the one-season XFL to resurrect his career, replaced Stewart after five games last season and led a passing offense that ranked seventh in yards.

Hines Ward, Plaxico Burress and Antwaan Randle El give the Steelers one of the best receiving threesomes in the league. Ward and Randle El are former college quarterbacks who allow Pittsburgh to retain the “Slash” element originated with Stewart, who signed with Chicago.

Cowher has made defensive changes, too, moving Deshea Townsend into the secondary rotation and making Polamalu an instant starter in place of the departed Lee Flowers. One improvement would be the return of linebacker Kendrell Bell to the form that made him the 2001 Defensive Rookie of the Year after an injury-beset 2002.

The biggest change in Cleveland is at quarterback, where Kelly Holcomb replaces Tim Couch, the No. 1 overall pick in 1999, but a target for the boobirds who expected more. Holcomb, cut four times by Tampa Bay early in his career, jumped into the picture by starting for the injured Couch and passing for 429 yards in the playoff game in Pittsburgh.

Then he won the job in training camp.

“It was a gut feeling,” coach Butch Davis said. “My own personal gut feeling after talking to coaches, looking at them and watching practice for 2 years. I believe Kelly Holcomb has earned the opportunity.”

The running game should be strong. William Green came on as a rookie and backup Jamel White averaged 4.4 yards a carry and was the Browns’ second leading receiver.

But defense could be a problem. Courtney Brown and Gerard Warren, defensive linemen taken high in recent drafts, haven’t produced for a variety of reasons and the entire linebacking corps is new. All three starters are second-year men.

Baltimore’s worries are not on defense.

Ray Lewis, who missed much of last season with shoulder problems, is back and will make rookie pass rusher Terrell Suggs even more dangerous. Chris McAlister is one of the best cornerbacks in the league.

Offense is another story.

Even in 2000, the year they won the Super Bowl, the Ravens relied on the running of Jamal Lewis and little else.

Chris Redman returns at quarterback after missing 10 games with back injuries. He is being challenged by rookie Kyle Boller, who should eventually win the job. Frank Sanders, signed from Arizona, is a solid receiver, and Travis Taylor has begun to demonstrate why he was a first-round draft pick in 2000.

Of note: This is owner Art Modell’s 42nd and last season with the Browns/Ravens. Steve Bisciotti takes over next season as majority owner.

Cincinnati has become one of the more interesting teams after going 55-137 since its last playoff season in 1990.

Marvin Lewis, the defensive coordinator of the Super Bowl Ravens, becomes the NFL’s third active black coach _ there never have been more. He also has more power than any Bengals head man in two decades, far more than what Dick LeBeau, Bruce Coslet and David Shula, the coaches of the past decade were given by the penurious Mike Brown.

Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, has looked good in training camp, although incumbent Jon Kitna remains the starting quarterback. Corey Dillon has been a solid running back, the receiving corps is promising and Willie Anderson is a stud on the offensive line.

The defense has some talent, too, notably end Justin Smith and Kevin Hardy, the new middle linebacker. At worst, the Bengals should more than double last season’s win total.

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