Stephen A. Smith, Ryan Clark & Dan Orlovsky HAVE A MESSAGE for Jalen Carter | First Take

Good morning everybody. I'm Molly Karen. Welcome into first take that is Stephen A. Smith, Dan Orlovsky, Ryan Clark. And gentlemen are we talking about actual NFL action this morning? Not Michael Parsons contract. We're talking about a game? A thriller that we had? Amen! Praise the gold tie. Yes we certainly are. But we're actually not gonna talk about the game. We're going to talk about what happened before the first snap. What? What do you just said? Are we talking about game? Like we got to get into it. That's a story. Right? He'll stand up defensive tackle. Jalen Carter was ejected from Thursday nights. 2420 win against the Cowboys

before the first play from scrimmage Carter and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott got face-to-face Carter spit on Prescott as the two began to separate both Dak and Carter on what went down postgame. You know, it was a mistake that happened on my side.

My side, you know, just won't happen again. Just not being able to finish and start the game, and finish the game, just make this **** up, but it'll get better, won't happen again.

I was just looking at him. I was right here by the two linemen, and guess I needed to spit, and I wasn't gonna spit on my lineman I just spit a head and he asked or he goes you trying to spit on me and at that point I mean I felt like he was insulting me like I don't I wouldn't spit on somebody I'm damn sure not trying to spit on you like we're about to play a game

Ultimate sign of disrespect Carter's ejection was the fastest by a player in NFL games since 2005 when the Eagles Jeremiah Trotter and Falcons Kevin Mathis were ejected for fighting prior to kickoff. Stephen I come in you here first your reaction to what went down

and Carter's ejection utterly

disgusted utterly disgusted.

It's inexcusable.

And you know you Jalen Carter first of all he should have been Secondly I think he should be suspended for at least one game. You don't spit on anybody. You don't spit on a man. That's number one. Number two, you don't... Or a woman.

Of course. Of course. But I'm just talking about football players on the field, obviously. Obviously, then you think about it. Who's the most protected football player on the field? It's the quarterback.

You spit on Dak Prescott? You don't think somebody's going to see that? dumbest possible thing. And if you're Jalen Carter, I want to look in the camera, I want one of my eyes so shut. Let me be Stephen A here, let me say this to Jalen Carter. Remember that car crash incident that you got into in in 2023 that ultimately led to you falling to the ninth pick in the NFL draft when you were projected at the number one overall pick? Nobody thought about that until last night.

Because you fell because of your off-field behavior. People didn't trust you. Now you come on the field, and you conduct yourself like that, and you listen to radio driving in. And what are people talking about? Well, this was a problem.

And obviously, this is an on-field incident. This has nothing to do with the car crash that happened in 2023. I'm just using it to remind these guys what you do and how you act stays with you. I don't want to be up here talking about this this morning. I don't want this kid's career compromised. I don't want his reputation tainted. I don't want him smeared. But when you spit on a man, when you spit on him on the football field, when you spit on a quarterback and you

get yourself ejected before the game. Dak Prescott wasn't sacked once last night. We didn't anticipate that was gonna happen, but it happened because you were out there. You weren't out there and the Philadelphia Eagles had to adjust to life without their best defensive player. You thought about yourself. You didn't think about your teammates at all. It was stupid. You walked off the field with a smile on your face. What the hell is smiling about.

What the hell was that a smile about. It was stupid. It was immature. And as far as I'm concerned not only does he deserve a rejection, he deserves a suspension because of that. Because you gotta send a message if you're the league. We ain't tolerating this kind of nonsense.

Yeah, I completely agree. It's inexcusable. And it's inexcusable, inexcusable in so many different ways in the ones that Steve and I pointed out, but it's also inexcusable you let your team down. It's inexcusable you let your organization down. It's inexcusable. You let your organization down. You let your fan base down. You let your teammates down. And so somebody has to get into the ear of Jalen Carter and

just get him to truly understand the big deal. One, you're playing for about $180 to $200 million. If Jalen Carter goes and has the year this year like he did last year, he'll top Micah Parson's contract more than likely. So just getting him to understand how important everything that he does this year, and our scene knows this, we often hear or have heard the importance of a player like N'Kobi Dean when it comes to Jalen Carter. And everybody at Georgia would intimate it, and then people even in Philadelphia would

intimate. N'Kobe Dean would just get him to understand how he acted impacted the perception, the leadership that he would display, how he would get him to focus on the job and make sure that he wasn't off the field distracted and making it. N'Kobe Dean wasn't there because of the injury. And so I just, I think it's paramount.

I agree that there's going to be

I think there should be.

