Can Kordell?

Steelers' return to playoffs rests in QB Stewart's hands

After a rare losing season, Bill Cowher is looking to Kordell Stewart to take the Steelers back to the playoffs. Andy Lyons/Allsport

The Pittsburgh Steelers, who missed the playoffs last season, open their camp July 29 in Latrobe, Pa. Here are a few questions from Sports Illustrated's Dr. Z, followed by CNNSI.com's perspective on some of the issues facing the Steelers this season. SI's season preview will be posted August 24.

Dr. Z wants to know : 1) Enemy corners sat on the short patterns and defied Kordell Stewart to go deep. Sorry, no deep threats available. Come back next year. Poof, goes Kordell, and down go the Steelers, to a 7-9 record and Billy Cowher's first season out of the playoffs. O.K., O.K. ... where's the question? you ask. Here it is: Since the Steelers got Alex Van Dyke from the Jets and Troy Edwards from the draft, does this mean Kordell will successfully air it out? I wouldn't go that far. On paper all the problems have been solved. Let's see what happens on the field.

2) Will new offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, a run-and-shoot man, restore Chan Gailey's old five-wideout package?

3) Were the first words out of Gilbride's mouth, after he arrived from San Diego, "Thank God there's no Ryan Leaf to put up with here?"

4) Is the yearly free-agent drain getting too much for even as fine a teaching staff as that of the Steelers? Having both safeties, Darren Perry and Carnell Lake, wiped off the slate is tough to handle.

The Steelers can make the playoffs if : Stewart can shake off an awful '98, in which he threw only 11 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions and had a terrible 62.9 quarterback rating. We've probably seen Jerome Bettis' better days, but if he can stay healthy, the Steelers are always a threat. And if the Steelers can get the secondary squared away -- they have the players -- Pittsburgh should be able to make it back to the postseason.

Steelers Facts 1998 record: 7-9 (third in AFC Central) Coach: Bill Cowher (71-41 with Steelers, 71-41 overall) Stadium: Three Rivers Stadium (59,600, artificial turf) 1998 rankings: Offense -- 7th run, 29th pass, 25th overall. Defense -- 13th vs. run, 18th vs. pass, 12th overall. Depth chart 1998 results 1998 player statistics 1999 schedule CNN/SI Projection: 8-8

Pivotal games : Oct. 3 vs. Jacksonville, Jan. 2 vs. Tennessee. The AFC Central is likely a three-team race -- at the most -- between the Steelers, Jaguars and maybe the Titans. The Steelers have the toughest schedule in the division, a schedule that includes out-of-conference games against the Falcons, 49ers and Panthers. Pittsburgh needs to make sure it takes care of its divisional business at Three Rivers.

On the hot seat : Travis Davis, the free-agent safety signed from Jacksonville, may have to slip into a starter's role at free safety to take over for departed Darren Perry. It won't be easy, considering Davis was little more than a nickel back last season.

Up-and-comer : Davis will have to excel because the Steelers think highly of 6-foot-4 rookie Scott Shields from Weber State, the biggest safety in team history. It'll be tempting to put a big guy back in center field and dare teams to throw at him. As it is, Shields may see plenty of action in the dime. If he works there, Davis may be on the bench sooner rather than later.

Player Movement Unrestricted Free Agents Restricted Free Agents Players Lost Anthony Brown, T, from Cin. Travis Davis, S, from Jax. Wayne Gandy, T, from Stl. Lethon Flowers, CB-S, re-signed Jahine Arnold, WR, re-signed (Traded to G.B.) Carlos Emmons, LB, re-signed Orpheus Roye, DE, re-signed Jon Wittman, RB, re-signed Donta Jones, LB, Car. Oliver Gibson, DT, Cin. Carnell Lake, CB-S, Jax. Charles Johnson, WR, Phi. Darren Perry, S, S.D.

1999 Draft Picks Round Overall Pick Player Pos School 1 13 Troy Edwards WR Louisiana Tech 2 59 Scott Shields SS Weber St. 3 73 Joey Porter OLB Colorado St. 3 74 Kris Farris OT UCLA 3 95 Amos Zereoue RB West Virginia 4 109 Aaron Smith DE Northern Colorado 5 136 Jerame Tuman TE Michigan 5 166 Malcolm Johnson WR Notre Dame 7 214 Antonio Dingle DT Virginia 7 219 Chad Kelsey OLB Nebraska 7 228 Chris Brown PK Nebraska