PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen shocked many when he decided to join the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason after playing the first four years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens. Nearing the end of his first season in the black and gold, he still stands by that decision.
His first season with the Steelers is not over quite yet, though. On Saturday, Pittsburgh will take on Baltimore in the wild-card round of the playoffs.
It’s the third time the two teams will meet this season, which is why Queen revealed his feelings about his former team are in the past.
“This is my third time playing against them and I’ve been with this team for a whole season,” Queen said. “We’ve got big goals, big dreams still, so I feel like at this point, this is where I’m supposed to be. I made the right decision. I’m happy with my decision.”
Queen was well compensated by the Steelers with a three-year, $41 million contract, but the Ravens have had the last laugh as of late.
The Steelers and Ravens split their first two matchups of the season, but they were very different. Pittsburgh won a close 18-16 game at home in Week 11 while Baltimore won handedly 34-17 at home in Week 16.
The oddsmakers don’t expect this game to be very close, either. As of Wednesday, the Ravens are 9.5-point favorites. It makes sense, too, as the Steelers have lost four straight games while Baltimore has done the opposite, winning four straight themselves.
However, Queen doesn’t think either side cares about that in what has proven to be one of the NFL’s best rivalries.
“Just me personally knowing them, they don’t give a damn about that, whatever it is,” Queen said. “I know here, we don’t give a damn about it, either. It’s playoff football. Anything can happen.”
Outside of the Steelers’ Week 16 loss to the Ravens, the previous nine matchups were one-possession games with the Steelers winning eight of them.
That’s why it won’t be surprising to anyone in either locker room to see a similar result on Saturday night. Pittsburgh is hoping it ends up on the winning side this time as it’s looking to end its seven-year playoff win drought.
What better way for the Steelers to do that than by sending home their hated AFC North division rival.
“Yeah I know, it’s crazy,” Queen said of having to play the Ravens for a third time this season. “That’s competition at the highest level. It’s a great opportunity to go out there and just play a good game.”
Queen has been a difference maker on defense this season with a team-leading 129 tackles. The Steelers will rely on him once again this week with the hopes of their offseason investment finally paying off.
