One of these years, the Steelers are going to both start and finish a game against the Patriots with their 'Killer Bs' on the field.
Antonio Brown was the latest of the group -- that also includes Ben Roethlisberger and Le'Veon Bell -- to either not start or fail to finish a game against New England, having been taken to a hospital Sunday after suffering what the team called a left calf injury early in the second quarter of the 27-24 loss at Heinz Field.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Brown suffered a tear in his calf muscle and likely won't return until the playoffs.
Brown, who had earlier caught his 100th pass of the season to become the first player in NFL history to do so in five consecutive seasons, was injured while attempting to catch a pass in the end zone with the score tied, 7-7.
He appeared to bang his shin on that of New England defensive back Eric Rowe, immediately dropping the pass from Roethlisberger. He needed to be helped from the field and eventually went to the locker room as the Steelers settled for a field goal on the drive.
"AB is getting his lower leg injury evaluated," was all Mike Tomlin would divulge. "I don't have a lot of information there."
The game marked the third consecutive time the Steelers have played the Patriots without one of their stars. In an Oct. 23, 2016 game, Roethlisberger sat out with a torn meniscus. Landry Jones started in his place in a 27-16 loss at Heinz Field. Then, Bell was injured early in the AFC Championship last January, suffering a groin injury early in the first quarter of a 36-17 New England win.
Without Brown on Sunday, the Steelers forged a 17-10 halftime lead against New England, eventually losing, 27-24, in controversial fashion when a 10-yard catch by Jesse James that was originally ruled a touchdown was overturned upon review.
Roethlisberger threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns in the loss, but the Steelers' offense wasn't as effective as it might have been with Brown in the game.
"It changes," Tomlin said of the Steelers' game plan without Brown. "AB is significant. I thought the guys did a nice job of adjusting and making plays, largely. When you lose a guy like AB, there's an adjustment."
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Steelers vs. Patriots, Heinz Field, Dec. 17, 2017 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS