Queen wins first AFC Defensive Player of the Week originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
One of the reasons the Ravens drafted Patrick Queen in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft was their need at linebacker and how his skillset fit their scheme. That combined with the talent he displayed at LSU, and it’s easy to see why they liked him.
Through just five games, Baltimore is already seeing massive returns on their decision.
After a dominant Week 5 outing against Joe Burrow’s Bengals, Patrick Queen won the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Week award. It’s the first time he’s won the award in his career and he’s the only defensive rookie to win the award this season in either conference.
Queen really earned it this week too. Against his old college teammate, he recorded nine tackles, two fumble recoveries (one forced), a brutal sack and a touchdown return.
Burrow vowed to get rid of the ball quicker after his loss to the Ravens, and he can probably thank Queen for the lesson after this big hit.
As Queen progresses into one of the league’s best young linebackers, it allows the defense to elevate to a new plane. Last year, there was no question the Ravens could cover, but they struggled to stop the run without putting their coverage in a vulnerable spot. That weakness proved lethal against Derrick Henry and the Titans in the playoffs.
With Queen and his versatility at the position along with Calais Campbell mucking up the middle of the trenches, it’s growing increasingly difficult to find a chink in this unit’s armor.
