Ravens' Patrick Queen Calls Out NFL Teams Being 'Cute, Playing Basketball on Grass'

Coming out of one of the most impressive wins any team has had this season, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen had a message for the rest of the NFL.

Speaking to reporters after Monday's 33-19 win over the San Francisco 49ers, Queen said their brand of football runs counter to what other teams are doing:

"We play a brand of football that people don't want to play. Everybody wants to be out here [being] cute, playing basketball on grass and stuff, and we [are not] with all that. You can do all that stuff; we're just going to hit you in the mouth every play, honestly. We couldn't care less about all the pretty stuff you do, gimmick stuff. You still have to line up and play football. You still have to get touched, so that's our mindset. That's how we want to come out and just hit people in the mouth."

The Ravens dominated a 49ers offense that looked unstoppable going into Monday night. San Francisco was averaging 34.5 points and 437.2 yards per game during its six-game winning streak since the Week 9 bye.

San Francisco did manage to rack up 429 yards against the Ravens, but Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold combined to throw five interceptions. It was the first five-turnover game for the 49ers since Week 3 of the 2019 season.

Queen's comment could be taken as a dig at the 49ers, though it would be an odd comment to make about them since they are often praised for their hard-nosed, physical style of play. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle seem to actively search for contact at all times.

Perhaps the message Queen was sending is aimed more toward the next team on Baltimore's schedule: The Miami Dolphins.

Miami is, in some ways, following the 49ers' model of roster-building. It makes sense since Mike McDaniel spent 11 seasons working with Kyle Shanahan dating back to 2011 when they were on the Washington staff when Mike Shanahan was head coach.

The main difference between the two teams is the Dolphins don't have players like Samuel or Kittle who are going to barrel through defenders. Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Raheem Mostert and Devon Achane are four of the fastest players in the NFL and can run away from anyone when they get the ball in their hands.

Miami and Baltimore will square off on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium in a game with huge implications for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

If the Ravens win, they lock up the first-round bye and home-field advantage in the playoffs without having to worry about their Week 18 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

If the Dolphins win, they would clinch the AFC East and tie the Ravens for the best record in the conference at 12-4. The head-to-head tiebreaker would put them into pole position for the No. 1 seed, but they would also have to beat the Buffalo Bills or have the Ravens lose to the Steelers in Week 18 to secure the bye and home-field advantage.

Whether or not Queen was talking about one specific team, there's little doubt that the Ravens are the best team in the NFL right now. They have shown the ability to win games in a multitude of ways as they close in on their first division title since 2019.