← The Stephen A. Smith Show
The Stephen A. Smith Show
Interview Only: NFL Hall of Famer Cris Carter debates NFL MVP, Jackson vs Allen. Mike Tomlin's Future. Who can coach the Cowboys?
00:15:28
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- [00:00]
Greg Rosenthal
Are you still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide. And every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the now it pays to Discover. Learn more@discover.com credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report. What's up everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal and I'm teaming up with the King of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.
- [01:03]
Stephen A. Smith
Predictably, you know, I had to get into some NFL talk because there's a lot of NFL action that took place this weekend. And who better to get into it with than my man, the one and only Chris Carter. All he did was catch touchdowns. The hall of Fame wide receiver. What's going on? Big time. How are you, man? How's everything?
- [01:16]
Chris Carter
All good, bro. How you doing? You got your studious?
- [01:19]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm not going to bring up, I'm not going to bring up Ohio State. Cause I want to wait till next week. They don't play until next Monday. So I'm, I'm just going, I'm going to wait to press you about that. I know you're feeling it. I know you're feeling it right now and that's cool. Let's see what they do. All right. But we'll get into that another time and we'll get into Minnesota, your Vikings in the NFL in just a few minutes. But first things first. Talk to me about what you saw this weekend and what has you most excited about these playoffs.
- [01:49]
Chris Carter
Man. Just the overall physicality. And I do believe that it's wide open. Like the margin between who's going to be the best and a team like Washington. The Commanders with Jaden Daniels, like that margin is really thin, thinner than we've seen in years. So is Philadelphia talented? Yes. But number injuries and some other issues. Detroit, are they talented? Yes. Kansas City, who will we see in the playoffs? We know decisive home field advantage. I Heard Taylor Swift is at least going to be at the division around, so they're almost undefeated with her in attendance. So there's so much. This is such a great storyline but none of it you can predict.
- [02:30]
Stephen A. Smith
Did you find yourself disappointed in the Philadelphia Eagles yesterday? Offensively that is. Did you find yourself disappointed in what you saw against Green Bay?
- [02:40]
Chris Carter
Well, I'm not going to say disappointed, but I was concerned when you miss two or three weeks of practice coming down the stretch and you don't have that continuity and they have had times where their passing games has been average to bad. So now you miss that time. And this is not something that you know, Jaden is not a natural thrower of the football of like the great quarterbacks that we've had play them in the NFL now and the ones of the past. So when you miss two weeks of practice time because of concussion, you're not in your normal schedule. Yes, I could see their passing game being all especially with the inconsistent way their passing game was during the regular season.
- [03:20]
Stephen A. Smith
What did you think about A.J. brown being seen on the sidelines reading the book? What you think about that? I mean it was motivation. I thought he was doing it to keep his cool cause he was so disgusted by being targeted just three times and catching one pass for 10 yards. I think he, I think he's just meditating, trying to keep himself cool. But what did you make of all of that?
- [03:38]
Chris Carter
Very, very wide receiver is and A.J. brown, the more he plays, the more diva wiser things receiver things he starts to add to his repertoire. You know, he is a great player, but I do believe there are a number of issues that he personally have with the quarterback. And when you open up a book like that compared to opening up a conversation and communicating, that's just another sign that what what they have in Philadelphia, it could be very, very fragile.
- [04:15]
Stephen A. Smith
I know we've seen some great things over their careers thus far in Jordan Love's case in the in the regular season and the post season and Justin Herbert just the regular season. But what are you to make of what you saw of their performances this weekend? I mean Jordan loved three interceptions, Justin Herbert four interceptions. He threw three interceptions the entire regular season and through four interceptions over 32 and 32 pass attempts yesterday. I mean, you know, Saturday, what the hell is going on with them on.
