Humbled Pittsburgh faces questions ahead of offseason

PITTSBURGH—It wasn’t the pregame talk about New England.

Or the seemingly weekly distractions that piled up one on top of the other, some of them self-created and others the byproduct of circumstances far beyond their control.

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent Monday cleaning out their lockers instead of getting ready for the AFC championship game because they were outplayed and outclassed by Jacksonville in a wild 45-42 loss. That’s it. That’s all. “I don’t think (the outside noise) had anything to do with it,” guard David DeCastro said. “They just made more plays than us. I don’t mean to sound cliche, but I thought we did a great job blocking all that stuff out all year and didn’t make too big a deal of it.”

If anything, the Steelers seemed to thrive off adversity while going 13-4 and earning a second straight AFC North title.

Yet all that swagger, all that confidence eroded over the course of three difficult hours against the Jaguars.

The defense that set a franchise record and led the NFL with 55 sacks couldn’t get a hand on Blake Bortles.

The offense piled up 534 yards, but also committed two turnovers that gift-wrapped Jacksonville 14 points.

Running back Le’Veon Bell stressed there were “no excuses” heading into the postseason.

And as they met for the last time before the cycle begins anew in March, they didn’t offer any.

Four consecutive playoff berths have yielded zero parades through downtown in mid-February with the Lombardi Trophy in hand.

They’re well aware the issue isn’t talent.

“Every time you don’t win the Super Bowl, it’s a wasted opportunity,” linebacker Vince Williams said.

Asked if he believes the pieces are in place for the current core to take the step that’s proven elusive, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he “absolutely” does while promising to return for a 15th season.

It’s an assurance that at least will help the Steelers avoid the weeks of “will he or won’t he” Roethlisberger put the team through while he pondered his future last spring.

“I don’t know about contracts and who’s coming back, but I know the guys up front are,” Roethlisberger said. “That makes it good for me.”

It just might not make it good for everyone.

A look at what went wrong and what may be in store between now and when the Steelers report for organized team activities in May.