Ravens rookie ILB Patrick Queen is looking to dominate in his first Steelers game
The Baltimore Ravens’ first-round rookie inside linebacker Patrick Queen grew up like most of the young defenders in the league, watching, idolizing, and mirroring their games after players that participated in the Ravens games versus their arch division rival Pittsburgh Steelers.
Now the flourishing first-year defender will be playing in the AFC North showdown for the first of what will hopefully be many times in his career, and he couldn’t be more excited.
“Growing up watching football, you don’t know much about the game, but you just see all the emotions coming into it and the hard-hitting. That’s what the kids growing up really look at, how people play. That’s the main thing I looked at growing up, was just how hard they hit and the energy that they brought to every game.”
While most football fans prefer high scoring offensive shootouts with the occasional clutch defensive play, Queen always reveled in the ‘hard-nosed” brand of football that he witnessed every time these two teams faced off. He enjoys watching and being a part of defensive slugfest that often wind up being low scoring affairs.
“That’s what you live for – a defensive game,” Queen said. “I know football, everybody wants to see high scoring games now. But at the end of the day, I like holding people to three points, no points, whatever it is. It’s a sign of dominance.
Sunday’s meeting between Baltimore and Pittsburgh not only marks the two teams, but it will also feature two of the stingiest and best overall defenses in the league. Both teams are among the best in the league in taking the ball away and racking up sacks.
After escaping Nashville with a narrow 27-24 victory over the previously undefeated Tennessee Titans and following the Seattle Seahawks’ dramatic overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday Night Football, the Steelers are the only unbeaten team in the NFL through the first seven weeks of the 2020 season.
Pittsburgh will be rolling into Baltimore with a perfect 6-0 record and will be looking to extend their impressive streak to seven in a row.
Even though they are one of the most complete teams in the entire league with an explosive offense to go along with their top-ranked overall defense, Queen said the Ravens are entering the highly anticipated matchup with the mindset of domination.
“I’m pretty sure that’s what everybody’s mindset is right now; just going into this game, trying to dominate them. Like I said, they have a great team. I know what we do and what they do on defense, so it’s going to be a great game.”
Queen has had a great start to his rookie season. He leads the team in total tackles, won AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a breakout game against the Bengals in Week Five, and is considered the front runner to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
However, around the castle aka Under Amor Performance Center where the team practices and run daily operations, that you aren’t truly a Raven until you’ve played in your first Ravens-Steelers game.
These matchups are where legends are made, and Queen is among several newcomers to the team chomping at the bit to establish a legacy in Baltimore of their own.
“Like all the other players, I’m just ready to go play,” Queen said. “I’m ready to go get after them. I know about the rivalry, so it’s going to be a fun game. I can’t wait – they’ve got great, great, great players. [They have] players who a lot of people look up to and stuff. So, it’s going to be fun to actually go against those guys now.”
