For four years with the Baltimore Ravens, current Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen and current Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins shared a locker room, getting to know each other well.
On Sunday inside Acrisure Stadium, the two will go against each other, this time outside of a practice or training camp setting as the Steelers and Chargers will clash at 1 p.m.
Dobbins is off to a great start this season as he attempts to revive his career. Across two games, Dobbins has rushed for 266 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 9.9 yards on 27 carries. Dobbins is taking advantage of his second chance in the NFL, shaking off the injury bug that plagued him in Baltimore to give the Chargers a real boost.
Ahead of the Week 3 matchup, Queen spoke highly of his former teammate to reporters Wednesday, calling Dobbins a complete back, one who is underrated still.
“He got everything. He got vision, got the speed, got diverse, he’s just all-around good back,” Queen said of Dobbins, according to video via Yardbarker’s Aaron Wilson on Twitter. “He can do every single thing on the field, and I think people might have underestimated him this year, knowing that he had the injuries and stuff, but he looked [like] himself to me.”
Queen knows what Dobbins brings when he’s at his peak, which is a combination of speed and power with good vision.
Though the speed aspect might not be there at this point for Dobbins, who suffered a torn ACL and a torn Achilles in back-to-back seasons, the Ohio State product still has good vision and looks as healthy as he has at any point in his career, even if he doesn’t have that home run speed anymore.
Landing in Los Angeles under head coach Jim Harbaugh seems like a perfect fit so far for Dobbins. He stepped into a run-heavy approach under former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman and was joined by former Ravens running back Gus Edwards.
Through two games, Dobbins has been the top guy for the Chargers, ripping off 135 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, and then 131 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers.
Now, he’ll go up against not only a familiar foe in the Pittsburgh Steelers, but a familiar face in Queen as well in Week 3 in Pittsburgh. In his career against the Black and Gold, Dobbins has played in three games, carrying the football 47 times for 326 yards and touchdown, averaging 6.94 yards a carry.
“Still one of my best friends, still talk to him to this day. And he’s just a great guy, great player, and I’m happy to see him getting back to himself,” Queen said regarding Dobbins, according to video via Becker. “But as far as me, I wanna shut that down. He’s the leading rushing right now. So, just being able to go out there and shut him down, give me bragging rights and just help the [team] win.”
It’ll be a tough test for the Steelers on Sunday, especially physically. Taking on a complete back like Dobbins makes it all the more difficult, but Queen is ready for it and excited to get after his former teammate once again.
