FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The visitors' locker room at Gillette Stadium was emptying out, but Jabrill Peppers strutted around in his turf-stained uniform nearly 30 minutes after the Pittsburgh Steelers sealed their 21-14 win by forcing yet another turnover.
Teammates and support staff jokingly chided Peppers to get in the shower because the buses were departing the stadium soon, but Peppers was still giddy.
Not only did his new team beat the team that surprisingly cut the safety after training camp, but Peppers also helped knock a ball loose from running back Antonio Gibson and jumped on it in the third quarter, forcing the Steelers' third fumble recovery of a five-takeaway day.
"I'm gonna bask in it," Peppers shouted to the few players milling about, packing suitcases and pulling on their sweatshirts.
Less than a month ago, the Patriots told Peppers, a former team captain and eight-year veteran, they no longer needed his services. Sunday afternoon, he showed them what they were missing in a game in which he recorded the fumble recovery, six tackles and one stuff.
"I needed this one," Peppers said after the game with a big grin. "Each and every man and coach in here had a great week of work, great prep. It feels good right now."
Saturday, Peppers spent the night before the game by picturing an end zone celebration after making a big play. That vision came to fruition less than 24 hours later when he grabbed the loose ball, and flanked by his teammates, sprinted to the large block-letter "S" in the throwback Patriots font painted in the end zone.
Standing in front of the raucous fans in the field-level suites, Peppers made sure to let them know what they were missing.
"As former players, when you're playing former teams, that's what you want," said quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who had his own revenge game in a Week 1 win at MetLife Stadium against the New York Jets. "You want to make a big play and make 'em think about what they lost. Every single week there's a guy that's facing his former team probably, and you'd like to get the ball or to have him make some plays, but he was definitely happy in the locker room."
Afterward, Peppers got a game ball from Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, who has a habit of giving out "petty game balls" to players who get wins against their former teams. Tight end Jonnu Smith and defensive lineman Daniel Ekuale were also among the former Patriots-turned-Steelers to get a game ball this week.
"We always talk about getting the petty ball," defensive lineman Cam Heyward said. "... But I think when we have these guys that have played elsewhere and are welcoming themselves to the Steelers, it's really special for us to get the W for them."
Coming back to Gillette Stadium was emotional for Peppers, who fist-pumped security guards and stadium support staff as he made his way on to the field for warmups. But he compartmentalized his feelings toward his former employers as he made his first start for the Steelers. A week after only playing special teams in his debut, Peppers not only started for a banged-up Steelers defense on Sunday, but he played 60% of defensive snaps. The Steelers moved Peppers around a bit, too, using him in base and nickel packages because his versatility complemented the rest of the Steelers' multi-faceted secondary.
"Just had to keep my bulls--- in check," Peppers said of his mentality, "not let the moment be too big, let the plays come to you. I've definitely got a lot I've got to work on, as far as details and things, but it's definitely good correcting after a win."
With the Steelers secondary down several players including safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Joey Porter Jr., Peppers' contributions are especially important. The Steelers signed him in the wake of Elliott's knee injury, and though Elliott isn't projected to be sidelined long-term, him being sidelined for any amount of time is a big absence for an already maligned run defense.
Peppers eventually got in the shower and got out to the Steelers buses while he basked in the glow of his return, but the Steelers defense can't afford to bask in this week's win for long. Despite forcing five takeaways and ending the game on a turnover on downs thanks to a tackle for loss by cornerback Brandin Echols, the defense still gave up 369 yards and allowed the Patriots to convert four-of-five fourth downs. The Patriots also possessed the ball nearly six minutes longer than the Steelers as they sustained drives with explosive plays on third down, including three on third-and-long.
"I'm still pissed off," linebacker Patrick Queen said of his mood after the win. "I just like perfection, and I know I could have had some plays out there. ... I ain't going to be perfect, but I strive for that, and any little thing is going to piss me off.
"Some people might say we played good. I feel like it's another step that you could take. I feel like it's a whole 'nother level that we could take it to. Just a little bit, a little bit, a little better. Not much. I feel like if we click on all cylinders, that team don't score."
Forcing five takeaways might not be a feasible strategy every week, but the timely turnovers sealed the win and offered a blueprint to getting the unit back on track after a dreadful two-week start to the season, and the Minnesota Vikings (2-1) up next in Week 4.
"We've got another notch to it, and I'm not one to cover up anything" Queen said. "I think that's the truth. So we just got to go out there. We did better today. I think it's like I said, another level. So we're just going to go out there to practice this week, get better at those things and come back fire."
