Queen focused on stopping NFL’s ‘most dangerous guy’

After the Pittsburgh Steelers had a significant number of missed tackles against the Philadelphia Eagles, Patrick Queen promised to take a long look in the mirror and search for ways to improve.

“We’ve got to get better,” Queen said of the 27-14 loss to the Eagles. “The plays we should’ve made, we should’ve made. I think if we all look in the mirror, we should understand that that wasn’t us. That’s not acceptable in no way, shape or form. We’ve got to go back to doing what we do and doing it at a high level.”

Queen knows he can’t spend much time looking in the rear view.

The Steelers (10-4) have a chance to clinch the AFC North Division title Saturday at the Baltimore Ravens (9-5), and the Steelers inside linebacker’s concentration is on stopping two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Where Queen was excited to face his former team in their first meeting — and even served as an honorary captain — he offered a different declaration Tuesday: “I’m over that. I’m over it. It’s a new team. We clinched a playoff spot, and there’s bigger things down the road. Right now, this is a big game because it’s a division game. It’s a chance to get T-shirts and hats, so I’m all for it. I’m all for the rivalry and stuff, but I’m over the whole ‘my old team’ stuff.”

Queen knows he has to turn his attention toward Jackson, whom he called “the most dangerous guy in the NFL.”

That’s especially true in the final month of the season. Jackson is averaging 235 passing yards and 53 rushing yards with nine touchdown passes without an interception in the Ravens’ three games since an 18-16 loss to the Steelers on Nov. 17 at Acrisure Stadium.

“I think anytime he can make a play, he’s going to try to make that play,” Queen said. “I don’t think he tries to hold anything back, especially at the end of the season. Everything’s on the line at that point. There’s no holding back on him. You definitely see that now, him lowering his shoulder, him stiff-arming a guy out of bounds — which is crazy — just him pushing the ball downfield is just a whole lot more plays he’s trying to make.”

Jackson is 1-4 as a starter against the Steelers, who have won seven of their last eight games against the Ravens, all decided by seven points or fewer. Jackson completed 16 of 33 passes for 207 yards, with one touchdown and an interception, and had four carries for 46 yards in their previous meeting. The Steelers stopped him on a 2-point conversion attempt with 1 minutes, 6 seconds left.

“He’s a great player. He’s the best in the world, honestly, at what he does,” Queen said. “Anytime you’ve got to prepare for a guy like that, I’m sitting there watching film like, he’s making plays, he’s making plays, but me knowing the type of player that I am, I want to try to stop that. It’s the competitive nature with me. This is going to be a game where everybody is going to have make their plays, and whoever makes the most plays is going to win it.”