LAKEVILLE, Conn. – A true Cinderella story unfolded on Monday at Lime Rock Park after Chris Dyson claimed the Trans-Am presented by Pirelli victory in the No. 20 Plaid Ford Mustang.

Ernie Francis Jr. recovered from an early-race setback to claim a hard-fought second place result ahead of Josh Hurley to complete the podium as Trans-Am returned to the traditional Memorial Day weekend event at Lime Rock Park. Tomy Drissi scored fourth at the finish, with Paul Fix crossing the line fifth.

Starting from the pole, Dyson never surrendered the lead to claim his first TA victory of the season following 100 minutes of flat out racing, just days after suffering a crash in sprint car competition.

Dyson, unsure if he was going to be medically cleared to participate following a wreck in the Hoosier 100 on Thursday that sent him to the hospital, slipped on the glass slipper to seize the points lead in the tight TA championship, making for a perfect ending to his fairytale weekend.

“To think two days ago I was laying in a hospital bed, not knowing if I was going to make it here,” said Dyson. “I told my dad they were going to have to tie me to this bed if they’re going to keep me from racing in Lime Rock. Luckily I was cleared to race because this might be my biggest career win. It’s so special to see all my friends and family members waiving as I drive by, it’s just a fantastic feeling.”

Starting from pole, Dyson didn’t shy away from unleashing the 850+ horsepower around the tight Connecticut circuit that’s knowns as road racing’s bullring.

Muscling his way through traffic, Dyson started to build a gap from Hurley in the No. 03 McAleese and Associates Chevrolet Camaro, who was pressuring the hometown favorite for the lead.

“I was just waiting for Chris to make a mistake, and the mistake never came,” Hurley said. “I got caught in traffic. This course is basically an oval in the woods  with limited areas to pass. Lapped traffic played a huge role in the outcome and traffic just didn’t fall into my favor.”

Starting from row two, Hurley got the jump on Ernie Francis Jr. in the No. 98 Frameless Shower Doors Ford Mustang entering turn one to take second. Francis tailed Hurley, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack. But it was late-race lapped traffic that allowed the defending TA champion to pay back Hurley, reclaiming second with four laps left in the race. The podium finish edged Francis back into championship contention, only trailing the newest championship leader Dyson by eight points.

“It felt like a Late Model Race out there,” Francis said. “We were never a single lap without traffic. Never a lap where we were trying to get around a car and figure out a way to go. It’s really tough to pass here. Every time Josh and I caught up to traffic it was a battle on who could get around it quickest. We came up to a large group near the end of the race and I was able to get through the whole the fastest. The podium really came down to who could work traffic the fastest.”

The race featured three classes of competition, with SuperGT and GT machines sharing the track with the high-horsepowered TA class entries.

In a perfect balance of battling competitors while watching for the TA traffic in his mirrors, Fall Line Motorsports driver Mark Boden went flag-to-flag in the SGT class race for his first win of the season in the No. 46 Beverage Flavors Int’l/Porsche 991 GT3 Cup .

Brian Kleeman in the No. 07 Advanced Composite Products Inc./Cadillac CTSV SGT took second while Adrian Wlostowski in the No. 96 F.A.S.T. Auto/Ford Mustang found himself on the bottom step of the podium in third.

“It’s awesome to win here at Lime Rock Park,” said Boden. “The set up to the car was great and the whole crowd here is wonderful. It was hot out here and the Pirelli tires held up for me to finish on top.”

In a near perfect drive, Steven Davison wheeled his No. 22 Davinci Plastic Surgery / Aston Martin Vantage to score the GT class victory.

“Sometimes surviving is winning, and that was today,” said Davison. “I am happy to be here and these fans here at Lime Rock are some of the best in the country.”

Kerry Hitt won the Masters award in the TA class following a 10th-place finish in the No. 19 Advanced Composite Products Inc. Cadillac CTSV.

BOSTON -- Commissioner Gary Bettman considers the NHL's current video review system "a blessing and a curse." There are times when it's a vital mechanism for getting calls on the ice correct. But in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, there have been a dozen instances of controversial plays that couldn't be remedied with replay because they fell outside of their scope.

Before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Bettman said the NHL will consider expanding video review when the league's competition committee and general managers meet next month.

"Clearly, what we already do still may not be enough," Bettman said. "If we are to extend video replay -- and we will be looking at that possibility -- we must find the right balance when it comes to how much more to use and when to use it without affecting the flow, pace and excitement of our game. Perhaps most important, we've got to have a system that enables us to be consistent. This is the challenge, and it's a challenge we are focused on and we will meet."

Currently, the NHL uses video review to determine the validity of goals scored and to assess goalie interference calls. The league also uses it to determine potential offside plays when a goal is scored. These reviews are initiated by on-ice officials, by the "war room" in Toronto or through coach's challenges during the game.

