Steelers' TJ Watt Gives Praise To Unsung Defensive Hero

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent Sunday making Cleveland's offensive line look like it had several assignments nobody remembered discussing. Pressure came from different directions, blockers struggled to keep up, and the quarterback rarely had time to get comfortable. Afterward, one of Pittsburgh's most accomplished defenders pointed toward a teammate who is making life considerably more complicated for opposing offenses. The interesting part is how the Steelers are finally taking advantage of him.

TJ Watt had plenty of praise for Patrick Queen following Pittsburgh's 27-6 demolition of the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. Queen finished with 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup, giving defensive coordinator Patrick Graham another convincing reason to keep sending his inside linebacker after quarterbacks.

The performance was particularly impressive considering who Pittsburgh was chasing. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has the mobility to escape pressure when defenders lose control of their rush lanes. Queen didn't simply arrive near the quarterback. He made sure Watson wasn't going anywhere once he got there, something Watt clearly appreciated.

During his postgame media availability, Watt praised Queen's ability to create pressure both as a rusher and through his work inside.

“PQ's been rushing really well. I mean, that's something that you throw on the tape and PQ's always been a phenomenal picker on the inside, a phenomenal rusher. Getting to the quarterback and being able to finish against a quarterback like that, he's hard to get down to. So awesome plays by PQ,” Watt said.

Watt's reference to Queen being a strong interior picker offers a glimpse into what makes the linebacker useful beyond his own sack numbers. On designed pressure games, a defender can occupy a blocker or disrupt his path while another rusher attacks the opening. It's less glamorous than beating somebody cleanly around the edge, but creating an unobstructed route to the quarterback is usually worth the bruises.

Queen also has the acceleration to finish those plays himself. The combination creates another headache for an offensive line already worried about Watt and Pittsburgh's other edge rushers. A center trying to identify the most dangerous threat can suddenly find a linebacker accelerating through the middle while the protection is occupied elsewhere.

That danger became obvious during Cleveland's second possession. Queen and Cameron Heyward combined to sack Watson for a five-yard loss, with Queen forcing the quarterback to fumble. Keeanu Benton recovered the football at Cleveland's 45-yard line, setting up an eventual nine-yard touchdown run by Pittsburgh's offense.

The play accomplished exactly what Graham wants from a pressure package. Pittsburgh disrupted the quarterback, attacked the football and handed its offense favorable field position. A defensive call producing a sack is encouraging enough. Producing a turnover that immediately becomes seven points is considerably better.

Queen wasn't finished tormenting Watson. In the fourth quarter, he brought the quarterback down for an eight-yard loss on second-and-10. Watt followed with another sack on third down, forcing Cleveland into fourth-and-22 and a punt. The Browns went backward on consecutive snaps with two different defenders supplying the damage.

Pittsburgh finished with eight sacks, including two from Watt, 1.5 apiece from Queen and Heyward, and contributions from Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith. The Steelers also held Cleveland to 34 rushing yards, giving their pass rush plenty of opportunities to attack without constantly worrying about getting punished on the ground.

Queen's emergence as a more dangerous blitzer didn't happen by accident. Head coach Mike McCarthy recently revealed that Pittsburgh had increased the linebacker's involvement in defensive planning while also giving him additional opportunities to attack. McCarthy explained that the staff had begun giving Queen more freedom on pressures, a development that appeared to be paying off even before Cleveland arrived.

Queen's responsibilities extend well beyond pursuing quarterbacks. As Pittsburgh's defensive signal-caller, he must communicate Graham's instructions, recognize offensive adjustments and help keep teammates aligned. Blitzing him creates opportunities, but it also changes who handles coverage behind the pressure.

That's where Payton Wilson becomes important. His range gives Pittsburgh flexibility when Queen attacks, provided the entire defense understands its assignments. Graham can manufacture pressure from inside without asking every outside linebacker to beat a tackle individually.

Steelers Should Keep Giving Patrick Queen Opportunities To Attack

Pittsburgh would be foolish to treat Queen's performance as a one-week experiment. His speed has always been one of his strongest attributes, and using him primarily as a communicator and traditional inside linebacker leaves some of that ability on the table. Graham has a player capable of disrupting protection schemes before the quarterback even finishes his drop.

That doesn't mean blitzing Queen every third down. Opponents would eventually recognize the tendency and attack the space he vacates. The advantage comes from forcing offenses to prepare for multiple possibilities, especially when Watt already commands significant attention.

The Steelers enter their bye week at 6-2 after four consecutive victories, with a November 15 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals waiting on the other side. Pittsburgh's pass rush has become considerably more difficult to handle, and Queen's growing involvement gives Graham another option against an offense that can punish predictable defensive looks.

Watt has spent years showing quarterbacks what happens when they lose track of No. 90. Sunday's performance suggested Pittsburgh has another defender worth checking for before every snap. Queen doesn't need to become the next Watt. He just needs to make protecting against the original one even more miserable.