But just people in that locker room really using this as an example of Jalen. No Jalen you you're too important of a player. And also you have too big of a future in the generational

wealth impact that he can have

if he's not making those ridiculous decisions. the generational wealth impact that he can have

if he's not making those ridiculous decisions. Yeah, I think when you spit on a human, right? What you're telling another human when you spit on them is, you're not worth my discretion. You're not worth my respect. You're not worth my compassion. Like that is saying to someone else,

you're the lowest of the low, right? When I'm'm walking outside I don't spit on the ground right because I have a level of respect for the people around me so to look at a man in his face and do that it's not only disgusting right but it's a level of stupidity that can't even be fathomed because here you are one of the best players in the entire league. It's the first game of the season. You're defending Super Bowl champs. You're standing across from not only America's team, but America's quarterback

in the sense that Dak Prescott is the highest paid player in NFL history. The entire world is watching this game. And the reason they're watching this game is because they've all been told on first take and on get up and on NFL live that the defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles is going to wreck this game. Instead, the Dallas Cowboys changed their entire playbook, their entire

idea and game plan of what they were going to do because you were too stupid to control yourself. And it's not a situation where Dak Prescott did anything to you. This was you not respecting yourself, not respecting your teammates enough to make good decisions.

And I don't know what the NFL does going forward, but an example does need to be made. And if you're Jalen Carter, and what Stephen A is saying is correct in this sense, the way you present as a human, gets you paid just as much as what the film says.

And Jalen Carter has to be somebody that can be relied upon, that can be responsible, and now going forward has to be accountable.

We're gonna leave it there. It's not a mistake, it's a decision. So well said guys. The Cowboys may have let one slip last night though. Pro Bowl wide receiver Seedy Lamb had three drops including two in the fourth quarter that

prevented the Cowboys from pulling off the upset. Let's hear from Lamb shouldering the blame.

Man that's terrible.

Honestly I feel like I mean I can't point no finger at nobody else. You know what I'm saying? And I take full account of being it and everything else that come with it. Because I mean, as for me as a player, I pray for moments like that, you know what I'm saying? And the ball to come my way. And obviously for me to not come up with it,

that stings a little bit.

Wasn't just those plays. There's throws out there that I want back, He's going to make those plays. He's going to make those plays. I'm not going to get down on him.

I'm not going to lose confidence by any means.

Obviously R.C. Lamb taking full He said he prayed for moments like this wanting those big time moments and protecting his guy. How much of the blame does he

And what I love about CD lamb is the accountability, right? I love CD lamb saying that I can't put this on anybody else in this locker room. I can't point any fingers, but the ones that should be pointed at me CD lamb had seven drops the entire season last season. He has some of the best hands in all of football. That's why he had 13 targets not only because he can win and create separation, but because he's reliable. The reason that before this season,

it was Justin Jefferson and then CD Lamb and we're talking about the average per year based on his contract is because he earned that. And so when you're Dak Prescott and you're down by four points

and you have an opportunity with the football, absolutely, you're going to number 88. But now for CD Lamb it does have to be a situation where you go watch that film and you see what not making those plays did to your team. You see that dropping the football on a slant in the second quarter caused your team to make kick a field goal rather than continue a drive that gives you a touchdown. You drop a dig

early in the second half and you say okay this is something that halts a drive and now we have to punt and then obviously the deep throw late in the game one-on-one with Quinion Mitchell that's a game changing play that could lead to a winning play and so if you're CD Lamb and you are who we know

you are you are who you say you are you have to who you say you are. You have to make those plays. He listen. He has to make those plays. This bottom line he has to make And those two big drops in the fourth quarter especially I mean Dak put it right and said good

Lord Dak played well last night.

Got away very well.

Yeah I understand that. worry about it I ain't losing no sleep over that that man don't get himself ejected Dak Prescott ain't sat and sitting back taking pictures ordering Uber Eats and all of that stuff before he throw a damn pass I'm not I'm not taking no accountability of that. I'm not CD Lam on this one oh no no no not for this particular subject Jalen Carter did that I can't bet on that you gonna get ejected for fooling the first player. Are you serious? You gonna get ejected?

Please, what are you talking about?

Is this Stephen A. Wright though? How much did he benefit? How much did that benefit?

Hold on, hold on.

I mean, this guy's a defense player in New York, Andy.

