News » Ben Roethlisberger doesn't talk like someone eyeing the finish line

If anything Authentic Rashaan Melvin Jersey , the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is doing what he can to push it further into the distance.The 36-year-old overhauled his diet in preparation for his 15th season and points to the lack of time spent in the trainer's room during camp as proof the choices he's made are working.Asked if he feels rejuvenated and Roethlisberger nods."I really like where this team is," the two-time Super Bowl winner said. "I think if you didn't have a good feeling about this team it probably wouldn't be as exciting, but I am excited about this group."The feeling, however, could be fleeting. Eight months removed from a stunning home playoff loss to Jacksonville , the Steelers are well aware the missed opportunities in recent seasons are starting to pile up. While Pittsburgh has reached the postseason in each of the past four years, the Steelers have just three playoff victories to show for it.Though Pittsburgh is heavily favored to win a third consecutive AFC North title, the window that once seemed so wide open could be starting to close. All-Pro running back Le'Veon Bell is likely playing his final season in black-and-gold after failing to come to terms on a new contract. The offensive line features three Pro Bowlers but also three starters in their 30s.While Roethlisberger downplays any additional sense of urgency — he's been around long enough to know that any season that doesn't end with a victory parade through downtown Pittsburgh in early February is considered a disappointment — he's also well aware the standard coach Mike Tomlin mentions so frequently has not been met."Winning games can lead to Super Bowl opportunities is always our ultimate goal," he said. "There are 31 other teams doing the same, but that needs to be our singular focus."A focus that was lacking at times in 2017 even as the Steelers rolled to a 13-3 record.There was the national anthem debacle in Chicago. The drama surrounding enigmatic wide receiver Martavis Bryant. The late season decision to cut linebacker James Harrison. The devastating spinal injury to budding star linebacker Ryan Shazier. Social media chatter of a rematch with New England in the AFC title game, chatter that looked foolish after the Jaguars beat the Steelers at Heinz Field for the second time in four months.The front office has done what it can to limit the distractions heading into 2018. Bryant was traded to Oakland. Harrison is retired. Longtime quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner takes over as offensive coordinator for Todd Haley. Shazier is walking again and serving as a de facto coach/scout as his body continues to recover.The message could not be clearer: the team that's built to win now needs to win. Now."Time is running out for everybody," center Maurkice Pouncey said. "I know it's all fun and games for everybody at the beginning but man it's time to win. It's been too long."Other things to look for as Pittsburgh vies for a fifth consecutive playoff berth for only the third time in franchise history:REMODELED BACK END: The Steelers gave the secondary a massive overhaul after the Jaguars lit them up for 45 points in January, drafting safety Terrell Edmunds in the first round and signing veteran Morgan Burnett from Green Bay. The goal is to reduce the number of big plays allowed. Pittsburgh gave up 13 passes of more than 40 yards, tied for third-most in the league. Burnett's sure tackling will help in the run game and Pittsburgh believes third-year safety Sean Davis' athleticism will allow him to be an effective center fielder at free safety.FLIP FLOP: Pittsburgh exercised the fifth-year option on the contract of outside linebacker Bud Dupree in the offseason, a sign it believes the 2015 first-round pick's best days are ahead of him despite uneven results in his first three years. The Steelers moved Dupree from the left side to the right side in the spring, confident he'll be a more effective pass rusher attacking the quarterback's blind side. Either way, Dupree understands he's still in the "prove it" mode in his career and needs to become more consistent at a position that's long been a focal point in Pittsburgh's 3-4 defense.BELL'S BET: There may not be a player in the NFL with more at stake in 2018 than Bell. The 26-year-old believes he's in a class by himself among running backs and wants to be paid accordingly. He'll make $14.4 million this season playing under his one-year franchise tender, but thinks he'll be even more valuable on the open market next spring. Bell shouldn't lack for opportunities to show he's worth a massive payday. He led the NFL in touches last season and Tomlin could opt to use him even more extensively knowing he'll be out the door in the spring.TIGHT SPOT: The Steelers are still trying to find a legit heir to tight end Heath Miller, who quietly stepped away in the spring of 2016. While Jesse James has evolved into a solid complementary player, Vance McDonald is the closest thing to a complete package Pittsburgh has at a vital position. One problem: McDonald has struggled to stay on the field. He missed practically all of camp with a foot injury. The Steelers need him to be a factor in the passing game to help take some of the attention off Brown and second-year wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.Could there be a method to Raiders madness in waiting until last minute to sign Khalil Mack to extension? As the season creeps ever closer, and Khalil Mack is still not in house Cheap Kolton Miller Jersey , the questions get more and more frequent as to how this situation will resolve itself. If at all.The big question tends to be ‘Will Khalil Mack’s holdout go into the season?’ Most seem to think it will not. But no one really knows for sure. Mack’s leverage lies in the threat that it could.Even if he does report before the season begins, there is the question of whether that would be because he got the extension he wanted or despite not getting it. And if he reports without a new deal, will we then be looking at another holdout next offseason with an increasingly disgruntled player?And as much as the rest of the league is getting worked into a lather about the possibility they could land the best defensive player in the league on a trade, that scenario just seems too far-fetched to actually happen. The reports are that teams have offered as much as a first round pick and a high pick and Reggie McKenzie has turned them down.Ideally, of course, Mack would get his deal before the season, return to the team and remain with the Raiders for what would figure to be the rest of his career.Knowing that is what the Raiders want, it leads to the question of why have they not had negotiations since February and are now seemingly playing chicken with their best player?In the interest of giving the Raiders the benefit of the doubt here, I have a potential scenario.It’s very likely Khalil Mack’s people gave the Raiders their target number back in February. At that time, the Raiders either said they can’t do that, or alternately said they wanted to hold off and play things by ear. Knowing that missing time in the offseason for Mack is not a big deal, they were in no real rush.A few weeks later, Jon Gruden began furiously adding free agents. By the time he was done, there were some 25 new free agent signings. Most of them weren’t making a lot of money, but it all adds up.I have said all offseason that extensions, even big ones, such as Khalil Mack is seeking, don’t necessarily raise the cap number in the season upcoming. That’s because the extension hasn’t kicked in yet, so the team can decide what kind of money they want to count against the cap until then.Look at Aaron Rodgers’ 2018 cap number after having just signed a 4-year extension that averaged $34.5 million per season.The caveat here is we know Reggie McKenzie likes to front load his contracts as much as he can so as to limit kicking the can down the road and/or risking being saddled with dead money should he wish to release a player after a couple seasons. That won’t be so easy with Mack seeking a lot of guaranteed money but I see no reason why he would care about that. Does anyone really doubt that Mack with earn every penny he receives?Even though the Raiders may not have to raise Khalil’s cap number this season, they may want to because it will allow them to lower his cap hits in future seasons. Just as he did with Derek Carr, who will make $25 million this season and then have his salary go down each season after. They were able to do that by adding to his cap number on the final year of his rookie contract Seth Roberts Jersey , before his extension kicked in.Let’s say the Raiders are looking to bring Mack’s cap number up from its current $13.8 million to right about what he is looking for on his yearly average. Let’s say $22 million. That’s what he was said to be asking this offseason and that’s about what Aaron Donald just received from the Rams.With some of the cuts the Raiders have made recently, they are sitting at $7.1 million in cap space according to Over the cap. The expected trade or release of Mario Edwards Jr would add another $1.3 million to that to put them at about $8.4 million. Add that to the $13.8 million Mack is making now and you have鈥?$22.2 million.There are a lot more cuts coming too, some of which currently count in the top 51, which means even more money available under the cap.Also consider that Khalil Mack doesn’t count against the roster until he reports. Not reporting until, say, two days after the cut down day (Monday) would allow the Raiders to keep a player for one more day after the initial frenzy of players get claimed off waivers, which might make it easier to stash them on the practice squad. In theory, of course. And Mack would be back just in time to start preparing for the season opener.Also, don’t discount the simple concept that deadlines spur actions. Both Mack and Aaron Donald were holding out seeking new deals. Donald got his record deal today on a 6-year, $135 million deal with some $87 million guaranteed.I don’t think they were both staring down each other waiting for the other to make a move first, but you have to figure with Donald’s deal done, it sets the market which could be the trigger that sets Mack’s deal into motion. I don’t think either Mack or Donald were worrying about who signed last and thus leapfrogging the other to be the highest paid defender in the NFL. That’s the kind of stuff agents care about so they can attract new clients. And both agents will be able to make that claim, even if the title only lasts a few days. These players aren’t sitting around obsessing over being the richest in their sport. They’re football players, not the Wolf of Wall Street (I mean, Mychal Kendricks aside). They just want to get market value for their services as two of the top pass rushers in the league. That means surpassing previous highest paid defender, Von Miller. Donald blew Miller’s $19.5 million per season out of the water. Mack’s deal should do similar.This whole scenario has a lot of people sweating near the end, but that doesn’t necessarily mean things won’t come together at the 11th hour. It could. I am not predicting it will. Though my gut tells me one way or another, Khalil Mack will take the field for the season opener. For whatever that’s worth.Follow @LeviDamien