Bettman said the potential expansion of video reviews is a complicated issue. He said the league is "very" concerned with slowing down the pace of the game. But the bigger concern, he said, is what the parameters of expanded video reviews look like.

"We want to get it right, but what is the 'it'? How far do you go back? What actually affects the actual result?" he said.

Take that missed hand pass that handed Game 3 of the Western Conference finals to the San Jose Sharks in overtime.

"What I thought [at the time] was that it would be good if I kept my head from exploding," Bettman said. "I was unhappy. We all were."

But he argued that if you review a missed hand pass, where is the cutoff for when you can review a play?

"What if the hand pass happened a minute earlier? Or it cleared the zone? You can roll it back endlessness," he said. "If we decide to extend replay, we have to define it in a way where we don't ruin the game and get it right."

Yet while playoff controversies such as the missed hand pass, a missed puck off the netting in the Boston Bruins vs. Columbus Blue Jackets series and a phantom major penalty called in Game 7 between the Sharks and Vegas Golden Knights seem to argue for expanded replay, there are many players and general managers who argue that video review should be reduced. More specifically, they believe one aspect of it should be that offside plays should no longer be reviewed.

The spirit of the rule was to catch egregious missed calls, such as the offside on Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Duchene in 2013 that inspired the rule change. But over time, it has been used for minutia, with officials counting video pixels on unclear images to determine if a scoring play was onside.

Bettman, however, doesn't have an appetite for reduction of the video review system, even though it has been a topic of conversation in previous general managers meetings.

"Whatever your view is of video replay, what we're doing is working well, and I don't think you can go backward anymore," he said. "I think that ship has sailed."

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said it is more likely that there would be a rule change related to offside than the elimination of video reviews for offside plays. "I think if anything, there would be consideration to changing the rule instead. And then it's probably still a pixel review, but it might be friendlier to the players on the ice," he said.

But if the NHL competition committee -- a group of league officials, executives and current players that is scheduled to meet June 11 in Toronto -- determines that they'd like to see offside taken out of the video review system, Daly said Bettman would listen. "Gary always has an open mind about everything," he said.

Well, not everything. Bettman shut down the idea that all calls made on the ice should be open to video reviews.

"It's not as simple as saying, 'Let's review everything.' The flow of our game would be interrupted if we reviewed everything. It's not possible," he said.

Other news from the commissioner's state of the NHL address:

Former Los Angeles Kings defenseman Slava Voynov to become unrestricted free agent

Voynov will become an unrestricted free agent at the midpoint of next season, per an independent arbitrator's ruling that Voynov already served half of his yearlong suspension.

But his eligibility is more complicated than that. Since Voynov is on the voluntary retirement list, there are certain mechanisms for his return to the NHL. That includes the ability of the Kings to tender a contract to Voynov, as long as the amount is "reasonable," according to Daly, which would grant the team additional rights in potentially moving his rights.

In other words, though suspended players can be traded, Voynov can't as long as he is on the voluntary retirement list. Tendering him an offer would allow that kind of move, per Daly.

No preseason games in China next season

"That doesn't mean we're slowing down any kind of Chinese strategy," Daly said. "The reason for that has to do with the 70th anniversary of the rise of power of the communist party and Mao Zedong and our inability to book appropriate arrangements in arenas and cities because of that celebration at that time of the year."

The NHL has hosted two preseason games in China in each of the past two years.

Daly said the league will continue to invest in grassroots and school programs to fuel the growth of hockey in China. The deputy commissioner said the expectation would return in the fall of 2020.

No change on Olympics stance

Bettman said the NHL has not changed its stance on sending players to the Olympics. The NHL took an Olympic break from 1998 to 2014 but did not for the 2018 games in Pyeonchang, which angered many players.

Bettman said the IIHF has not communicated a deadline for when it needs to know about NHL player participation. The next Winter Olympics will be held in 2022 in Beijing.

NHL undecided on starting women's league

The NHL is letting "the dust settle" on the women's hockey landscape before deciding whether to launch its own women's league, according to Bettman.

"Whether it's appropriate or not to get involved or start our own league is not something everyone agrees on," Bettman said.

More than 200 women's hockey players announced that they will not be playing in a league next season until a more viable, sustainable league emerges. The NHL has previously said it doesn't want to interfere with any existing leagues. There is currently one women's professional league in North America, the NWHL, and Bettman alluded to rumors about another league sprouting up.

The NHL invited women's hockey players to participate at the 2019 All-Star game, and the NHL helped facilitate the Canada-USA series last year. Bettman said the league will continue to support "one-offs" such as that as it explores whether to get involved in a more meaningful way.

