Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown out due to concussion

He’s going through the NFL’s concussion protocol, and the Steelers don’t have a timetable for his return. Adam Jones has been personally leading the “Antonio Brown was faking” campaign, which for some reason actually had traction in the media. Brown has been ruled out by the Steelers as the team tries to prepare for a divisional round game in the 2016 NFL Playoffs.

The Steelers have been accused of placing bounties on players this season as recent as this week – Bengals radio color analyst Dave Lapham believes that Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Hailey put a bounty on the head of Bengals defensive end Wallace Gilberry during their week 14 matchup.

In 2006, Roethlisberger sprained the sternoclavicular joint in his right shoulder following a hit by Baltimore’s Bart Scott, one of nine sacks suffered by the Steelers’ quarterback in a 27-0 loss against the Ravens. A sprain could be tiny tears in the ligaments and tendons surrounding the shoulder, so the two injuries are actually one in the same.

It’s not clear if any of those players will take the field Sunday or how effective they will be if they do play. Expect to see the cornerback who starred for the majority of the season (six pass break-ups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles) rather than the one who broke down against No. 84 a few weeks back. Back then, however, the Steelers were not as dynamic as they are now.

Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and DeAngelo Williams are all major question marks heading into Sunday’sgame, while Robert Golden, Will Johnson and Vince Williams have been limited this week with injuries. Without him on the field, the Steelers will need huge performances from Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton.

Both thrive when Peyton Manning is under centre and both will provide a handful for whoever lines up opposite them on the field. So, I mean, he’s going to be sore after the game. If the Steelers want to beat Manning they have to stop the run and force him to throw the ball in unfavorable down and distances.

Harris wants another crack at Brown, who ended Harris’ streak of 35 games without giving up a touchdown.

With their average secondary set to stand opposite him, look for Manning to get on top early. Roethlisberger is a quality quarterback, but he has been in a little slump lately with some inaccurate throws and questionable decisions. But Jones went down with a leg injury in the first quarter, and Roethlisberger stepped up to the challenge.

If Roethlisberger is healthy enough to play, the Steelers won’t make a change in the lineup.

Stay balanced on offense. They can win without their franchise quarterback, and they’ve proven it.

Get Manning off his spot.

Burfict faces a richly deserved three-game suspension, but the suspension does nothing to ease the pain in Brown’s head or the anger in the minds of Steelers’ fans or the discomfort in the heart of anyone who enjoys football. Winning the turnover battle will likely win you the game in the postseason.