Some things in the NFL seem certain this year: The Colts will have a good offense, the 49ers will have a bad offense, and everyone will complain about the officiating. But as NFL training camps open, big questions surround many players and teams. We address the 10 biggest questions here.

1. Can the Steelers repeat?

Ben Roethlisberger survived his motorcycle crash with only minor injuries. The Steelers lost a few players — Jerome Bettis to retirement, Antwaan Randle El and Kimo von Oelhofen to free agency — but no one they can’t replace. Coach Bill Cowher is still the best motivator in the league.There’s no reason the Steelers can’t make it to Miami for Super Bowl XLI.

2. Can the Seahawks avoid the Super Bowl Loser’s Curse?

The last five teams to lose the Super Bowl failed to make the playoffs the following year. That might mean losing the big game causes mental anguish that spills into the next season, but those other five teams lacked Seattle’s excellent depth, and coach Mike Holmgren has a proven track record of having his teams ready to play. Seattle is still a Super Bowl contender.

3. Can Terrell Owens and Bill Parcells get along?

In all four of his coaching jobs — with the Giants, Patriots, Jets, and Cowboys — Parcells has had a reputation for demanding that players do things his way. But Parcells’s way is actually quite simple: Show up to camp in shape, practice hard, and play hard. Players who do that get along just fine with him, which is why a group of players as diverse as Phil Simms, Lawrence Taylor, Vinny Testaverde, and Keyshawn Johnson have loved Parcells. Owens has always had fanatical workout habits and always goes all-out in games. And while he has sometimes alienated coaches by questioning their authority in practice, he knows that Dallas is his last, best chance to win a Super Bowl. He’ll do what Parcells demands.

4. Will Carson Palmer, Daunte Culpepper, and Drew Brees play on opening day?

The Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and New Orleans Saints all say their quarterbacks will be ready to go by opening day. Teams often fib about the status of their injured players, but in this case there’s reason to believe they’re telling the truth. Miami and New Orleans wouldn’t have acquired Culpepper and Brees this off-season if they hadn’t received clearance from the team doctors. And Palmer, who suffered a torn ACL in the playoffs, is the type of strong-armed dropback passer who doesn’t need to rely on his mobility. Expect to see all three of them during the preseason.

5. Will Mario Williams live up to expectations as the first overall pick?

The Houston Texans passed on Heisman Trophy-winning running back Reggie Bush to take Williams, a pass-rushing specialist. Williams is a great athlete, and by signing him in April the Texans assured themse lves that contract negotiations won’t be a distraction, as they so often are with highly regarded rookies. Williams has never played against an offensive tackle as good as the ones he’ll have to face in the NFL, though, and if he isn’t regularly sacking the quarterback, Houston fans won’t be happy — especially when they see Sportscenter highlights of Bush scoring touchdowns in New Orleans.

6. Can the Cardinals finally become a winner?

Arizona will open a beautiful new stadium this season and play in front of sellout crowds after years of playing in front of empty bleachers on a college field. Coach Dennis Green has assembled a talented young receiving corps and added running back Edgerrin James to play with veteran quarterback Kurt Warner. Those are the reasons for optimism, but this was a 5–11 team last year that hasn’t done enough to improve its defense or offensive line. The Cardinals are better than they’ve been in a long time, but still not a playoff team.

7. Who is this season’s big-name holdout?

Last season at this time, the NFL was abuzz with Owens’s threatened holdout. This year the contract talks have been quieter, but one notable receiver might not show up to work on time. New England’s Deion Branch has threatened to hold out until the Patriots sign him to a big-money extension that would boost the relatively meager $1 million he’s scheduled to make this year.With a year left on his contract and with teams permitted to fine players who skip practice, New England has all the leverage.

8. Can Mike Martz work miracles with the Lions’ offense?

Since taking over the St.Louis Rams’ offense in 1999 and turning it into the Greatest Show on Turf, Martz has enjoyed a reputation as the brightest offensive mind in football. Now he’s the coordinator in Detroit, where the Lions have spent first-round picks on three receivers and a running back in the last four years but have had little to show for it on the scoreboard. Martz is more a tactician than a motivator, and the biggest problem in Detroit has been the lack of effort from the young talent. The mess in Detroit is probably too big for any assistant to clean up.

9. Will Kellen Winslow ever stay healthy?

After entering the NFL with more fanfare than any rookie tight end in league history, Winslow has played two games in two years for Cleveland. This year Winslow knows he has a lot to prove, and the early indications are good: He’s in good shape after rehabbing his injured knee and ready to play the versatile role the Browns expected when they drafted him. It’s two years too late, but Winslow will make an impact.

10. Who is the next commissioner?

Owners could pick Paul Tagliabue’s successor within the next few weeks. Everyone agrees that the favorite is Roger Goodell, the league’s chief operating officer. But any candidate must receive a two-thirds majority vote from the owners, meaning if a coalition of as few as 11 owners agrees that it’s time for a change in the league offices, Goodell is out of luck. Still, Goodell has played a major role in securing the league’s lucrative television contracts, and the owners will want to reward him.

Mr. Smith is a regular writer for FootballOutsiders.com.