It’s arguably the best rivalry in the NFL, and we had to wait until week 11 to see it renewed. And “this time, it’s personal.”
Fun fact: that well-worn catchphrase appears to have originated as a tagline for a movie that many critics consider firmly among the all-time worst- Jaws: The Revenge. (The plot revolves around a shark being aware enough to have a revenge motive and the intellectual capacity to stalk one specific family from New England to the Bahamas, so yeah, it’s bad).
With all that was said back and forth between Patrick Queen and his former teammates, this game is indeed “personal” for many. Many Ravens fans might now look at Queen like a Jedi knight looked at Anakin Skywalker once he joined the dark side and became a Sith.
Ravens-Steelers is always a heated rivalry grudge match, but in 2024, the temperature is raised even higher.
Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who served as the Ravens DB Coach last season, described the rivalry as “a bloodbath.”
The fate of the AFC North may rest in this game and the other meeting between the two rivals in Baltimore on December 21.
So while this game will be significant, on multiple levels, and just in case you’re not excited enough already, consider this Roquan Smith quote from early August, about Queen:
“I have much love for him. Always care for him, but definitely when we play him, he gots to get dealt with by any means necessary.”
Sunday afternoon just cannot get here fast enough.
