There’s no question the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense ended with a whimper after starting with a bang. After an elite three-game stretch to start the season, the unit has come back to Earth in the last two weeks. Some of that was expected, as they were putting up gaudy numbers early on, and the defense still made plenty of plays against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
Without forgetting about their problems, I wanted a quick look at ILBs Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson. Part of the Steelers’ speed infusion defensively, both showed off their sideline-to-sideline range against Dallas.
Below is a cut-up of the tackles Queen and Wilson made in space. Their speed and ability to chase and hit were impressive, even if some of these plays were positive for Dallas. No real coaching point to offer beyond just “look at the range of these guys.” Sometimes that’s just fun to admire.
Really like the effort and finish from these guys. Good hit power to get these guys on the ground, especially when other teammates weren’t always successful (like CB Joey Porter Jr.’s weak punch-out attempt without trying to wrap and tackle).
Patrick Queen is a hot topic this year, and he’s lacked the splash plays Pittsburgh brought him in to make. That can be excused – it’s only five games, and these moments ebb and flow. But he’s also missed more tackles than he should have, hasn’t always capitalized on his chances for big plays (missed third down tackle against Dallas, dropped INT versus Los Angeles), and he could do a better job coming downhill and shedding blocks in the run game. This post isn’t to detract from that.
But seeing that speed is a reminder of why they made Patrick Queen their highest-paid free agent ever and drafted Wilson when it wasn’t an immediate “need.” These guys can cover ground that most linebackers in football can’t, meaning they can make plays other guys can’t, and these are examples.
Patrick Queen has also impressed me with his football intelligence. He’s seeing the field well and seems to be really working hard with his film study. Queen’s been able to check and adjust the defense to defend the run, whether it’s fanning out the front in anticipation of a perimeter play on third and short.
(Queen reading and falling just short of the tackle sort of sums up his year so far)
To bumping Heyward over a gap on this run that goes away from him, making it harder for the backside cutoff…
A run that also wasn’t successfully defended, I know. That’s sorta my point. Patrick Queen seems to be reading it well. There is overall good communication up front, yet the secondary is a mess and all over the place. It doesn’t comport. They’re all at odds with each other. And that’s frustrating.
Without getting into the weeds of all that, it’s good to know Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson’s athleticism is as advertised and showing up on tape, even if it’s just another tackle in the box score.