- [04:44]
Chris Carter
And off the field? Man, you are judged based on what do you do under the worst of conditions, like how do you respond and when you have the responsibility of taking care of that football and you throw the football in arms way now. And Jordan Love has done this more so than Herbert. But when you have the worst game of your career statistically, you know, all these things, they should be criticized. Like we criticize the quarterbacks a lot in the playoffs because they're the only player touching the ball all the time now. Yeah. Can that be aided by injuries? Can that be aided by drop passes? Yes. But when we give them all the credit because we give them the big contract, we should be criticizing these two quarterbacks. You know, Jim Harbaugh is not expecting that from his quarterback. Uber talented, the way he is conservative, the way Harbaugh is. That is not a championship match right there. I do expect him to match to repair that next season because he had a great regular season, only throwing three interceptions, four yesterday. But Jordan Love, he is more of a gambler. Like he's going to throw the ball in arms way more so than the other quarterbacks compared. I believe in protecting the football. When you protect the football, you protect the franchise. Protect the franchise, you protect my job.
- [05:59]
Stephen A. Smith
When you saw Buffalo blow out Denver in the second half and you saw Baltimore blow out the Steelers in the first half. Don't get me started with that. I came into the weekend thinking Buffalo is going to take Baltimore out when they meet in a divisional playoff round. Now, I'm not so sure. Based on me watching Buffalo, I know they won, they had a strong second half. If you get to the red zone five times, only convert once, I think you need more. You gotta have 41 to 18 advantage in time of possession. That's not gonna happen against Baltimore next week. How are you feeling about that encounter that's coming up?
- [06:41]
Chris Carter
Oh, this is an epic battle right here. I mean, because all the pressure is on these quarterbacks, not only the franchises, but on these quarterbacks to be able. How far can they advance in the Patrick Mahomes era? And who's going to be able to knock Patrick Mahomes off, off the throne? But there's tremendous amount of pressure, man. I mean, this game, though, is. I, I can't believe we're debating over the mvp because the, the way that Baltimore has played as a team, where would they be without Lamar Jackson? I mean, when you have the type of numbers that he has, he's 13 more touchdowns than Josh Allen, 400 more yards.
- [07:24]
Stephen A. Smith
Let me, let me interrupt. Let me interrupt. Let me interrupt and I'm going to tell you why. I'm going to tell you why it's debatable. All right? Because even with Lamar Jackson's great Numbers. You came into the season with expectations for him in Baltimore. In light of the fact that you're still Baltimore, you acquired Derrick Henry. In Buffalo's case, there's no Stefan Diggs, there's no Gabe Davis. And you look at him losing his two primary weapons and plus McDermott was on a hot seat and wholesale changes were made on the defensive side of the ball. A lot of people didn't expect Buffalo to have a great season, let alone be the number two overall seed. That would be the reason for the debate, cc.
- [07:59]
Chris Carter
Okay, no problem. We can have that conversation. But let me tell you something. He didn't play better than me. Every year we got circumstances. I've been MVP twice. I'm having an epic season, not only based on my standards, but based on NFL standards. So he still didn't play better than me. This is like the great quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers, them, they have put the standard so high and then someone comes maybe close to it and we're like, oh, he's the mvp, but he didn't play better than Lamar. Lamar had the best season. Did. Did he have a surprising season? Yes. Now that's a different conversation. But did he have the mvp, best season of any quarterback? No, he did not. So that would be the conversation that I would continue expectations based on? No, what actually happened. So now we're giving them MVP because we didn't have expectations. Joe Burrow had an MVP type season. He had a questionable risk coming into the season. But we're not giving him the MVP.
- [09:04]
Stephen A. Smith
No, that's because they 9 and 8. But no matter. Your. Your argument is profound. I got to give it to you. You write about Lamar Jackson. You write about Lamar Jackson. Let's stay with Baltimore and Pittsburgh in this regard. Now that Pittsburgh has lost, Mike Tomlin hasn't won a playoff game since 2016. They're one and done at least five times. You know, you got people speculating about a lot of different things. The Steelers obviously ain't gonna make changes. They don't fire coaches. They've never fired a coach. What are your thoughts about Mike Tomlin? Six straight postseason losses. And by the way, I mean, you know, they. They just don't score as well when you consider what's been transpiring. What do you do if you're the Pittsburgh Steelers when it comes to Mike Tomlin?