Kuraly, Bruins rally, beat Blues 4-2 in Stanley Cup opener

Sean Kuraly scored to break a third-period tie and assisted on another goal to help the Boston Bruins rally from a two-goal deficit and beat the St. Louis Blues 4-2 on Monday night in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Brazilian star Neymar has lost his national team's captaincy for this summer's Copa America to veteran Dani Alves.

Brazil's football confederation, CBF, said in a statement Monday that the 36-year-old defender -- also a teammate of Neymar's with Paris Saint-Germain -- will start wearing the armband in the friendly against Qatar on June 5 in Brasilia.

The 27-year-old Neymar has been Brazil's captain since its elimination in the World Cup quarterfinals against Belgium in 2018. Marcelo was the captain for that tournament, during which Dani Alves was injured.

The CBF said Brazil coach Tite informed Neymar of his decision on Saturday, the day the PSG striker arrived at the national team's training ground outside Rio de Janeiro.

Tite's decision comes after Neymar's altercation with a fan at the French Cup final on April 27 and a Champions League suspension for insulting a match official after PSG's defeat to Manchester United.

Tite said last week that he planned to speak to Neymar about his behavior.

"Neymar made a mistake, which was his fault," Tite said. "I will speak with Neymar about it. I will speak with him about manners. I will speak with Neymar as the Brazil coach, but also as a human being. It will be about manners and principles.

"The most important thing is to have an exchange with Neymar, as I did with Douglas Costa (when the Juventus player was involved in a spitting incident). Any problems regarding a player's behavior will be treated as a matter of education."

The Copa America will be played in Brazil between June 14 and July 7. Brazil are in Group A with Bolivia, Venezuela and Peru.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos asked to leave to join a team in China on a free transfer, club president Florentino Perez has said, adding that he turned down the defender's request.

"They [Ramos and his agent] came to see me in my office and told me they had a very good offer from China but the league rules over there wouldn't permit them to pay the transfer fee," Perez told radio station Onda Cero on Monday.

Sources: Hazard edges closer to Madrid move
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"What was I going to tell him? We said this couldn't happen but we'd speak to the club to satisfy him but that Real Madrid could not afford to let its captain leave for free as that would set a terrible precedent for other players."

The Spain defender, 33, is Madrid's longest serving player and one of club's most beloved players for his role in winning four Champions League titles, but he shouldered a lot of criticism for the team's harrowing last campaign.

Ramos was found by UEFA to have intentionally got suspended for the second leg of Madrid's Champions League last-16 tie with Ajax Amsterdam, which they lost 4-1 to exit the competition at the earliest stage since 2010.

Madrid also had one of their worst domestic campaigns in recent memory, finishing 19 points behind champions Barcelona and losing 12 league matches for the first time in 20 years, as well as being knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Barca.

Australia have completed their warm-up matches ahead of their World Cup opener against Afghanistan on June 1, but how close are they to knowing their best XI? Here are three key questions that remain to be answered.

Khawaja v Marsh

Barring injury, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh cannot fit in the same XI now that David Warner and Steven Smith are back, so one will be carrying the drinks. Each have strong cases to make the cut, although if the most recent success carries weight then that favours Khawaja, who has scored 769 runs in 13 ODIs this year (more than any other player). He was shuffled around in the warm-up matches - batting in an unaccustomed No. 5 against West Indies then opening against Sri Lanka and making 89 - and has shaken off two injury scares (a blow on the head and the knee) during the preparation. The other debate with Khawaja, if he plays, is where he bats - either opening where he has forged a strong alliance with Aaron Finch or at No. 3 to allow Warner to return at the top. Marsh, meanwhile, could rightly feel hard-done by if he misses out having carried Australia's batting during their one-day struggles with four centuries in eight innings against England, South Africa and India.

One spinner or two

The warm-up matches allowed teams to use more than eleven players so there was a chance for Adam Zampa and Nathan Lyon to get a good amount of work. During the camp in Brisbane, Finch said that Zampa was the No. 1 spinner given he provides an attacking option, but the ball has also been coming out nicely for Lyon since arriving in England. However, it's tough for Australia to balance their side with three frontline quicks and play both frontline spinners - the only way would be to leave out a batsman, play Alex Carey at No. 6 and a collection of bowling allrounders. Glenn Maxwell's bowling is shaping as an important part of the gameplan - good for a full quota if things go well - and he has previously spoken about the value of his stint with Lancashire earlier in the season. It was also interesting to see Smith given a twirl against West Indies and Sri Lanka, clearly Finch is trying to have as many options as he can. And could the captain be one himself? Remember that ODI against Pakistan in March when he took 1 for 41 off his 10 overs?

Who supports Starc and Cummins?

