Steelers Star LB Calls Out His Own Play

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are pushing through a rough start to their season defensively. After an impressive performance in their recent victory over the Indianapolis Colts, the team hopes they now have the blueprint to become the elite defense they touted themselves to be in the preseason.

Part of the Steelers’ finding success is their improving rush defense. They’ve taken serious strides in the past few weeks, and it’s due to the team getting back to the simple things: physicality and non-stop effort. Star linebacker Patrick Queen recently appeared on his teammate Christian Kuntz’s podcast and he made it clear that mentality starts with him. He also lambasted himself for not providing enough of it at times this season.

“I think it’s just physicality and effort," Queen told Kuntz. "I always say that, and I got mad at myself a couple times in the beginning of the season because my effort wasn’t there. Physicality was, (there) just wasn’t no effort to it."

Leaving Him Out to Dry

Queen is a leader on the defense. He calls plays and communicates coverage instructions pre-snap. His value to the team is beyond the thumping physical presence and pass coverage skills. Still, he is is his own loudest critic.

He roasted himself while discussing his performance in Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks, a game the team lost decisively. He pointed to the second-half touchdown run from Kenneth Walker as a key example of his lack of effort and physicality. He even went so far as to say he left his fellow middle linebacker, Payton Wilson, out to dry on the play.

"I kind of left him out to dry and I didn’t get there and my effort was poor,” he said. “It stuck with me and it pissed me off... So, if I’m gonna be out here, I gotta go 100 percent every single play. Tired or not."