Bengals A.J. Green has entered the league's concussion protocol, per ESPN's Coley Harvey and Paul Dehner of The Cincinnati Enquirer, after sustaining a blow to the head from Steelers safety Mike Mitchell late in the fourth quarter of the Bengals' 27-17 loss.
The hit came less than a second after Green hauled in a 17-yard pass and was wrestled down toward the ground by Antwon Blake, forcing a fumble. The result was a pivotal recovery by the Steelers, ending the Bengals' drive.
The blow to the head prematurely ended Green's night, in which the receiver caught six passes for 67 yards over his final two drives after a sluggish start. His status for Sunday's Wild Card game against the Indianapolis Colts is in jeopardy, depending upon his progression during the week. Mohamed Sanu would move back to the WR1 role but he had just one catch for 16 yards in Week 17. Giovani Bernard had a 7-56-1 receiving line in Week 17 and will likely continue to be a major factor in the passing game while Jeremy Hill gets the carries.