A few overlooked items, updates and predictions for the coming campaign. We're almost there.

Tomlin Transition.  Have you noticed that nearly every team in the league has had at least one guy who has been suspended for one game or more for violating either league rules or the rules of society? Have you also noticed that the only thing that a Steeler has been guilty of this summer has been being overweight? Last year Tomlin warned his team against being The Guy; the person that makes the newspapers because of flawed conduct. Maybe it's just luck but since jettisoning some of the most recent offenders in the winter months (Cedric and Dookie) no one has been cited for driving erratically, disturbing the peace, violation of league or civil policies. Knock on wood. Consequently, we enter the season blissfully single minded about football. Good fortune or controlling the culture?

Injuries. We've come away luckier than a lot of teams so far. Because of our weaknesses at STs, the loss of Sepulveda may be a bit more devastating development. I've only seen portions of the last three preseason games so I don't know what to make of his replacement. I feel really bad that we won't be seeing Batch in uniform this season (or maybe ever). But it is heartening to know that the IR option was chosen over the settlement option because the former will allow Charlie to be at the practice facility and help tutor both Leftwich and Dixon in mastering the offense. The team will still benefit from his leadership, as a coach for now. And since he is also the player rep for the union he will be available at a critical time in the wake of Upshaw's passing and the transition that it brings. Best of all with or without Batch we remain absolutely solid at QB. All things considered, we enter the season in fortunate circumstances in the injury department.

Newcomers. The buzz and high anticipation for our top draft choices Mendenhall and Sweed are appropriate and each player has given us some tantalizing glimpses at their respective upsides. (Also have provided material to feed SN's tendency toward fatalism, paranoia and angst) But the two most delightful developments on the newcomer front, perhaps because the expectations were not all that high, have been Fox and Dixon. I don't know why KC let him go, but I haven't seen anything so far that I don't like about Fox. Gives us solid depth at ILB and hopefully some help with STs. Dixon has been outstanding. Capable of the homerun with either his arm or his feet. Some may be tempted to make comparisons to Randle El  or Kordell, but Dixon's qb skills are so solid that there is no temptation to line him up elsewhere. He's a fast learner, and given the fact that he is less than a year removed from reconstructive knee surgery we can legitimately wonder what he'll be like when he's fully healed. He can be that X factor that keeps defensive coordinators up at nights if Arians can develop a package that utilizes his skill set. The downside is that he may ultimately prove to be too talented to keep over the long haul unless something catastrophic happens to Ben. This guy is not destined to be a back up forever.

O-line.   The one wish that pretty much everyone on this site had came true; Mahan was replaced by Hartwig. Panic has abated as the O-line has shown signs of -if not greatness- competence over the preseason (Hate to say I told you so). While outsiders and the less informed see Faneca's departure as a net loss, his absence may have actually contributed to less confusion and more cohesive play. Seems that Alan has some difficulty dealing with change. Remember his less than supportive reaction when Ben was forced into action after Maddox was injured? His resistance to Coach Z's system lead to not a small amount of incoherence last year. Perhaps that's why the FO didn't make a more concerted effort to retain his services. Jury's still out on Coach Z, but he's looking a lot better than he did three months ago.

D-line.  Looks like they got it half right. Tomlin said we had to get younger and deeper. We got older and deeper. Smith and Hampton seemed to have overcome their various challenges and returned to form. We can hope that this is the year that Keisel breaks out, and they have four solid, if not spectacular, backups with Roye and Hoke. Hopefully that will be enough.

RBs.  Wow! They got this right! Six months ago our top healthy running back was Dookie. Now we're back to the good ol' days when we have two spectacular backs,  supplemented by three very solid backs, and we are once again capable of grinding out yardage on the ground without having to be dependent upon the passing game.

LBs.  Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! Any questions?

Receivers.    Hines, Heath and 'Ton. We're good. Anything that Nate, Matt, Limas and Sam can contribute is appreciated.

QBs.   Best qb situation ever.

DBs.   If Troy and Ryan hold up health wise, we're golden.

The Division. Ravens.  Starting the rookie at qb. Unless he's the next incarnation of Ben, this is a good thing. Their dbs probably still having nightmares of Hines knocking them loopy. Seriously, without a strong offense to keep pace they may have problems. Rumors that Chris Simms may end up there. Wouldn't be a bad move. Bengals.  Marvin Lewis gets my vote for Coach of the Year if he can make chicken salad out the chicken sh*t in Queen City. More likely he may lose his job (or his mind) as a result of dysfunctional front office and team culture. These two teams open the season against each other. To be on the safe side we can hope the ground opens up and swallows them both. Browns.  Made this prediction months ago and am sticking with it; the first two games are critical to their season. There will be no Cinderella stories in the AFC North this season. Fall two games behind and it will be Hell trying to make that lost ground up. (This is for you kwoog) if you lose to Dallas, than that second game with Pittsburgh becomes a playoff game.

Most Important Game On Our Schedule.   Houston. This not coachspeak paranoia. There are two reasons to be very concerned about this opponent. With the schedule we are facing, it is vital that we win every single game that we are supposed to win. Losing toss up games to teams like the Chargers or Pats won't kill us, losing to the Texans will. Second, Houston smells like the kind of bottom feeder to playoff team that seems to pop up every year. Don't be surprised if this game is closer and more hard fought than expected. Third, what I said about the Browns can just as easily be applied to Pittsburgh if they lose against the Texans and Cleveland wins, that second game then becomes almost a playoff game. The difference is that a franchise with a recent winning pedigree is better suited to withstand and overcome that level of adversity than one that may still harbor doubts as to its ability to prevail. But my position is lets not go there.

I believe the chances of going deep into the playoffs, perhaps all the way are excellent. Why? I would argue that of the teams that made the playoffs last year from the AFC Pittsburgh has improved the most. Looking at our schedule based upon more recent developments teams like the Pats, Giants and Colts look less formidable, particularly given the fact that NY and IND have to come to Heinz. The Chargers don't play as well when they have to fly east. Dallas is the best team to have not won a playoff game in over a decade (sorry Terry). I'm most fearful of Jacksonville, but now they are dealing with their own Shawn Taylor type situation, and it is not clear how they will react as a team. This has the makings of a very exciting season.