The Pittsburgh Steelers had their biggest win of the season during Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. These two AFC North adversaries have one of the most brutal, hard-hitting rivalries in the league. Whenever the Steelers and the Ravens play, fans are guaranteed lots of aggressive, smashmouth-style football. The two teams don't just harbor the onfield hate that is so common among divisional foes.
This season, a lot of that intensity comes from the fact that one of the newest black and gold players used to play for the other side. When the Steelers signed linebacker Patrick Queen during the 2024 offseason, it represented the biggest free agent signing in team history. Since then, Queen has revealed that the Ravens didn't even try to keep him and didn't offer him a contract. While Queen admitted that he would bring extra intensity into the game, no one can know how it will actually play out.
It played out with Queen being the Steelers' leading tackler, with 10 tackles against his old team, with one for a loss. Queen brought that extra something to the defense the entire game, flying from sideline to sideline. However, his biggest play of the game came shortly before the half. He managed to strip the ball away from Isaiah Likely. The Steelers were down at the time, 7-6, but this forced fumble led to a third Chris Boswell field goal, allowing Pittsburgh to take the lead 9-7 at halftime.
On his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward said that multiple players were seriously wound up for the game. The 10-time team captain and current Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner said he had to put his leadership skills to work to keep all the trash talk under control.
"My other teammates were talking," admitted Heyward. "PQ [Patrick Queen] was amped up, Mink [Minkah Fitzpatrick] was amped. I had to grab Mink at one time. But, you know, everybody was pretty amped up. It's just I had to tell Mink, or I had to tell a couple other players, not just Mink, like once you get those penalties, you got to be real cognizant of that because they're going to kick you out if you get another one. Then we're going to be at a disadvantage. Those are the things you think about during the game, and it happens. You kind of have to reset after that."
Queen got off to a slower start in Pittsburgh than fans would have liked. He is wearing the green dot for the Steelers, leading that defensive unit, and expectations for his performance were high. He finally seemed to hit his stride as the season went on, and he had a big game against the Washington Commanders in Week 10. He recorded seven tackles, two of which were for a loss.
The Steelers are far from done with the hard part of their schedule. They play the rest of their division games and other winning opponents before the season ends. They will need Queen to continue to bring that level of energy.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Lights The Fire Of Pettiness
It is no secret that Tomlin used the fact that the Ravens let Queen go to the team's advantage in the week leading up to the game. The stories of him using that narrative to rile up his players are legendary.
Tomlin always recognizes players who play against their former team with a "petty game ball." Earlier this season, quarterback Russell Wilson got one for the game against the Denver Broncos despite being injured. But when it came to Queen and the Ravens, he didn't need his game ball to be petty.