The big two are locked in, but in the absence of Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson there remains a jostling for who the third quick will be between Nathan Coulter-Nile, Kane Richardson and Jason Behrendorff. They all bring something a little different; Coulter-Nile offers more batting, Richardson is known for his skills at the death and Behrendorff can be a threat if the new ball moves. Richardson was given both official warm-up matches although he was expensive against the Sri Lankans, Coulter-Nile took a pasting from Jos Buttler before claiming his wicket and Behrendorff collected 2 for 43 in his outing against England. It is likely that all will be needed at some stage of the tournament but it remains tricky to say who is the frontrunner.

BOSTON -- Boston Bruins veterans know that the Stanley Cup Final will be a physical series, and perhaps nobody set the tone better in Game 1 than 5-foot-9 defenseman Torey Krug.

After tangling with St. Louis Blues forward David Perron by his own net in the third period, Krug lost his helmet and -- in a highlight of the Bruins' 4-2 win over the Blues on Monday night -- skated the length of the ice with his hair flowing. Krug then delivered a huge hit on Blues rookie Robert Thomas. The defenseman soared in the air on his way down, momentarily evoking the iconic image of Bruins legend Bobby Orr, though in a much different context.

"Well, he got a haircut a couple days ago," teammate David Pastrnak said. "So he was looking pretty good."

After the game, Krug said Perron "ripped [the helmet] off my head."

The 28-year-old said he did not hit his head against the ice when he came down from the Thomas hit.

"No, all good," Krug said with a smile.

"Obviously, first and foremost, you want to take care of your head and make sure that you don't put yourself in a vulnerable position," Krug said. "I'm sure my coach and my GM were hoping that I would just get off the ice at that point. But that's hockey. That's all I can really say about that."

Krug later said his wife was probably concerned, which is not ideal considering she is pregnant.

The Bruins looked a bit rusty after a 10-day layoff between games and fell behind 2-0. But by the time of Krug's hit, the Bruins were buzzing thanks to an imposing second period in which they dominated possession and had 29 scoring chances compared to St. Louis' seven.

The Krug hit, however, seemed to put the Bruins in cruise control and rallied the bench. Asked what Krug's hit showed him, Bruins rookie Connor Clifton said: "His courage, and you don't want to mess with that guy. Don't make that guy mad."

Krug, who played collegiately at Michigan State but went undrafted, said he feels like he has been targeted his entire career because of his size. Since Krug debuted in 2011, the NHL has begun favoring speed and skill -- meaning height isn't as important, and there are now more players of Krug's stature.

It wasn't always that way.

"Every game in the NHL, since I've been in the league, [players have tried to get under my skin]," Krug said. "I'm a 5-foot-9 defenseman, I'd probably do the same thing if I was on the opposing teams. I'd probably try to run me straight through the boards. It's no secret a strength of mine is breaking out of the box. Their strength is beating on the forecheck. So they're going to be coming, I know that. They've been coming all playoffs. I welcome the challenge."

Krug and Perron tussled in wrestling-style moves for several seconds in front of Boston's net as an official looked on. Perron explained the scuffle from his point of view.

"I saw the puck going to the point," the Blues forward said. "I was just trying to get body position. You see some shoving. I'm just trying to make as much room for myself but also trying to generate some momentum for my club. Maybe he hit you one time too many and goes to the box. Knowing what the penalties are at, it was close to happening."

After being the most disciplined team through the first three rounds, the Blues took five penalties in Game 1. Game 2 is Wednesday in Boston.

BOSTON -- For 21 minutes of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, the St. Louis Blues looked like the composed, confident team that won the Western Conference. They took a 2-0 lead by forcing turnovers with their punishing forechecks, and rookie goalie Jordan Binnington turned every Boston Bruins chance aside.

But from the moment Bruins defenseman Connor Clifton scored at 2:16 of the second period through Boston's celebration of its 4-2 victory, the Blues weren't the Blues. They were sloppy. They were undisciplined. And, in a rarity over their past several postseason games, they were overmatched.

"They're a good team, and they're going to force us into bad situations and things like that. But we need more than we gave tonight," said Blues coach Craig Berube.

The Bruins had a 33-15 advantage in shot attempts at 5-on-5 through the final two periods. They attacked the Blues' zone in waves. They prevented the Blues from generating anything close to established offensive zone time after Vladimir Tarasenko's goal a minute into the second period, giving Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask an easy night.

"What did we have? Fifteen, 16 shots? That's not enough," said Blues center Brayden Schenn, low-balling the total of 20 shots for St. Louis. "He's a world-class goaltender. We've got to not only shoot more pucks, we didn't get enough traffic around him. Tips, screens, we didn't make it very hard on him tonight."