- [09:45]
Chris Carter
Cc, in the modern salary cap era, the Pittsburgh Steelers system does not work, bro. Like, you cannot say, I'm not going to participate in free agency. All the money that you're making as a Family, your philosophy is obsolete. Oh, I'm going to only sign a couple of the players that I draft to their second or third contract. See, Mike Thomas been battling that. No one even talks about that ever. The economics of it. I mean, he is at a decisive disadvantage than people like Baltimore, Kansas City. Like these people are spending bread, man, to get guys to come play for their team. All right? Not only do they have a franchise quarterback, they got people. I mean, they are going out of their way to make them highest paid at their position, man. So you know what, how many concessions do you want players to make to come to Pittsburgh when I can go somewhere else and get paid? So if we're going to start talking about Mike Tomlin and we're going to start talking about it in the right vein, it should really be about, man, is he limited there in Pittsburgh? Would he be a better coach somewhere else? Where they were spending up to the calorie cap and they were participating free agency. And also imagine Mike Tomlin recruiting now. He can get the kind of dudes that he wants to get. Oh, now that's a different conversation. So Pittsburgh, be careful, don't step on yourself. Because you run a program that Mike Tomlin's familiar with and that program can only get you first round, a divisional round, maybe in the second round. But it is not going to get you with the elite team because everyone is spending money.
- [11:30]
Stephen A. Smith
Now Chicago's in the market for a head coach. New Orleans, the Dallas Cowboys, Mike McCarthy, he's gone. He's gone now because him and, and Jerry Jones couldn't reach an accord on a contract extension. What would be the best place for Mike Tomlin and who should want Mike Tomlin more than anybody?
- [11:51]
Chris Carter
Well, Mike Tomlin going to Chicago is a game changer. Not only are you going to get the benefit of of what he coaches on the defensive side, but you got a sure superstar in Caleb win at the quarterback. And I can guarantee you when Mike Tomlin gets him a quarterback, just like when he had with Ben Roethlisberger, even though they weren't spending up to the cap like other teams, the Chicago Bears are ready for a quick turnaround. If they don't get Mike Thomas, get someone like Ben Johnson, someone that can affect that offense. I mean, way Ben Johnson calls slave, I, I, he's the. I remember when Mike March used to call plays with the Rams. I'm like, my God, I never seen that play before. I mean, the way they throw the ball, the way they attack the defense. So I do believe Mike Tomlin would be a great fit in Chicago. I believe Mike Thomas would be a great fit with the Dallas Cowboys. Why? Because he understands hierarchy. And I do believe that Jerry Jones, having someone like Mike Tomlin, he would give away some of that power because he knows there's no rebuild. Mike Tomlin's ready to go now and I'm sure, man, that locker room would respond to Mike Tomlin being named. So Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, I mean, any team that's got aspirations of trying to get their team in the super bowl in the next three years, Mike Tomlin, they should be calling Pittsburgh trying to work out a trade.
- [13:17]
Stephen A. Smith
Last question for you. The Los Angeles Rams in Scottsdale, Arizona, because the game was moved from LA due to the wildfires, they're going, they're hosting a playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings tonight. You saw what happened to your boy Sam Donald last week. As I told you, I told you that was coming. I mean, I tried to break it to you. I tried to break it. No, you went up.
- [13:37]
Chris Carter
You told me that in week number four. So you were wrong in week five.
- [13:41]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't recall week six, I don't recall week seven. I have no recollection to that week.
- [13:44]
Chris Carter
Now week you got.
- [13:47]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't know what you talking about.
- [13:48]
Chris Carter
Now look at.
