For Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith, sentimentality isn’t part of this week's game plan. As the Ravens gear up to face their bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, there’s no time to dwell on old friendships or former teammates, especially not Patrick Queen.
The reunion narrative might sound sweet to some. Queen, once Smith’s partner in crime at linebacker, now dons the black and yellow of Pittsburgh. But when it comes to this Sunday’s AFC North showdown, Smith made his stance crystal clear: the past is the past.
“I'm happy for as a brother, outside of this football stuff,” Smith said earlier this week. “But…it's no 'brother' stuff. You have to do what you have to do.”
Baltimore Ravens-Pittsburgh Steelers' rivalry leaves no room for sentiment
This isn’t just any game for Smith and the Ravens; it’s Steelers Week. That alone makes the stakes higher. It’s a matchup steeped in physicality, pride, and playoff implications, and Smith knows what it takes to come out on top.
“These guys are no fair dodging. They run the ball coming right at you,” Smith said, referencing Pittsburgh’s bruising run game. “But hey, it is what it is. One man has to go down, and hey, I’m not going to be on that side.”
Smith’s focus highlights what makes the Ravens-Steelers rivalry the NFL’s best. There’s no room for feelings or nostalgia, only grit, execution, and the will to dominate the man across from you. While Patrick Queen may have his own motivations heading into this game, especially given how his departure from Baltimore played out, it’s clear that Smith and the Ravens are all business.
After Baltimore traded for Smith last season and made him the centerpiece of their defense with a massive extension, it was obvious that Queen’s days in purple and black were numbered. That reality still stings for some fans, seeing a homegrown talent now wearing the rival's colors. For Queen, the feelings linger too. He’s openly admitted that being let go wasn’t easy to accept. But for Smith, those emotions aren’t part of the game plan.
“I love physicality,” Smith added. “The most physical team is going to win this game. Make no mistake about it.”
Smith’s leadership has been critical to Baltimore’s defensive resurgence over the past year. His ability to diagnose plays, communicate adjustments, and deliver bone-crunching tackles sets the tone for the entire unit. That’s exactly what the Ravens will need against a Steelers team built on physicality.
But Baltimore’s defense is also coming off a performance that Smith described as “embarrassing” despite a divisional win. With the Steelers posing a fresh challenge, this week has been all about correcting mistakes and raising the standard.
Each Ravens-Steelers clash feels like a heavyweight bout, and the middle of the field will be no different. Smith, flanked by a Ravens front that thrives on toughness, will look to shut down the Steelers’ rushing attack and force quarterback Russell Wilson into uncomfortable situations.
When Smith steps onto the field Sunday, he won’t think about his former teammate across the sideline. Queen might be looking for personal redemption, but Smith is locked in on a bigger goal: winning games and keeping the Ravens’ Super Bowl hopes alive.
“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Smith said. And that opportunity has nothing to do with friendship - it’s about domination.
For Smith, the only thing that matters this week is proving, once again, that the Ravens are the most physical team in football. Everything else? Just noise.