First Call: Ravens LB has a grudge against Mike Tomlin; Cooper Kupp should be ready to face Steelers in L.A.

Thursday’s “First Call” features a Baltimore Raven with an axe to grind against Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. A potential threat to the Steelers in a few weeks is returning to practice. So is former Penn State star Saquon Barkley.

And we now have a diagnosis on that knee injury suffered by Kendrick Green against the Steelers last week.

Rivalry runs deep

Apparently, one Baltimore Raven has been holding a grudge against Steelers coach Mike Tomlin for quite some time.

Via the Ravens team website on Wednesday, linebacker Patrick Queen was asked if there are any extra feelings when he plays in Pittsburgh.

“Yes. Anytime you join this organization, and they talk about this game, it’s the game that defines you and makes you a Raven,” Queen said. “When I was on their sideline, my rookie year (2020), Mike Tomlin was looking at me (and) yelling at me, (saying) ‘You’re not a Raven. You’re not a Raven. You’re not supposed to be there. You’re not one of them,’ so every time I play them, it’s something personal.”

Queen said that interaction stuck with him.

“It definitely did. I don’t care if he was joking. I don’t care if he was serious. At the end of the day, I’m on your sideline, and you’re telling me I’m not a Raven. It’s kind of disrespectful,” Queen said. “He’s just coming at me, so from that point on, it was just … it is what it is.”

Here's the full video of Patrick Queen sharing the exchange he had with #Steelers HC Mike Tomlin during his rookie season:

"I don't care if he was joking, I don't care if he was serious. At the end of day, I'm on your sideline and you're telling me I'm not a Raven. It's kind of… pic.twitter.com/DiMawNSLpg

— Bobby Trosset (@bobbybaltimoree) October 4, 2023

The Steelers have won five of six games against Baltimore since Queen came into the league.

Can’t keep Kupp down

Former All-Pro receiver Cooper Kupp has been out all season for the Los Angeles Rams with a hamstring injury. But it appears he may be healthy enough to come back in time to play against the Steelers, if not earlier.

Kupp returned to practice Wednesday after being on injured reserve. So that means his 21-day window to practice and be activated onto the active roster is now open. As a result, Kupp could be deemed game-ready by Oct. 22. That’s when the Steelers visit Los Angeles coming off their game this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens and then a bye.

As for the Rams, like the Steelers, they are 2-2. Between now and when the Steelers visit, they host the Philadelphia Eagles and Arizona Cardinals for the first two of three consecutive home games.

Kupp has not played in a game since Week 10 of last year after an ankle injury ended his 2022 season early. He had 75 catches for 812 yards and six touchdowns in nine games before getting hurt.

In his absence this year, the Rams have welcomed rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua to the league. The fifth-round pick out of BYU has 39 catches and 501 yards in four games. Via ESPN.com, that’s the most through a player’s first four games in NFL history.

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Nittany Lion needed

The New York Giants are in need of any piece of good news. And the word is former Penn State standout Saquon Barkley may be nearing a return.

The star running back had a limited practice Wednesday. He hadn’t been able to do so since injuring an ankle in Week 2.

The Giants are hoping to have Barkley up to speed in time to play against the high-scoring Miami Dolphins this week.

RB Saquon Barkley seems to have a realistic chance to play this week vs. the Dolphins based on the way he's moving at Wednesday's practice. pic.twitter.com/wmh4sqkeLp

— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 4, 2023

The Giants are 1-3 this year with an NFL-worst minus-76 point differential. At 252 yards of total offense per game, only the Bengals are worse in the entire NFL in that category.

Damage done

We now know the nature of Kendrick Green’s injury.

The Houston Texans offensive lineman hurt his knee playing against the Steelers Sunday. Word is that he suffered a torn meniscus and will be out indefinitely.

#Texans left guard Kendrick Green suffered a torn meniscus and is expected to be out indefinitely per sources.

The Texans traded for Green to replaced the 2022 first round pick LG Kenyon Green who is out for the year(shoulder).

Kendrick started 3 games for the Texans.

— DJ Bien-Aime (@Djbienaime) October 3, 2023

Green was acquired via trade from the Steelers in advance of the regular season. He struggled with the Steelers as a center after being drafted in the third round of 2021’s draft and was inactive for all of 2022. He had been a bit better playing at guard for Houston once he got thrust into the starting lineup thanks to a slew of injuries up front for coach DeMeco Ryans’ offensive line.

But much like the rest of the players who were moved around in that patchwork unit, he and his fellow linemen were good enough to mop the floor with the Steelers defense on Sunday. Pittsburgh’s defense yielded 139 yards rushing — a season-high for the Texans. And quarterback C.J. Stroud left the game without being sacked.