TAMPA, Fla. — Projected starters and key players for next Sunday's Super Bowl:

PITTSBURGH STEELERS OFFENSE

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, (7). 6-5, 241, 5th season, Miami (Ohio).

Seeking to win his second Super Bowl title in five seasons ... Chosen 11th overall in the 2004 draft by the Steelers after Eli Manning (No. 1) and Philip Rivers (No. 4). He and Manning, who won last year with Giants, already have titles ... Completed 281-of-469 passes this year with 17 TDs and 15 INTS for passer rating of 80.1, second worst of his career ... First rookie to have 13-1 record as a starter after taking over from injured Tommy Maddox in second game of 2004 season. ... Youngest QB to win a Super Bowl when he led Steelers to win over Seattle in 2006.

Willie Parker, RB (39). 5-10, 209, 5th season, North Carolina.

Bothered by knee and shoulder injuries, rushed for just 791 yards and a 3.8 average after more than 1,200 yards in each of the last three seasons ... Undrafted coming out of college, got into eight games and rushed for 132 yards as a rookie ... Voted to Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007. ... Had 75-yard touchdown run in 2006 Super Bowl against Seattle, one of key plays in that game.

Mewelde Moore, RB/PR (21). 5-11, 209, 5th season, Tulane.

Fourth-round pick of Minnesota in 2004, signed with the Steelers this year as return man and third-down back ... Became primary running back with Parker's injury and finished with 588 yards rushing, five TDs and 4.2 average ... Tied for fourth on team with 40 receptions ... While with Vikings, had two 71-yard punt returns for TDs ... Holds Minnesota record with 10.5-yard career average on punt returns.

Carey Davis, FB, (38). 5-10, 225. 2nd season, Illinois.

Signed by the Steelers in 2006 after time with Indianapolis in 2004 and floating on and off rosters and practice squads in Atlanta, Miami and Tampa Bay ... Primarily a blocker ... Had a 20-yard third-down reception in AFC title game that helped set up field goal.

Hines Ward, WR (86). 6-0, 205, 11th season, Georgia.

MVP of 2006 Super Bowl, when he had five catches for 123 yards and a touchdown ... Steelers' career leader with 800 receptions, 9,780 yards, and 72 TD catches ... Had 81 catches for 1,043 yards, his fifth 1,000-yard season ... Has had catches in 162 regular-season games, third among active players behind Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens ... One of the game's best blocking receivers, broke jaw of Cincinnati's Keith Rivers with legal block this season ... Third-round draft pick in 1998 ... Played WR, RB and QB in college ... Four-time Pro Bowler ... Injured right knee against Baltimore in AFC title game, but expected to be ready for Super Bowl.

Santonio Holmes, WR, (10). 5-11, 189, 3rd season, Ohio State.

First-found pick in 2006, 25th overall, considered Steelers' most dangerous deep threat ... Had 65-yard touchdown catch for first score in AFC championship game against Baltimore ... Had career-high 55 catches for 821 yards and five touchdowns this season ... Averaged 18.1 yards per catch in 2007 ... Also returns punts and had 6.6 average this season.

Nate Washington, WR, (85). 4th season, 6-1, 185, Tiffin.

Undrafted free agent, played in only one game as rookie in 2005 ... Made his first catch in AFC championship game against Denver that season ... Has 104 receptions for 1,705 yards and 16.4 average in career ... Had 40 catches for 635 yards and three TDs this season.

Heath Miller, TE, (83). 6-5, 256, 4th season, Virginia.

First-round pick in 2005, 30th overall ... Had 48 catches, a career high, for 514 yards and three TDs, added six more for 99 yards and a TD in playoffs ... Has 168 receptions for 1,932 yards and 21 TDs in four-year career ... Has started all but one of 62 games he has played.

Max Starks, LT (78). 6-8, 337, 5th season, Florida.

Started 11 games this season replacing injured Marvel Smith ... Started 45 of 72 since being drafted in third round in 2004 ... Height makes him vulnerable against speed rushers ... Six relatives have played in NFL, including his father, Ross Browner, a first-round pick as a defensive lineman by Cincinnati in 1978.

Willie Colon, RT (74). 6-3, 315, 3rd season, Hofstra.

Fourth-round pick in 2006, became a starter for last two games of his rookie season ... Has started all 32 games the last two seasons ... Remarked during the playoffs that because of OL difficulties all season, he couldn't go grocery shopping without fans criticizing his play.

Chris Kemoeatu, LG (68). 6-3, 344, 4th season, Utah.

Replaced perennial Pro Bowler Alan Faneca, who left as a free agent after last season ... Sixth-round draft choice in 2005, was inactive for 15 games and dressed for one, but did not play ... Started two games in 2006 and played in a third, but inactive for the rest ... Brother Maake is a starting defensive tackle for Carolina.

Darnell Stapleton, RG (72). 6-3, 285, 2nd season, Rutgers.

Undrafted free agent in 2007 ... Dressed for just one game as rookie ... Became starter at guard when Kendall Simmons was lost for the season ... Had just one holding penalty and three false starts in 12 starts. ... Also plays center.

Justin Hartwig C (62). 6-4, 312, 7th season, Kansas.

Signed as a free agent from Carolina in the offseason. ... Originally drafted by Tennessee in sixth round in 2002, has started 79 of 80 games since 2003 with the Titans, Panthers and Steelers. ... Won the starting job in training camp from Sean Mahan, last season's starter, who was traded to Tampa Bay in September.

