The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering uncharted territory going into 2019. Typically favorites, there don't seem to be many people picking the Steelers to win the AFC North division title this coming season.

Pittsburgh went 9-6-1 and missed the playoffs this past year, largely due to locker room issues. The Steelers then traded Antonio Brown during the offseason and saw Le'Veon Bell walk, so the team is somewhat short on offensive talent.

As for whether or not the Steelers' locker room has improved after sending Brown to the Oakland Raiders? Head coach Mike Tomlin says we won't be able to know that until things get tough.

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“You can’t judge chemistry or culture until you’re faced with adversity,” Tomlin said, according to Ray Fittipaldo of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “At this time of the year all 32 teams are undefeated and unscored upon. There was some good teaching and learning. The journey itself is the indicator of that, some of the adversity the journey provides. Obviously, when you’re in a training camp-like setting, and it’s highly competitive and physically and mentally challenging, that will be the first real adversity this team sees.”

Tomlin makes a very good point.

We can talk all we want about how Pittsburgh rid itself of a locker room cancer in Brown and how quarterback Ben Roethlisberger seems to be trying to learn from his mistakes, but we really won't know just how mature the Steelers are or how well-equipped they are to handle the rigors of an NFL season until we see them actually do it.