Part of that struggle was not getting the puck deep enough to generate chances.

"They're a forecheck team. That's how they establish territory," said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. "I think we just know how to check. I think we've done it to Carolina, Toronto, Columbus. We know how to play winning hockey when we need to and limit the other team's chances."

But the great undoing for the Blues in Game 1 was their frequent trips to the penalty box: five of them for a total of 9:37 of penalty kill time. They entered the game talking about discipline in light of the Bruins' stellar power play, which clicked at a 34 percent success rate through three rounds, the best since the 1980-81 New York Islanders. They ended up playing with fire and then getting burned by an unassisted power-play goal by Charlie McAvoy in the second period to completely erase their lead.

It wasn't just that the Bruins converted, it's that killing those penalties left the Blues' attack disjointed.

"We went to the box too much. We lost our composure a little bit," said forward David Perron. "When you get into penalty trouble, a lot of guys sit on the bench, and it's tough to get going. That's what happened a little bit."

Meanwhile, the Bruins were the more disciplined team, with just two penalties called on them.

"We stayed out of the box. I think that helps limit the chance attempts. They're spending energy killing penalties, so that takes away some of their offense," said Cassidy.

The silver lining for the Blues is they still have a chance for a split in Wednesday's Game 2, and they've shown a propensity for bouncing back from these kinds of efforts; Binnington, in particular, has led those efforts.

"It's not always going to be perfect," said Binnington, who is 5-2 after losses in the playoffs. "It's Game 1. It's a seven-game series. We're going to regroup and come back at 'em."

After an offseason of trades, free-agent signings and draft picks, each team has plenty of storylines. But let's face it: There are stories, and then there are stories.

We're addressing the latter, as we've enlisted our NFL Nation writers to pick out the top story for each team in 2019. Can the Cleveland Browns' "dream team" reverse a history full of nightmares? Can the quarterbacks from the Class of 2004 adjust to their late-career realities? There are only 101 days until the start of the season, so dive in and familiarize yourself with what's going on throughout the league.

JUMP TO A TEAM:
AFC East: BUF | MIA | NE | NYJ
AFC North: BAL | CIN | CLE | PIT
AFC South: HOU | IND | JAX | TEN
AFC West: DEN | KC | LAC | OAK
NFC East: DAL | NYG | PHI | WSH
NFC North: CHI | DET | GB | MIN
NFC South: ATL | CAR | NO | TB
NFC West: ARI | LAR | SF | SEA

AFC EAST

Buffalo Bills

Can quarterback Josh Allen take the next step in his development?

Last season, as a rookie, Allen showed flashes of becoming the long-term answer the franchise has been waiting for since Jim Kelly retired after the 1996 season. Though Allen's talent is evident, he'll need to improve his accuracy and consistency, and help bring the best out of a supporting cast that lacks star power. -- Mike Rodak

Miami Dolphins

Is Josh Rosen the long-term answer at QB?

The Dolphins are searching for the franchise quarterback to lead their rebuild after seven seasons of mediocrity under Ryan Tannehill. They weren't in love with the options in the draft, but Dolphins general manager Chris Grier pulled off a great deal getting Rosen at a discount value. The 2019 season will be like a tryout for Rosen, who will have to beat out Ryan Fitzpatrick and convince the Dolphins that they don't need to pick a QB in next year's draft. Miami has spent the past 20 years looking for the next Dan Marino, and Rosen is as talented as any option they've brought in to fill the QB role. -- Cameron Wolfe

New England Patriots

Can the Patriots become the first team to repeat as Super Bowl champions since they pulled the trick in 2004?

Tom Brady turns 42 in August, Bill Belichick shows no signs of slowing down at 67, and the Patriots are still viewed as a perennial contender. But there's no Gronk, there's significant turnover on the coaching staff, and history isn't on the team's side, as it's proved to be especially difficult to win back-to-back titles. That mix adds a layer of intrigue as the Brady-Belichick pairing enters its 20th season together. -- Mike Reiss

New York Jets

Can coach Adam Gase overcome his rocky start?

Gase wasn't a popular hire among fans and was later portrayed as the bad guy in a power struggle that resulted in GM Mike Maccagnan's ousting. Gase also might have to repair his relationship with running back Le'Veon Bell, whom Gase reportedly didn't want to sign. His challenge: Fix the dysfunction, turn Sam Darnold into an elite QB and make the Jets a contender. So much for a honeymoon. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH

Baltimore Ravens

The development of Lamar Jackson

He led the Ravens to a 6-1 record and their first AFC North title in six years, but Jackson needs to make strides in his second season -- especially as a passer -- for Baltimore to return to the postseason. The Ravens have done a lot of work this offseason to help Jackson, giving him a new offensive coordinator (Greg Roman), drafting two wide receivers in the first three rounds (Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin) and signing a proven runner and leader (Mark Ingram II). How much Jackson progresses is the key to the Ravens' season. -- Jamison Hensley

Cincinnati Bengals

Did the Bengals make the right choice in hiring Zac Taylor?

