The Pittsburgh Steelers won a thriller against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, beating their division rival 18-16. The defense played well against the offensive juggernaut, bending by giving up 331 total yards of offense but not breaking as they held Baltimore to 16 points on the scoreboard. LB Patrick Queen had a strong showing against his former team on Sunday, totaling 10 tackles (three solo), a tackle for loss, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery against Baltimore. His play had been steadily improving throughout the season, and Pittsburgh needed him to step up in the biggest way in what was a heavyweight prize fight for the lead in the AFC North.
THE FILM
Patrick Queen was all over the field Sunday against the Ravens, coming downhill against the run, pursuing sideline to sideline, and chasing ball carriers down the field. Watch the first clip below of Queen sniffing out the checkdown pass from QB Lamar Jackson to RB Justice Hill, securing the tackle by wrapping up the ball carrier by the legs and driving him into the ground. In the second clip, watch Queen drop into coverage and see Jackson throw the pass to WR Rashod Bateman, driving on the football once the ball is thrown to deliver a big hit on Bateman, attempting to jar the ball free.
Patrick Queen struggled early this season, taking on blocks, staking, and shedding against the run. He’s improved over time, playing with better consistency in fighting through or around blocks to get to the ball carrier. Watch this clip of Queen taking on FB Patrick Ricard in the hole on a Derrick Henry carry, fighting through Ricard and WR Nelson Agholor to get in on the tackle of Henry.
Patrick Queen had his bad moments against his former team on Sunday, just like on this rep, where Pittsburgh could have had a sack as DL Isaiahh Loudermilk got to Lamar Jackson. Queen gets called for defensive holding on TE running a shallow crosser. He locks up with Andrews right after the ball is snapped and keeps his hands on the receiver throughout the rep, noticeably holding up Andrews from getting into his route.
Still, Patrick Queen made more plays than missed in Sunday’s contest, with his biggest splash play coming on this forced fumble along the sideline on TE Isaiah Likely, coming downhill from the flat where he drops into coverage to wrap up Likely. Queen rips at the football and forces it to pop free into the air, quickly jumping on it to secure possession for the Pittsburgh offense inside Baltimore territory.
Another key play Patrick Queen made on Sunday that may go unnoticed by some is this chase-down tackle on RB Justice Hill at the end of the game. Queen starts out rushing the passer, operating mainly as a spy on Jackson in the pocket. However, Hill releases from the pocket and gets into the open field, catching Jackson’s check-down pass. Hill takes off up the sideline, seeing plenty of green grass. Queen gets on his horse to run down Hill, chopping his legs from underneath him as Hill nearly gets a 1-on-1 opportunity against S Damontae Kazee to get into the end zone.
Through 10 games in his first season in Pittsburgh, Patrick Queen has accounted for 72 total tackles, five tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and three pass deflections. He has yet to become that splash playmaker he was during his time with the Ravens. Still, we got a glimpse of it on Sunday, forcing the fumble and recovering it himself while making a bunch of plays all over the field, bringing that tone-setting attitude Pittsburgh needs from their starting outside linebacker.
Heading down the stretch with five more AFC North matchups to go, Patrick Queen appears to be coming into his own after a slow start in his first season with the Steelers. He showed up when the team needed it most, helping his new team defeat his former one to take a clear lead in the divisional standings.
