LB Patrick Queen was the star of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ free agency haul. It’s not very often you can pry a promising young player from your biggest rival, but when the opportunity arises (especially in a position of need), you have to pounce. And that’s exactly what the Steelers did when they signed Queen to a three-year contract after his time with the Baltimore Ravens ended.
But Queen had some up-and-down performances through the beginning of the season. There were communication issues in the loss to the Indianapolis Colts that Queen took responsibility for.
But to rookie LB Payton Wilson, Queen has been an indispensable teammate and leader of the Steelers’ defense.
“He is obviously one of the better linebackers in the game, more athletic,” said Wilson on SiriusXM Radio’s Sunday Standouts after the Steelers’ 37-15 win over the New York Jets. “But what people outside of the building don’t see is just how smart he is. The tips that he’s giving me every single play, he’s controlling the whole defense. It’s just super special to see.”
Wilson isn’t the only person praising Queen’s on-field performance and leadership, either. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin spoke about Queen prior to the Jets game and highlighted how he’s settling in to play quicker on the field while running the defense.
And the Steelers need both out of Queen. They have struggled at points with communication and getting in the right spots on defense. So having someone able to command the entire defense and get them lined up properly pre-snap is huge.
The team also needs a commanding presence in the middle both against the run and the pass. Against the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday, that’s exactly what Queen gave them. He had 13 total tackles and a tackle for a loss in the 32-13 win. Those tackles for a loss are a big part of Queen’s game (had at least nine in every season with the Ravens).
And it all starts with what’s above Queen’s shoulders. You can have all the athleticism in the world, but without a good head on your shoulders, it’s not going to matter on the football field. But that’s not the case with Queen. Wilson is certainly enjoying learning from Queen. And Wilson had his first game with double-digit total tackles against the Jets.
All this is happening while the Steelers shut down the Raiders and Jets in back-to-back weeks. They held both offenses to 15 or fewer points while forcing at least two turnovers.
So here’s hoping that this is a sign of things to come for Payton Wilson, Patrick Queen, and the Steelers’ defense as a whole.
