No Conf iture
The fact that the PNF would ask a question shows that he was paying attention. I take it you have gotten your instrument rating? If so, you will recall that you are trained to trust your instruments not your unreliable estimate of what a slanted piece of metal may be doing or your sense of 'feel'. How someone perceives the same event can vary enormously especially under stressful conditions. Rely on the instrumentation (altimeter and artificial horizon) not on your eyes.
The yoke would not have made a blind bit of difference in this case. One can be sure that the PNF would have done nothing except summon the captain. If you take a look at the various reports you can see he perceived a problem but did nothing. Why would the yoke have made any difference to this lack of action? Remember he could see what was happening from his instruments. Do not get led astray by red herrings about yokes or otherwise. Your comments on the sidestick introduce a side issue which is totally irrelevant. The number of Airbuses fitted with sidesticks flying safely demonstrates this.