Fans of LSU won’t want to miss Sunday’s showdown between the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, because there’s a few key former players that will be set to face off.
Linebacker Patrick Queen and quarterback Joe Burrow are good friends and now they will be re-united for the first time in the NFL this Sunday. That’s a battle that Queen is very ready for considering how he’s always competed with Burrow from the time when the duo faced off with the Tigers in college.
“We’re still great friends. He’s a great competitor.” @Patrickqueen_ on playing former teammate Joe Burrow this weekend
Queen said:
“It was a crazy relationship between us. As word got out, some things got heated sometimes and that’s just the competitor in the both of us. We’re still good friends to this day. Joe’s a great guy, great competitor. Day one when he came in, went to work against all of us. Looking forward to this rematch.”
The Ravens are also looking forward to staying on the winning track after their big win against Washington last week. Last season, the Ravens hammered Cincinnati in a pair of battles, outscoring them a very gaudy 72-30. This year, Burrow has the Bengals very competitive, and that’s something which Queen and the Ravens are likely to note as they make final preparations for the game.
Expect this game to be very competitive between the sides given the battles that have played out through the years, and expect the combat to be intense in between the lines. It’s just the thing you come to expect from a pair of great competitors.
Patrick Queen Paid Tribute to Ray Lewis
Not only did Queen play a leading role in a big win as a tough linebacker in the first week of the season, the rookie took time afterward to give the proper credit right back to Lewis by wearing an awesome shirt and giving Lewis a great shout out.
“It’s all about respect.”
@Patrickqueen_ repping the OG @raylewis
Queen said:
“It’s all about respect. Growing up, Ravens defense being physical. Ray Lewis really set the picture for me for the Ravens defense. Just giving him his respect by wearing this shirt. Letting him know that I respect his game, respect what he did for this organization and I’m just trying to follow in the same footsteps.”
Queen’s rookie debut was a good one for the Ravens. The linebacker recovered a fumble, had 4 tackles and a sack and did a great job in a commanding win. He looked a lot like Lewis, flying around and making some big time plays for his defense.
In the process, Queen remained humble and paid tribute to the legend. So far, he’s shown a lot of Lewis characteristics early in his Baltimore career.
Wink Martindale Loves Patrick Queen
Speaking to the media during training camp, Ravens defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale was asked to break down what he’s seen from the young players so far. As he said, they’re typical rookies with ups and downs on the field, but he is more impressed with the caliber of person each player is.
DC Wink Martindale likes what he’s seen from Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison:
Martindale said:
“I think they’re exactly what we expected. They’re young and they’re making some mistakes but for the most part, first of all, they’re great people. I’ve had some good conversations with them besides just football. We really haven’t gotten into the 11 on 11 pads where you can see their instincts. I think from all the film we’ve watched they’ve both done a really nice job and haven’t disappointed anyone.”
Queen and Harrison figure to be in the mix for the team moving forward and leading the charge at a position that needed tons of help this offseason. When they get on the field, it’s likely they will continue to not disappoint their coach, but it’s nice to see he’s already excited about the new players and personalities coming into the mix.
Clearly, Queen keeps proving his coach right and will likely do so again as he locks helmets with Burrow this weekend for the first time in the pros.
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Patrick Queen Excited for Rematch With ‘Great Competitor’ Joe Burrow