He’s been under a bit of fire early in the season for some struggles, but if the last two weeks are any indication, veteran linebacker and big-ticket free agent acquisition Patrick Queen is starting to round into form.
Against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, Queen had a game-high 13 tackles and was flying around making plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense, helping put the clamps on the Raiders’ run game.
After some issues with communication in previous weeks, missed tackles and just general uninspiring play, Queen has found his footing and is playing rather well.
“Man, I love the trajectory of Patrick Queen and what he’s doing for us. I think he gets better with every day. I think he gets more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do and his role within our ball,” Mike Tomlin said Tuesday during his weekly press conference, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page.
Coming over from Baltimore, Queen was quite familiar with the Steelers and their defensive scheme, having played in the AFC North for four seasons. But even moving from one division team to another is a major adjustment. While he might have been familiar with the coaches and the talent, the scheme and the communication are a whole different aspect that requires time when adjusting to them.
Having the responsibility of the green dot has been a lot for Queen, but over the last two weeks he’s found his groove and is letting his play lead the way, giving the Steelers some solid performances at inside linebacker.
He might not be creating the splash as far as interceptions and forced fumbles go, but he’s around the football a ton and making the plays that are there, which is encouraging.
Tomlin likes the trajectory of Queen’s game, which isn’t surprising. He’s a steadying force on the inside and is starting to take off. Hopefully there’s some splash in the immediate future to solidify the work he’s done in recent weeks.
