It's been six months, but the emotions are still raw. Playoff wounds never completely heal, especially from tightly contested games that are decided in the final minutes.
Tears flowed inside the visiting locker room at Sports Authority Field at Mile High following the Steelers' 23-16 loss to Denver in an AFC divisional round playoff game Jan. 17. Coach Mike Tomlin cried in front of his players for the first time anyone, including long-standing members of the team, could remember. The tears flowed freely from players, too, at the realization their season had come to an abrupt and unexpected end.
It's one thing to lose to a better team. That happens in the NFL playoffs all the time. It's quite another to lose when you believe you had the better team.
That's the feeling many of the Steelers had in the immediate aftermath of that loss, and it's a feeling they continue carry as they begin preparations for the 2016 season later this week. The Steelers report to Saint Vincent College for training camp Thursday, and the overriding feeling around the team is one of unfinished business.
"I feel like the reason everyone was so emotional is because we all knew the type of team we had," veteran linebacker Arthur Moats said late last week. "We felt like we were the better team that day. To lose to them and for them to go on to win it all, it hurts that much more because we knew what we were capable of. The beauty of it is we're coming back hungrier. We had a great spring. Everybody is back. We have so much more experience due to the adversity we faced last year. Now it's time to go out and win it this year."
The Steelers are used to having super expectations heaped upon them. Contending for Lombardi trophies is nothing new for the franchise that has six of them stashed in their display case inside the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
But there are years when there are expectations and there are years like this one, when it's Super Bowl or bust.
The Steelers are 10/1 to win Super Bowl 51 behind only New England (15/2) and Seattle (9/1).
"We felt like we should have won it last year," Moats said. "With that being the mentality, and with everyone coming back, we know for a fact what we're capable of. If we don't win it this year it's because we didn't do it. It's on us.
"That's what you want. When you come here you know what the standard is. There's a reason why it's the kind of history we have here. Ultimately, it's on us to continue it."
The Steelers played that playoff game in Denver without three former or current All-Pro players. Receiver Antonio Brown missed it after suffering a concussion in the wild card game victory in Cincinnati the previous week. Running back Le'Veon Bell missed the final eight games of the regular season and two playoff games with a knee injury, and center Maurkice Pouncey missed the entire season with a leg injury.
Brown and Pouncey won't have any physical limitations in training camp, and Bell has said he'll be ready for the start of the season.
The Steelers, even with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missing four starts due to a knee injury, finished the season third in the NFL in total offense (395.4 yards per game) and tied for fourth in scoring offense (26.4 points per game).
The Steelers do have to find a replacement for Martavis Bryant, who is serving a year-long drug suspension. He caught 50 passes for 765 yards and six touchdowns last season.
That kind of production will be difficult to find from one player, but Sammie Coates, last year's third-round pick, and the addition of new tight end Ladarius Green, a big and speedy target, will help.
"You want to win a Super Bowl, so any year you don't win it's somewhat unsuccessful," said fullback Roosevelt Nix, who also missed the playoffs due to an injury. "We were so close. We just didn't finish."
The defense finished with respectable rankings in several important categories _ third in sacks (48), fifth in run defense (91.2 yards per game), 11th in scoring defense (19.9 points per game). But all eyes will be on the secondary as defensive coordinator Keith Butler tries to rebuild on the fly a pass defense that ranked 30th in the league (271.9 yards per game).
There will be a new starting cornerback opposite veteran William Gay, a new starting strong safety and a new slot corner. Butler will be counting on a new cast of younger players to replace three veterans that either underperformed or became too old.
"During the spring those young guys made huge strides as far as understanding the scheme," Moats said. "When we get to training camp they'll go through their growing pains obviously. But they're definitely going to help us out. It's going to be critical. We're going to call on them and they're going to have to answer the bell. I feel like we have guys who are more than capable."
Something else will be very important for the Steelers, Moats said. Getting off to a good start and maintaining a high level of play for 16 games.
The Steelers were 3-3 in 2014 before rallying to win the AFC North. Last season they were 4-4 before rallying to earn a wild card berth.
Each time, they were forced to play on the first weekend of the playoffs. Just getting to the playoffs this year won't be enough. The Steelers have their sights set on getting one of the top two seeds and a first-round bye.
"It's huge for us," Moats said. "In the playoffs, anything can happen. If you get that bye and home-field advantage...Heinz Field is a tough place to play. It's tough for any team to come in here and beat us. For us to get home field would be huge. We want to win the division, win in the playoffs and get that Super Bowl ring. I feel like we're going to do it this year."
