Steelers lose WR Antonio Brown, gain RB James Conner for must-win game vs. Bengals
It’s one in, one out for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They’re facing a must-win game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, and have gotten running back James Conner back from an ankle injury, but are losing top wide receiver Antonio Brown to a knee issue.
Brown made it to the end of the Steelers’ Week 16 loss to the New Orleans Saints without incident, but he was held out of practice on Thursday with a sore knee. It didn’t seem like it was anything that would threaten his Week 17 start, but things changed on Friday as Brown was reported to be undergoing tests. He was listed as questionable on Saturday’s injury report, and despite some late optimism that maybe he’d suit up, he’s officially inactive.
The loss of Brown hurts, but it’s softened a bit by the return of James Conner. Conner, one of the team’s standout stars, hasn’t played since Week 13 when he suffered a lower leg contusion. It was initially thought to be just a bruise and not serious, but further tests showed that it was more serious and would require several weeks of recovery. Conner has 909 rushing yards, 467 receiving yards and 13 total touchdowns.
Maybe getting Conner back will be enough. The Steelers are facing the Bengals, after all. Cincinnati is far from a fearsome team. But when it’s win-or-go-home, you want to have every possible advantage. If the Steelers manage to survive on Sunday (they need a win as well as a loss from the Ravens to continue), they’ll need Brown back as the playoffs heat up.
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