DEFENSE

Aaron Smith, DE (91). 6-5. 298, 10th season, Northern Colorado.

Has started 137 of 145 NFL games ... Considered one of the unsung stars in the NFL because he plays in a 3-4, where defensive linemen are used primarily to keep blockers off linebackers ... Has 42 career sacks, including eight in 2001 and 2004, high totals for a 3-4 DE ... Fourth-round draft pick in 1999.

Brett Keisel, DE (99). 6-5, 285, 7th season, Brigham Young.

A starter for the last three seasons, although he missed six games this year with a knee injury ... Primaily a run-stopper, has 11½ sacks in his career ... Seventh-round draft pick in 2002, missed all of 2003 with a shoulder injury.

Casey Hampton, NT (98). 6-1, 325, 8th season, Texas.

First-round pick, 19th overall, in 2001 ... Generally weighs in at more than his listed 325 and was kept out of drills during training camp because he was overweight ... Whatever he weighs, he is often impossible to move and a major reason Steelers were No. 1 in NFL in overall defense and against the run.

James Harrison, OLB (92). 6-0, 242, 5th season, Kent State.

The NFL's Defensive Player of the Year after registering 16 sacks and keying run defense ... A late bloomer who was thought to be too short and a step too slow, he was an undrafted free agent. He signed in 2002, played only one game that year, and was cut three times before being brought back at start of 2004 because of injury to Clark Haggans, now with Arizona ... Remained a part-timer until replacing the departed Joey Porter at the start of 2007 ... Even before becoming a starter, signed a four-year deal that hastened Porter's departure.

LaMarr Woodley, OLB (56). 6-2, 265, 2nd season, Michigan.

A second-round pick in 2007, he was a situational pass rusher as a rookie and became a starter this season ... Registered 11½ sacks as a bookend to Harrison ... A hybrid defensive end/linebacker at Michigan, which dropped him from the first round but made him appealing to a team like the Steelers and their 3-4 scheme.

James Farrior, ILB (51). 6-2, 234, 12th season, Virginia.

The veteran hand in the linebacking corps ... A first-round pick of the Jets in 1997, joined Steelers as a free agent in 2002, and blossomed ... Voted to the Pro Bowl this season for the second time ... Led the Steelers in tackles with 133.

Larry Foote, ILB (50). 6-1, 239, 7th season, Michigan.

A fourth-round pick in 2002 ... Has started every game for the past five seasons and has 80 straight starts, unusual for as physical a position as linebacker ... Led the team in tackles in 2005.

Ike Taylor, CB (24). 6-2, 191, 6th season, Lousiana-Lafayette.

A starter for most of the past four seasons ... Considered team's best man-to-man cover cornerback, although he had just one interception this season ... Played only two years of college football, the first as a running back ... A fourth-round draft pick in 2003, was a kickoff returner as a rookie ... As best cover man and Steelers' tallest DB may spend a lot of time on Larry Fitzgerald.

Bryant McFadden, CB (20). 6-0, 190, 4th season, Florida State.

A starter two years ago, he regained his job this season ... Missed six games with a broken arm. Had two interceptions in eight starts ... Had a 50-yard interception return for TD in 2007, when he was the nickel back ... Second-round pick in 2005.

Deshea Townsend, CB (26). 5-10, 190, 11th season, Alabama.

Spent his entire career with the Steelers ... Now the nickel back, he was a starter from 2003-2007 and has 20 career regular-season interceptions ... Had INT last week off Joe Flacco in AFC title game win over Baltimore.

Troy Polamalu, S (43). 5-10, 207, Sixth season, Southern Cal.

An All-Pro and one of the best safeties in the game, Polamalu is a devastating tackler as well as a ballhawk with 17 career interceptions, seven this year ... Had a 40-yard interception return for the clinching touchdown against Baltimore ... The 16th overall pick in 2000 draft, he didn't start until his second season but now has 72 straight starts ... Known for the ponytail that falls out of the back of his helmet and prompted the NFL to consider a rule that players tuck their hair into their helmets. It was rejected.

Ryan Clark, S (25). 5-11, 205, 7th season, LSU.

Began career as undrafted free agent with Giants in 2002 and moved on to Washington, where he started for two seasons ... Allowed to move to Steelers because Redskins preferred bigger names ... Solid and steady and allows Polamalu to gamble on making big plays.

William Gay, S (22). 5-10, 190, 2nd year, Louisville.

Plays in dime situations. Started four games this season.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS SPECIAL TEAMS

Jeff Reed, K (3). 5-11, 225, 7th season, North Carolina.

Has made more than 80 percent of his field-goal attempts, a very good number in Pittsburgh, where unpredictable field surface and swirling winds make kicking hard ... Is 6-of-11 from more than 50 yards in his career although he rarely tries those kicks at home because of the conditions.

Mitch Berger, P (17). 6-4, 228, 13th season, Colorado.

Native of Kamloops, B.C., has punted for Vikings, Saints and Cardinals before joining Steelers this season. Averaged 36.4 yards per punt this season, better than career mark of 35.8.

Gary Russell, KR (33). 5-11, 223, 2nd season, Minnesota.

Averaged 23.2 yards as kickoff return man, with a long of 43 ... Also serves as third-string RB, notably in short-yardage situations.