A lot has been made about Taylor's age (35) and relative lack of experience after he was hired away from the Rams (he was the quarterbacks coach in L.A.). It's clear Taylor has a vision in mind, which included the controversial hire of offensive line coach Jim Turner, who was involved in the Dolphins' bullying scandal. But it remains to be seen if that vision will lead to success. The Bengals have a new head coach for the first time since Marvin Lewis was hired in 2003, so this certainly will be a year of scrutiny. -- Katherine Terrell

Cleveland Browns

Can the new Dream Team exorcise its playoff demon?

The Browns' offseason acquisitions are reminiscent of those made by the 2011 Eagles, and the buzz is palpable inside the team facility. The Browns haven't experienced a playoff game since 2002 and believe it's time. Linebacker and tight end might be the only perceived weaknesses on the roster -- on paper. The pieces have to jell, and Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. have yet to connect on a practice pass. It's on Mayfield to make sure the team responds to adversity if it hits early in the season. -- Jeremy Fowler

Pittsburgh Steelers

Can Big Ben produce big things for the Steelers as the last Killer B?

The franchise is all-in on Ben Roethlisberger to lead it to one more Super Bowl, and he must do so without 3,500 combined yards of yearly production from Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Roethlisberger is doing his part, calling his leadership role in 2019 a "refocus" effort to better understand his teammates on and off the field. The Steelers will need one of his best years, but not just statistically -- he'll be charged with getting the offense in the right place and maximizing the run game with pre-snap decision-making. -- Jeremy Fowler

AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans

Can Deshaun Watson take the next step to being an elite quarterback?

On paper, the Texans should have one of the best offenses in the NFL, led by Watson, All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins and receiver Will Fuller. But though the offense has shown promise and glimpses of how good it can be in Watson's first two seasons, the Texans could be one of the best teams in the AFC if he becomes more consistent. -- Sarah Barshop

Indianapolis Colts

Can the Colts become a top-five rushing team?

That's coach Frank Reich's goal. Huh? With Andrew Luck as their starting quarterback? It's actually possible when you consider that the Colts return all five starters from one of the league's best offensive lines, the passing game will force defenses to be honest, and there are a number of running backs who present different challenges for the defense. The Rams (third in rushing in 2018), Patriots (fifth) and Saints (sixth) all have very talented passing quarterbacks, so the Colts could achieve that type of success this season. -- Mike Wells

Jacksonville Jaguars

The signing of QB Nick Foles to fix an anemic offense

The Jaguars have one of the NFL's top defenses, but that wasn't enough to overcome the offense's terrible play last season. The defense had no margin for error, and giving up more than 10 points meant the team had little chance of winning. The Jaguars believe that adding Foles changes that. His consistency and accuracy -- the two major issues with former starter Blake Bortles -- means the offense should be able to produce points again, especially if it can run the ball the way it did in 2017. -- Mike DiRocco

Tennessee Titans

Can Marcus Mariota establish himself as the cornerstone of the Titans' offense?

Mariota is surrounded by perhaps the best supporting cast he's had. The Titans bolstered the offensive line, added playmaking wide receivers, and tight end Delanie Walker is returning from injury. If Mariota doesn't prove he can stay healthy and be productive, the Titans might find themselves moving on to a different option under center. -- Turron Davenport

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Can the Broncos' offense be the best it's been since Peyton Manning retired?

This question breaks off into some smaller ones. Does quarterback Joe Flacco have plenty left in the tank? Can they protect him? Can they fit the plan to the personnel? Rich Scangarello is the third offensive coordinator in the past three seasons and will try to find a rhythm that's been mostly absent since Manning was the QB. Since winning Super Bowl 50, Denver has had a mishmash of inconsistent line play, hesitant quarterbacks and conservative philosophy. That has to change, or the team will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight season. -- Jeff Legwold

Kansas City Chiefs

Can the defense carry its fair share of the load?

The Chiefs overhauled their defense by changing the coaching staff, installing a 4-3 base system and acquiring as many as seven new starters, including safety Tyrann Mathieu and defensive end Frank Clark. Will this be enough to get the Chiefs to their first Super Bowl in 50 years? -- Adam Teicher

Los Angeles Chargers

Can the Philip Rivers-led Chargers reach the Super Bowl?

