Working towards their goal: This is what they play for. To have a shot at the Lombardi Trophy. To be world champions. To simply be the best.
Not everyone gets a shot at it, so when you do, you enjoy it.
"We came into OTAs saying we wanted this, have that first round bye and try to sweep the North," said Maurkice Pouncey. "We accomplished some of those goals. We have to stay focused and keep our eyes on the prize and the bigger prize is down the line. We have to take it one day at a time.
"Guys are really into it. We know it's elimination. We are locked in and focused. It's an exciting time of year. Everybody's not in this. We are one of the teams that are, and we are just trying to run with it and see how it goes."
Tuned in: From the sounds of things in the Steelers locker room the players will be watching football this weekend, some of them a little closer than others.
"You want to get a head start on somebody you might be facing," said Artie Burns. "I will definitely be tuned into the games, just to be involved in football. With this bye week, you want to make sure you stay in the football mode."
David DeCastro plans on tuning in as well, but he doesn't plan on being glued to his television.
"I will watch a little bit," said DeCastro. "It will be hit or miss. If I am in the mood, I will do it. It depends on how I feel at the moment."
Big Mac attack: Not quite sure how it happened, but somehow talking about the energy the postseason brings turned into talking about Big Macs for Le'Veon Bell.
Rather than try to explain, it's easier to just share what he said when asked if there is a switch that goes on when the postseason hits as far as the energy.
"We got to that point during the course of the year. People started realizing it," said Bell. "We wanted to treat every game like that. There was never a game we went out there and weren't hyped for. There were some games that might not have been as hyped up, but we try to treat every game like that. You are going to have an extra drive because it is a playoff game.
"We don't want to have an off and on switch. It's like at McDonald's. You order a No. 1 and you get a Big Mac. We want to be the Big Mac every time. You already know what you're going to get. Okay, the No. 1, you already know what it is. That's what type of team we want to be."
Just a hunch: Bell said after the Steelers defeated the Houston Texans that he felt confident Antonio Brown would be back for the team's playoff run after the all-everything receiver suffered a calf injury. And he hasn't changed that thinking.
Bell didn't give any particular reason for his belief, but said over and over again that it was just a 'hunch.'
"I know how hard he works," said Bell. "I know the time and hard work he puts in. I am confident he will come back."
