Welcome to another season with a Cup o' Joe. I've brewed a brand-new pot that should be even tastier than a year ago. Here are my answers to five key questions heading into Week 1 of the 2002 NFL season:

Who are your preseason Super Bowl picks?
I pick the St. Louis Rams and the Pittsburgh Steelers to meet in Super Bowl XXXVII in San Diego.

	Antwaan Randle El has been impressive during the preseason.

The Rams had the ability to win the Super Bowl the past two seasons. Last year, they added several new defensive players as well as a new defensive coordinator, Lovie Smith, and the Rams improved their defensive ranking from 23rd to second.

I expect the Rams to be even better this year. The rookies are now veterans, the veterans will be more comfortable in the system, and Smith will be more comfortable with his players. The expectations of an improved defense combined with their offensive firepower will make the Rams a difficult team to beat.

The Steelers have added depth at key positions. Offensively, they couldn't be more potent. At wide receiver, Plaxico Burress has established himself as a budding star, Hines Ward is solid, and the addition of Antwaan Randle El will help tremendously. Running back Jerome Bettis is lighter than before, but can he last the season? If not, he has quality behind him with Amos Zereoue and Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala.

Kordell Stewart presents a tremendous threat with the football in his hands, and backup Tommy Maddox, after six years, finally has the opportunity to grow into a solid quarterback. And everyone knows about the Steelers' defense, one of the NFL's best.

Overall, the Steelers are a deep football team. And don't underestimate the importance of depth over the course of a 16-game season.

Both the Rams and Steelers ended last season with disappointment, and motivation will be key. Between the two teams, I give the Rams the edge for one reason -- Marshall Faulk. Faulk provides a degree of versatility that no other NFL back has. Against the Rams, defenses have problems because the Rams don't have to substitute for Faulk, who is just as effective in the passing game. If the Steelers were to cover Faulk with Kendrell Bell, for example, they would be taking away a good pass rusher away from putting pressure on the quarterback.

In addition, I know Kurt Warner was the co-MVP along with Faulk last season, but I think he is capable of playing much better.

Who will be this year's surprise team?
The Cleveland Browns, if they can find consistency in the running game, will be a competitive football team. Rookie William Green needs to stay healthy and make it to the postseason without getting hurt, and Tim Couch has to step up and move to the next level of NFL quarterbacks.

The Browns' defensive line is strong with Gerard Warren, Courtney Brown and Kenard Lang. The secondary looks better, with the addition of safety Robert Griffith. Although the Browns lost their best tackler for the season, Jamir Miller, they will find someone else and work the scheme around them. Losing a linebacker is different than a key running back or quarterback, two positions that are hard to work around.

Another team that everyone has forgotten about is the Tennessee Titans. With a healthy Steve McNair and Eddie George, the Titans have the ability to do something special.

Which team is likely to disappoint or not live up to the hype?
So much depends on injuries. There are at least eight teams in each conference that can potentially win, but the question is often which team will remain the healthiest.

But with all they have done and with some big cap numbers on defensse, the Miami Dolphins have reached a point where they should have a sense of urgency to move forward into the playoffs.

Offensively, they have added running back Ricky Williams, and quarterback Jay Fiedler must play better than he has in the past. The AFC East is a tough division, but it will be a disappointment for the Dolphins if they don't win 11-12 games and go deep into the playoffs.

Which player are you the most excited to watch this season?
The single most exciting player is Antwaan Randle El, the Steelers' rookie receiver. I had the opportunity to watch him during the preseason game, and it seems like he has been a part of every Steelers highlight I've seen on SportsCenter.

As a former quarterback, Randle El has a wonderful understanding of the passing game, and he's mature, quick, intuitive and downright fun when he gets his hands on the football. He's a little like 49ers kick returner Vinny Sutherland; you don't know if he's going to beat himself up or make a big play. Randle El has the ability to embarrass people.

Michael Vick didn't get a chance to play much during his first season with Atlanta, and it will be exciting to see what kind of a difference a year makes. During his rookie season, Vick needed the presence of Chris Chandler because he wasn't familiar yet with the nuances of being an NFL quarterback. But now that Chandler is in Chicago, the Falcons' job belongs to Vick.

Which rookies will have the biggest impact this season?
Other than Randle El, I think Texans quarterback David Carr will have a good rookie season. I have a theory that quarterbacks take at least four years to develop. But the way head coach Don Capers and offensive coordinator Chris Palmer have put together their football team in Houston, Carr should excel. He has a chance to go defy what we have seen from most first-year quarterbacks. Carr has the weapons around him to get it done. The Texans have placed an emphasis on protection, and that is the key for any rookie quarterback.

Former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann is a game analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Football and a regular contributor to ESPN.com.