Steelers Weather Injury Storm in Gritty Battle Against Ravens
BALTIMORE - In a game with playoff implications written all over it, the Pittsburgh Steelers found themselves in a physical, emotionally charged fight with the Baltimore Ravens - and the injury report told the story just as much as the scoreboard.
Midway through the second half, linebacker Patrick Queen went down after Lamar Jackson launched a deep ball out of bounds. It looked like a leg issue at first glance, and Queen stayed down longer than Steelers fans would’ve liked.
Eventually, he got to his feet and walked off under his own power, albeit slowly, helmet off and clearly not at 100%. But in classic Queen fashion, he wasn’t done yet.
Just moments later, with the Ravens knocking on the door at the goal line, Queen was back on the field - and right in the middle of the action. The Steelers defense held strong on a critical fourth-and-goal stop, a sequence that could prove to be a turning point in a game - and possibly a season - that’s teetering on the edge.
Queen has been the nerve center of this Pittsburgh defense all year. Coming into the game, he had racked up 89 total tackles, a sack, four passes defended, a forced fumble, and a recovery.
And all of that production came despite battling a glute injury that lingered from last week’s matchup with the Bills. Sunday’s game was never going to be about comfort - and Queen embodied that grit.
But he wasn’t the only one dealing with the physical toll of the game. Offensive tackle Andrus Peat, tight end Darnell Washington, inside linebacker Malik Harrison, and cornerback Brandin Echols were all evaluated for concussions over the course of the game. Of that group, only Echols made it back onto the field.
Injuries are part of the game, especially in December, when every snap feels heavier and every yard is earned. But this felt like a war of attrition more than most.
The Ravens, trailing 27-22 at the time of Queen’s exit, rolled the dice on a fourth-and-5 from their own 46-yard line. Jackson found Zay Flowers for six yards - just enough to keep the chains moving and the pressure on Pittsburgh’s defense.
It was a gutsy call, and the kind of moment where one missed tackle or misread can flip a game - and a season. But the Steelers, despite the mounting injuries and the emotional toll of the afternoon, kept their composure.
This wasn’t just another AFC North slugfest. This was two teams clawing for postseason life, and the Steelers, bruised and battered, are doing everything they can to keep their season alive.