The Pittsburgh Steelers signed LB Patrick Queen to a big contract this offseason, making him the highest-paid free agent in franchise history. He made his regular-season debut for Pittsburgh last Sunday, helping the Steelers beat the Atlanta Falcons 18-10.
The Film
Queen finished the game with two total tackles. Per our very own Josh Carney, who writes the missed tackles report every week for the site, Queen missed three of his five tackle attempts against Atlanta, coming out to a 60% miss rate.
Queen played well in the preseason albeit on a limited snap count but got exposed to his first full game as a Steeler. Playing 56 snaps, Queen showcased his speed and ability to chase down opposing ball carriers, but didn’t fare well in bringing them to the ground. In the clip below, Queen displays good awareness and technique, keeping his shoulders square to the line of scrimmage as he works down toward the sideline to meet RB Bijan Robinson. Queen wraps up high on Robinson’s shoulders as he leaves his feet. Robinson turns up the sideline and Queen falls to the turf after failing to successfully wrap up Robinson and stop his forward progress.
Queen’s other missed tackles came on the plays below. The first clip shows Queen working through the block of WR Darnell Mooney. Getting around the block in the backfield to wrap up Robinson, Queen once again is unable to bring Robinson down as the runner runs right out of his grasp. The next clip shows Queen taking on a down block by WR Drake London. Queen fights across London’s face to get in front of Robinson, who makes it into the second level of the defense as Queen goes low to wrap up Robinson by the hips. However, Robinson puts Queen through a spin cycle as he shakes him off, managing to get a few extra yards at the end of the run.
Struggling to make tackles, Queen also didn’t look too good at stacking and shedding blocks throughout the contest last Sunday in Atlanta. He looked passive at times when engaging blockers, showing a lack of strength and physicality to defeat blocks and get in better position to make the play. Here’s one example where the center and right guard double team DL Montravius Adams, combo blocking up to Queen in the box. Queen is slow to laterally push down the line of scrimmage, getting engulfed by the center’s left arm. RB Tyler Allgeier hits the hole and makes it into the secondary before Adams fights through the blockers and tackles him from behind.
Queen did have moments where his speed popped on tape, getting to the sidelines in a hurry to make a stop. Check out the clips below. The first clips show Queen sniffing out the screen to the left as he gets on his horse to chase it down, closing ground quickly as he and rookie LB Payton Wilson team up for the stop. In the second clip, Queen engages TE Charlie Woerner on his path toward the sideline. Working to keep his outside leg and arm free, he manages to fight through the block and make the tackle on Robinson along the sideline to escort him out of bounds.
Queen’s tape wasn’t all bad as he had moments where he showed that he can work around and through blocks to make tackles against the run. He was responsible for Pittsburgh’s first stop of the game last weekend, shedding the block of LG Matthew Bergeron by ripping across his face to wrap up Robinson and drive his feet on contact. He combined with DL Larry Ogunjobi to make the stop.
Queen’s regular-season debut as a Steeler wasn’t spectacular by any standard, but it wasn’t exactly as poor as his 28.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus suggests. He displayed the skill set Pittsburgh was looking for when it signed him, having that sideline-to-sideline speed to run down ball carriers as well as run with running backs and tight tends in coverage. He had moments where he showed good pursuit of the football, but he needs to be better going forward when it comes to shedding blocks and finishing tackles, something Pittsburgh needs its prized free agent signing to do.
It’s only one game so it’s too early to sound any alarms but should Queen’s tackling issues continue into this Sunday’s matchup against the Broncos, that would give the Steelers cause for concern.
