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The Steelers have had plenty of drama in 2018. They’d like to put it behind them, now.

“It has to die,” guard Ramon Foster said Friday, via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. “It will die out. We respond accordingly to what we need to do, and that’s winning games.”

So how can they kill it?

“You give them nothing, they have nothing,” Foster said. “Way too much stuff going on not to learn from this. Nobody is invincible. Nobody is shunned from any bad things happening, whether that’s on the field or off the field. . . . We’re good. It brings us tighter. It’s talking points for those who have nothing to talk about that keeps the story going. We’ll be better. We’ll be absolutely great from it. Give it time.”

Of course, Foster had a key role in the latest episode of As The ‘Burgh Turns, with his comments from more than two weeks ago about unsigned franchise-tagged running back Le'Veon Bell. As the team’s union rep, Foster’s comments carried even more weight, and created even more consternation. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the powers-that-be at the NFL Players Association weren’t happy with Foster, but in an ironic twist they opted not to call him out publicly.

The drama has actually provided cover for the reality that the team’s defense has been performing well below levels that would be regarded as acceptable, especially in a town known for its work ethic and on a team known for its ability to suffocate offenses. The next test comes on Monday night in Tampa, in the closest thing to a “must” win that the Steelers ever will have in any month of September.