Loss of Brown is 1 injury too many for Steelers

A team can only take so many hits before it crumbles.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have the reputation of being one of the NFL's toughest teams, and they've beaten the odds to reach divisional round of the playoffs despite being decimated by injuries. However, this latest one is just too much to overcome.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown has been ruled out for Sunday against the Denver Broncos because of a concussion suffered in last week's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, meaning the Steelers will be forced to play without arguably their best player.

They lost Le'Veon Bell for the year and kept on rolling. They stayed alive when Ben Roethlisberger was hurt during the season - and last week - and created a solid run game with DeAngelo Williams sidelined.

However, Brown's impact on this offense can't be overstated, and neither can his loss.

The Broncos have the NFL's best group of cornerbacks, and they couldn't contain Brown in their last meeting. He didn't just beat them, he decimated them. Cornerback Chris Harris hadn't surrendered a touchdown in 35 games before Brown beat him for two, making one of the best defenders in the league look ordinary.

Brown is a rare offensive weapon that can single-handedly win a game for his team, regardless of the circumstance.

Roethlisberger is expected to play despite a shoulder injury, but there's no telling what his limitations will be - if any. The Steelers needed Brown to act as Roethlisberger's safety net, to shoulder the offensive workload and draw coverage away from fellow receivers.

Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton are oozing with talent, but they're young and inexperienced, and will likely struggle to consistently beat veterans like Harris and Aqib Talib.

The Steelers entered the season with the potential to be one of the greatest offenses to ever step onto an NFL field.

But, slowly, injuries have killed any momentum, robbing Pittsburgh of the chance to gain cohesion within their unit and produce at a level that may have led to a championship.

Nothing is ever set in stone, the Steelers still have a shot against the Broncos. But without Brown, their chances just plummeted and a Lombardi Trophy seems out of reach.

But don't worry, Steelers' fans, Brown's Academy Award - or possibly a Grammy - may be in the mail.