- [13:49]
Stephen A. Smith
I don't know what you. I don't know what you talking about, man. I don't know what you talking about, but I know what I saw against the Detroit Lions last week. And now he goes into the playoffs fresh off of getting his ass kicked. What do you expect for the Minnesota Vikings against Los Angeles tonight?
- [14:05]
Chris Carter
Man, this is a contract changing game. Because if he's able to win this game in Arizona and God bless the Rams, man, God bless their families and what they're going through out there. Horrific wildfire.
- [14:17]
Stephen A. Smith
Absolutely.
- [14:17]
Chris Carter
I mean, it's hard to concentrate on a football game when life is really, you know, throwing you a really a, a set of unfortunate circumstances that we've never seen in our life. But this right here changes Sam Darnold. It changes with how The Vikings attack JJ McCarthy. It attacked makes a statement of do they franchise him, do they sign him to a multi year deal? Because if he's able to win this game, you can't deny the Vikings got to be able to bring him back. And the only way that you can execute the ghost that you have or your pass is by winning. He was shaky last week, but any quarterback can be shaky. The way Detroit was playing, the way, the way they had them moving on.
- [15:05]
Stephen A. Smith
With 13 guys on the INJ list on the defensive side of the ball.
- [15:09]
Chris Carter
That, man, they. That they played a hell of a game. They brought it to my Vikings. I. I respect that. But now it's the playoffs, and now all that can be rectified in Arizona against the Rams.
- [15:22]
Stephen A. Smith
How you gonna beat the Rams? Rams have been looking pretty good.
- [15:25]
Chris Carter
Oh, no, we're gonna throw it, man. We got to get JJ. Man, you saw what happened last week. JJ. JJ is getting ready to have 150. All right, defense, turn the ball over.
- [15:37]
Stephen A. Smith
That what you just said.
- [15:38]
Chris Carter
Have 150 in Arizona against the Rams tonight. All right, Tonight, prime time.
- [15:49]
Stephen A. Smith
Sounds very emotional. Sounds very emotional. Chris Carter, I'mma let you go, but expect the text from me tonight. Expect the text from me tonight. I'll be watching the game virtually with you, brother. You know what I'm saying? I'm saying something, whatever the hell the word is, I'm going to be watching it with you. I'm. Because ain't no way I can't. Well, I shouldn't say that because this is Justin Jefferson we talk about here. Anything's possible. Anything's possible. All right, cc, Holl at you later, my brother.
- [16:11]
Chris Carter
My God.
- [16:12]
Stephen A. Smith
Appreciate you. Man 1 Only Chris Carter right here with Stephen A. Over the digital airwaves of YouTube and of course, I Heart radio.
- [16:28]
Greg Rosenthal
What's up, everyone? It's Greg Rosenthal, and I'm teaming up with the king of spring, Daniel Jeremiah. He requires me to say that we're going to be bringing you 40s and free agents, the only podcast you'll need this NFL draft season. From DJs, mock drafts to my top 101, free agents will have it covered for you with all new episodes every Thursday. Keeping you up to date as we head to the NFL Draft. Listen to 40s and free agents starting on March 6th on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
- [16:59]
Stephen A. Smith
What's up, everyone? Julie Swerbinks here along with former NHL player Nate Thompson.
- [17:03]
Greg Rosenthal
We're doing a new podcast together.
- [17:05]
Chris Carter
Here we go.
- [17:06]
Stephen A. Smith
The name Energy Line with Nate and jsb.
- [17:09]
Chris Carter
Each week we'll get together and talk about hockey life.
- [17:13]
Greg Rosenthal
All topics are fair game, right?
- [17:15]
Stephen A. Smith
Exactly. And you'll never know who will drop by to join us.
- [17:18]
Greg Rosenthal
Julia's prick. Well connected.
- [17:21]
Chris Carter
She has text threads going that you wouldn't believe.
- [17:23]
Stephen A. Smith
Listen to Energy Line with Nate and jsb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.