The Bolts finished 12-4 last season and fell two games short of the big game. After adding defensive tackle Jerry Tillery and safety Nasir Adderley through the draft and linebacker Thomas Davis in free agency, the Chargers believe this year's team has the pieces to compete for a Super Bowl crown. The most durable quarterback in the league, Rivers has yet to reach the Super Bowl and still seeks that signature moment to cement his status as a future Hall of Famer. -- Eric D. Williams

Oakland Raiders

How will Antonio Brown vibe with Derek Carr?

Sure, the final season (we think) in Oakland is an overarching theme, as is Carr's perceived vulnerable status as franchise QB, with many analysts thinking the Raiders were ready to move on this offseason. But the polarizing Brown, and how he connects with Carr, will be the main on-field issue. Nothing but positive reviews have surfaced thus far, and the two famously hit it off at the Pro Bowl a few years back. But what happens if the Raiders get off to a slow start and Brown is not getting targeted as often as he'd like? From Oakland's perspective, it's better to wonder how lethal they'll be if everybody's happy. Stay tuned. -- Paul Gutierrez

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

Can the Cowboys take the next step?

Only the Lions and Redskins have longer NFC Championship Game droughts than Dallas, which hasn't been to the game since its Super Bowl-winning season of 1995. The Cowboys believe their roster is the deepest it has been in a decade. They rebounded from a 3-5 start to make the playoffs last season and carry that confidence with them. History suggests things will be different this season. The Cowboys haven't made the postseason in back-to-back years since 2006-2007, and there hasn't been a repeat NFC East champ since the 2003-2004 Eagles. If the Cowboys don't progress, then coach Jason Garrett, who is in his contract year, likely will have to find another job in 2020. -- Todd Archer

New York Giants

When will we see Daniel Jones?

The Giants invested their future in the quarterback from Duke. The Eli Manning era is about to end. It's inevitable at this point. But when? Midseason? Late in the year? Maybe next offseason or beyond? And, perhaps most important, will Jones be any good? -- Jordan Raanan

Philadelphia Eagles

Can Carson Wentz stay healthy?

The Eagles let Nick Foles walk this offseason and are committed to Wentz for the long term. He has ditched his knee brace and looks as healthy as we've seen him since 2017. If he can shake the injury bug and return to MVP-caliber form, Philly has a real chance of being the best team in the NFL. -- Tim McManus

Washington Redskins

Can Jay Gruden save his job while starting a rookie quarterback?

The Redskins drafted quarterback Dwayne Haskins at No. 15 overall, and it's just a matter of when, not if, he starts. Of course, if Case Keenum starts strong and the Redskins are winning, they won't need Haskins, but it's hard to imagine him not playing. The pre-draft view was that Haskins had terrific upside but would require patience. So the question becomes: Will owner Dan Snyder have patience with a coach trying to develop a rookie quarterback? Washington has missed three straight postseasons, and doing so again would be bad for Jay Gruden's job security. It would be interesting to see what happens if Haskins develops but the Redskins miss the playoffs. -- John Keim

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

Is Mitchell Trubisky a franchise quarterback?

The Bears appear loaded for a repeat run in the NFC North, but questions about Trubisky persist. The 24-year-old quarterback had a good season in 2018 (95.4 passer rating) but needs to take another step for Chicago to move from playoff qualifier to Super Bowl contender. The Bears assembled a formidable cast of characters around Trubisky, who enters Year 2 in head coach Matt Nagy's innovative offensive scheme. -- Jeff Dickerson

Detroit Lions

Will the Lions buy in to Matt Patricia?

That was a major question last season, and for Detroit to have success, Patricia will need the players to believe in his approach, which is a marked change from that of the past. Almost every move the Lions made this offseason, from free agents signed to players drafted, was done with building the team in his and Bob Quinn's image. Many of those players understand what Patricia is trying to do because of their history in New England. Whether it works likely will define if the 2019 season will lead the Lions in a positive direction -- or doom Patricia to the fate that has come to previous Lions coaches. -- Michael Rothstein

Green Bay Packers

Will Aaron Rodgers and Matt LaFleur clash or thrive?

It wasn't hard to see that something was off with Rodgers last season -- and it wasn't just his banged-up left knee/leg from the season opener. Rodgers no longer seemed to believe in what the Packers were doing, and it cost Mike McCarthy his job after 12-plus seasons as head coach. Enter LaFleur, a 39-year-old first-time head coach with his own ideas about how to run an NFL offense. As Packers president Mark Murphy told ESPN early in the offseason, Rodgers "has to embrace it." How that works out will determine what kind of season the Packers have in 2019. -- Rob Demovsky

Minnesota Vikings

Can Kirk Cousins take himself and the team to new heights in Year 2?

