The Pittsburgh Steelers’ rough afternoon against the Buffalo Bills got even worse when linebacker Patrick Queen was forced out in the first half. The team initially announced it as a hip injury and ruled him questionable to return, removing one of the core pieces of a defense that had already been under heavy scrutiny in recent weeks.
After the game, there was at least a bit of relief. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Queen is believed to have suffered a lower back bruise and is undergoing further testing, with the hope that the issue will not be a long-term injury and that his absence will be limited to the short term.
Queen’s health suddenly becomes a major storyline heading into a massive Week 14 primetime trip to Baltimore. The veteran linebacker has been central to the Steelers’ defensive turnaround since early in the season, and taking him off the field for any length of time puts more pressure on a unit that just got pushed around in a 26-7 loss. With Aaron Rodgers already playing through a wrist injury and the offense sputtering, Pittsburgh cannot afford to lose defensive playmakers.
Complicating everything is the atmosphere around the team. Fans at Acrisure Stadium showered the Steelers with boos throughout Sunday’s defeat and loudly called for Mike Tomlin’s job as Buffalo pulled away. Rodgers admitted afterward that the crowd had every right to be upset, and Tomlin did not try to soften the blow either.
“I share their frustration tonight. We didn’t do enough,” Tomlin said after the game, later calling it “an awful performance” and offering little defense for how thoroughly the Steelers were outplayed at home. The loss dropped Pittsburgh to 6-6 and further tightened an already congested AFC playoff picture.
Now the focus turns to damage control. The Steelers need clarity on Queen’s back, better answers on both sides of the ball, and a response worthy of a season that once felt far more promising. With a Sunday night showdown against the Ravens looming, any good news on Queen’s prognosis would be a badly needed boost.
