PITTSBURGH (AP) The ball left Jared Goff's hands and fluttered to the ground. And for a split second, everyone around Minkah Fitzpatrick eased up . Not Fitzpatrick. Easing up isn't really his thing.

Instinctively, the Pittsburgh Steelers safety at the epicenter of his team's remarkable turnaround reached down, picked it up and took off. Four seconds and 43 yards later, he was in the end zone. The Steelers were in the lead. And Fitzpatrick's growing legend added another remarkable chapter.

Asked why he reacted so quickly while those around him temporarily froze - hard to blame them, considering by all accounts it appeared to be a forward pass - Fitzpatrick pointed to the coaching staff at Alabama. Whenever there was a loose ball in practice, Crimson Tide defensive players were instructed to pounce on it and start running regardless of the circumstances.