The Vikings have done everything imaginable to support their quarterback this offseason, putting together a staff to create a scheme best suited to his strengths, placing an emphasis on fixing the O-line and finding new weapons in the draft. Now it's Cousins' responsibility to improve in areas where he struggled in 2018 and lead this team back to the playoffs. What we'll learn in Cousins' second year in Minnesota is if he can push his ceiling higher. How this season goes will help determine how much longer he'll be the quarterback of the Vikings, given that his deal goes through 2020. -- Courtney Cronin

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

Can the Falcons remain healthy and become contenders again?

Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell tweeted, "I guess people seem to have forgotten how good we are when we're healthy lol. I can't wait till the season starts." The injury bug hit the Falcons hard last season, with Devonta Freeman, Keanu Neal, Ricardo Allen, Andy Levitre and Brandon Fusco lost to season-ending injuries and star middle linebacker Deion Jones missing significant time. Freeman's return should positively impact an already-potent offense now coordinated by Dirk Koetter, while coach Dan Quinn will be thankful to have Neal and Allen back as he takes over the defensive playcalling. -- Vaughn McClure

Carolina Panthers

Is Cam Newton ready to go?

Will he be ready, as he's indicated he will be, for the start of the season after a second shoulder surgery in three offseasons? Can he return to the form he was at a year ago in leading a 6-2 start and continue to evolve as an efficient quarterback? Or will the 2015 MVP have another setback and force the Panthers to turn to third-round draft pick Will Grier or one of their other young quarterbacks? The future of coach Ron Rivera and general manager Marty Hurney could depend on these answers after two losing seasons in the past three years. -- David Newton

New Orleans Saints

Can the Saints finally avoid a miracle?

We know the Saints are talented enough to reach a Super Bowl with the ageless Drew Brees and a deep cast of young stars around him. But they're going to have to show a ton of resilience to climb all the way back up that mountain after getting knocked out of the playoffs by the "No-call" and the "Minneapolis Miracle" the past two years. They bounced back in impressive fashion last season by earning the NFC's No. 1 seed, but they also were fortunate with injuries. Doing that again won't be easy. -- Mike Triplett

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Can 'Quarterback Whisperer' Bruce Arians work his magic with Jameis Winston?

Can Arians turn around a franchise that has the second-longest playoff drought in the league (11 seasons) while galvanizing a fan base that has seen the Bucs compile the NFL's third-worst record and seven double-digit loss seasons the past decade? "That 'it' factor that you really can't explain ... anybody that's around Bruce knows that Bruce has 'it,'" general manager Jason Licht said the day Arians' hiring became official. "I've never been around a guy that has such magnetism about him that players and coaches just instantly want to follow him when he comes." -- Jenna Laine

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

All things Kyler Murray

The focus of every offensive play of every Cardinals game will be on Murray, the first overall pick out of Oklahoma. How he's throwing? Is he running? Did he get hit? There'll be a trillion questions about his progress, development, accuracy, health -- everything. There might not be a brighter spotlight and a more intense magnifying glass on a player this season than those on Murray. He's a football enigma. A subplot will be how Kliff Kingsbury's offense will adapt to the NFL, but, again, that'll come back to Murray. Everything about the Cardinals this season will be Murray, Murray, Murray. -- Josh Weinfuss

Los Angeles Rams

Can the Rams return to the Super Bowl?

The Rams must regroup as they go into the 2019 season and put their disappointing 13-3 Super Bowl loss to the Patriots behind them. Their roster had some turnover at key positions, including two spots on the offensive line, but quarterback Jared Goff is more comfortable going into Year 3 of coach Sean McVay's scheme. They also return two-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald and star running back Todd Gurley -- although the extent of Gurley's knee issues remains unknown. -- Lindsey Thiry

San Francisco 49ers

Is Jimmy Garoppolo the franchise quarterback the Niners believe he is?

Coming off a torn ACL that limited him to three games in 2018, Garoppolo is still something of an unknown commodity with just 10 NFL starts. The 49ers are paying Garoppolo like the franchise centerpiece but still don't know if he's the guy who can elevate the team back to playoff contention -- and now he's bouncing back from a serious knee injury. The Niners have plenty of question marks on the roster, but how Garoppolo fares in his first full season as a starter is of paramount importance -- now and for the future. -- Nick Wagoner

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks must be better than the sum of their parts again

It's hard to make a credible argument that they're better on paper this offseason after losing Earl Thomas, Frank Clark and Doug Baldwin. Then again, the same thing seemed true last year, when they parted ways with a handful of the best players in franchise history but improved from 9-7 to 10-6 and earned a wild-card berth. A big reason for that was quarterback Russell Wilson turning in the most efficient -- and perhaps the best -- season of his career. With a defense that has lost serious firepower, the Seahawks might need to put more on Wilson in 2019 to stay in games. -- Brady Henderson