Practice for the Pittsburgh Steelers today got a little too physical, but it seems like there aren’t any hard feelings from anyone about the incident. The Steelers have always been a tough bunch defensively, and they’ve been at their best when the players have been ready to impose their will on opposing offenses. It seems like defensive coordinator Teryl Austin has no intentions of letting that change either.
In a video on Twitter from Aaron Becker of Yardbarker, Austin was asked about the mentality of starting linebackers Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts.
“It’s good,” Austin said. “A lot of defense is about temperament and how you play and what you’re willing to dish out because they’re gonna try to give it back to you. I think our guys are tough. They’re edgy. I like that, and I would never discourage that at all because we want our identity on defense. We’re gonna be tough, physical, hard-nosed. That’s what we are. You don’t wanna legislate that out of those guys.”
While Mike Tomlin made it clear today that the fight during camp was too much, it sounds like the Steelers still appreciate that kind of attitude from guys like Roberts and Queen. Looking back over their history, linebackers like Jack Lambert, Jack Ham, and James Farrior have been leaders and tone setters on defense. That’s what the team wants out of its current starting linebackers because it hasn’t had that level of play since Ryan Shazier got hurt.
As long as they’re hitting the other team’s quarterbacks, it sounds like physicality is the name of the game for Queen and Roberts. Austin has commented about Roberts’ physical nature in the past and how much the team, both players and coaches, have appreciated that. Shazier and Vince Williams gave the Steelers a smash and dash kind of duo at linebacker, and it seems Queen and Roberts may be able to replicate that.
Roberts played very well for the team down the stretch last year, even though the linebacker room was decimated by injuries, and he was dealing with his own injury. Queen got a huge contract from the Steelers this offseason because of how well he played with the Baltimore Ravens last year. He’s quickly endeared himself to fans. Together, the two of them should be able to finally solidify the middle of the Steelers’ defense, bringing the team back to its gritty and powerful roots on that side of the ball.
