EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Observed and heard after the Pittsburgh Steelers' 20-13 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday at MetLife Stadium:
Mike Mitchell walked out of the visiting locker room at MetLife Stadium wearing a hoodie and a pair of sunglasses. The incognito look did not prevent the Steelers free safety from stopping at Brett Keisel’s locker and talking with the veteran defensive end while reporters waited near Keisel’s stall. The two had a private conversation, but the hug they shared made it obvious that Mitchell and Keisel settled some disagreement they had on the field. The Jets, to be sure, were not happy with Mitchell at the end of the game. He dived over the line of scrimmage as quarterback Michael Vick took a knee, touching off shoving between the Steelers and Jets.
The Steelers did not force a turnover for the first time since the second week of the season, though they thought they came up with what would have been a key takeaway late in the second quarter. Vick lost the ball near the end of a 7-yard run, and defensive end Cameron Heyward came up with it inside the Jets’ 40-yard line. The officials ruled Vick down, and the Steelers lost when they challenged the call. “I thought we had a fumble and clear recovery, but evidently I was wrong,” Tomlin said.
