Steelers Face Identity Crisis

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In a season that got off on the wrong foot in Denver, the Steelers were haunted throughout by an assortment of ills -- injuries, untimely turnovers and uncharacteristic distractions.

The wounded list was long: safety Troy Polamalu, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, cornerback Ike Taylor.

The turnovers too many: Roethlisberger's back-breaking picks against Dallas and Cincinnati -- losses that banished the Steelers from the postseason for the second time during the Mike Tomlin era.

The distractions significantly impacted the team's psyche: Alameda Ta'amu's suspension for drunk driving and Rashard Mendenhall's suspension for …