The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has looked better the last two weeks. The unit might have played its best half of the season in the team’s comeback during the third and fourth quarters against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6.
But linebacker Patrick Queen is still receiving significant criticism on social media. Pundits have put the middle linebacker on blast throughout October for poor tackling and effort in run defense.
On Monday, Queen appeared to say enough is enough and fired back at one critical post.
“Slow it down and see if I would have made it,” wrote Queen in response to Steelers Depot’s Josh Carney arguing the linebacker didn’t shoot a run gap well enough on a particular play in Week 6. “Or since you watching film maybe look the play like this one before that I tried to shoot and got knocked out!!!
“Stupid.”
Queen replied again to Carney, addressing the “business decision” narrative that’s been growing around Queen since Week 4.
“Wasn’t a business decision. It was me knowing I wasn’t making it so I didn’t wanna let the running back split our defense,” wrote Queen. “Something called doing your job.
“Come coach us since you know so much.”
Queen posted three combined tackles in the 26-19 overtime victory against the Buccaneers. The linebacker also had one quarterback hit.
Steelers’ Patrick Queen Fires Back at Social Media Criticism
It’s not clear why Queen chose to fire back at Carney, who provides solid analysis for Steelers Depot. Maybe Queen saw Carney’s post but not others criticizing his play from earlier this season.
But pundits have been accusing Queen of making “business decisions” since his poor outing against the Cleveland Browns on October 1.
“I’m a Queen fan, but he’s making business decisions out there,” wrote former Steelers linebacker Vince Williams during Week 4. “He knows this is his last year with the Steelers, and he’s playing safe.”
Notably, Williams walked back that criticism about 40 minutes later.
“I apologize to Queen. Everyone playing bad and slow tonight,” wrote Williams in another post.
The final statistical analysis of the Steelers defense from the Browns matchup confirmed that. The Steelers had 17 missed tackles in that contest, two of which were from Queen. Three Steelers defenders had more missed tackles than the middle linebacker.
Yet, pundits on social media have continued to target Queen over other Steelers defenders for missed tackles and “business decisions.”
“Patrick Queen pulls up on the sideline against a QB pushing for the first down,” wrote Steelers podcast host Kevin Adams. “Trade him yesterday. He ain’t it. As the great Vince Williams said, Business Decisions.
Queen probably should have clapped back at Williams because the former Steelers linebacker appears to be where the “business decision” narrative around the linebacker originated. But maybe Queen didn’t want to make a public scene with a former player who had already apologized.
Instead, Queen reacted to Carney. But the only way for the linebacker to silence his critics is to make more impactful plays.
Steelers’ Patrick Queen Breaks Silence, Claps Back at Critics on Social Media