The Pittsburgh Steelers have looked rough in their last two games. They had a chance to get back on track against the Baltimore Ravens, but they wasted that opportunity. Now, they have to turn around quickly and play the team on top of the AFC in the Kansas City Chiefs. The Steelers’ defense in particular has been worrisome, and Patrick Queen wants to make sure everyone is playing like one unit.
“Starting from top to bottom, we’ve got to be teammates because if you ain’t doing this for your brother and you ain’t trying to see your brother succeed by just doing your job, you’re doing a disservice to this team,” Queen said after the Steelers 34-17 loss to the Ravens via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on YouTube. “I’d say we’ve got to take a long look in the mirror, personally, individually, and see where this team wants to go.
“If we aren’t all on the same page, then you’ve just got to get off the ship.”
It’s important to note that he’s not singling anyone out or saying anyone isn’t on the same page. He’s just emphasizing why he thinks the Steelers’ defense has had issues recently. Looking at how they’ve been playing, that’s more than fair.
For most of this season, the Steelers have had one of the NFL’s best defenses. You wouldn’t be able to tell that based on how they’ve looked over the past two weeks. Against the Philadelphia Eagles, they were stout on the ground but got killed through the air. Against the Ravens, they weren’t really good anywhere.
The Steelers’ defense did force two turnovers, but that was about all it did right. Lamar Jackson had a fantastic day passing, taking advantage of the Steelers’ miscommunication. RB Derrick Henry did whatever he wanted against them too. Their tackling wasn’t up to snuff again either.
Queen’s frustrations are valid. The Steelers have played some more serious competition recently, and they haven’t met expectations. Queen also spent the first four years of his career with the Ravens, but he said that’s not why he was so steamed after the loss.
“It’s not just Baltimore. It’s the fact that it’s sloppy football. I love the game too much for the shit that happened today to just fly by and pass,” he said. “It’s just simple stuff that shouldn’t be happening happens.”
Whatever the case, he isn’t wrong. The Steelers’ defense doesn’t deserve all the blame for these losses, but that group is supposed to be better than this. They are dealing with some injuries, but that shouldn’t be used as an excuse. Their vaunted stable of pass rushers were healthy, and yet, they only sacked Jackson once. They came up short in too many areas.
Their last two games of the regular season won’t be any easier. The Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes, the best quarterback in the NFL. If he sees any weakness, he’s going to exploit it. After that, they’ll face the Cincinnati Bengals, whose offense has been one of the best in the league. Their defense is going to continue to be tested.
We’ll see if they can heed Queen’s message and turn it around on a short week. The Steelers have been at their best this year when they’ve played as a cohesive unit. That isn’t going to change now. Hopefully, these losses unify them and get their heads on straight before the postseason arrives.