But let me say this about C.D. Lamb. I appreciate the accountability. blame him totally certainly culpable absolutely because he make those catches they win the game but I'm not going to blame him you know why because the Eagles scored in their first three jobs you talk about a brother standing out the

standard back taking pitches calling doing everything he could I know it is no pressure on Jalen hurts whatsoever because Micah Parsons was I knew that was coming ability to

scramble the way that he scrambled it would have been a lot harder if you got Michael Micah Parsons with his speed and his ability to get to the quarterback. It wouldn't have been so easy. So maybe if Micah Parsons were there, you wouldn't have been

able to run the way they were running.

Really?

Jalen Hurst was running the football. Okay, maybe that would not have happened. But because Micah Parsons was gone, the Eagles obviously were

able to Jerry Jones. Oh, hell. The Eagles obviously were able to take the best of that. Hell yeah! We can do that too.

I've been blaming on him. And I'm going to blame on C.D. Lambert. He's not completely absolved. Of course he should have caught those passers. No doubt about it.

He got his last pass.

But it's not completely culpable. But he has some culpability. But Jerry Jones definitely does in this loss.

And address C.D. Let's address CD and then let's get into the Micah part of it. Yeah, so I agree. I think there's two main reasons why the Cowboys lose the game. One, the rush lanes were not disciplined enough against Jalen Hurts and he took advantage of it. Jalen was practically perfect in the football game.

More sophisticated way of saying what I just said.

Correct, and that's a real thing. Five runs for first downs, two for touchdowns. And then the drops, yes, the drops were huge. This is where the job gets tough, because if you've ever spent any time with CeeDee Lamb, you gain to appreciate who he is. You enjoy him, you root for him.

Everyone says in this job, you gotta be unbiased and not root for people. It's hard when you get to understand them, and you appreciate the person, and then you watch him have the shortcoming, and then they take the accountability for it. So like you don't want to go kill them. But yes, obviously anybody who knows football

realizes those drops were huge. And you know, I was watching something this past week where Nick Saban was telling a story about, it was his first time coaching lesson and he was talking about when he was a young high school quarterback and they came over late

into a football game and they call timeout and the coach is like, what do you wanna do? He's like, I don't know, I got an all-state receiver, all-state running back. He was like, best players over plays. And I think the Dallas Cowboys did that last night in those situations. And if you're Dak Prescott, you're sitting there going, I'm gonna throw it to him again.

And CeeDee Lamb will go make the catch again. Yeah. And so that's where the line you walk is frustrated is all get out because the drops are a huge part and Miles Sanders fumbles a huge part. And so you had them. You had them. But then at the same time, you're encouraged because you did do things in that football game

that make you go, we could be a good football team this year.

What about the Micah piece? What if Micah was there?

Yeah, point blank. What, would they have won the game? I think they win the game with Micah Parsons, yes. I do. I do. Because I don't think he runs the way he did. Accident waiting to happen, Steven Aves? Listen, Jordan might not have said it himself.

Listen, listen, I love being on the air with these brothers. But you know, as RC has elevated, because you know, he pivots well, pivots well. Elevated, you know, it's kind of hard for him to just sit up there. Stephen. It was right. I mean By the way CD lamps a great guy great guy You understand and a great awesome evil and a great receiver who by the way is gonna make up for this Last night was an indication that as things change

They made the same Something will go wrong. Just be patient. Wait for it. They won't let you down. That's what they did last night

yet again.

So, let me tell you this.

This was my pregame last night because I was at the game last night. I was at the game on the sideline with David Mulugeta.

That's right.

Actually, right? And then, Steven Jones walks over to me and driving down there I was thinking to myself, the Jones family just doesn't care. They absolutely love this man. Right? And there is nobody in the world that talks about the Dallas Cowboys, the Jones family as much as this dude. And I'm saying to myself like, they just don't care. Stephen Jones walks over to me on the sideline, hugs me, is laughing, and goes,

boy, you've been killing me, but I don't care. I love you. And he gives me a hug because they truly are operating in a world where they're doing what's best for the Dallas Cowboys. The Jones family, even in looking at last night's game and seeing that Jalen Hurts, the runs he made,

he wasn't making somebody miss in the backfield. He had actually surveyed the entire field. He had realized that no one was open. He still had no pressure. He just had to run, because he had been back there for six seconds.

That is where Michael Parsons comes in. Matt Iberflues actually did a good job as the coordinator, because you know what normally happens when A.J. Brown can't get a target until late in the fourth quarter? When Devontae Smith only has three catches?

You have sacks, and you have turnovers, and you make plays. But a lot of times, for the last four years, those plays came from number 11.

Yeah. That's right.

It was a glaring difference in winning one-on-ones and making plays. Lane Johnson... Lane Johnson told me this in the training camp.

He said, you know what? I don't worry about Jerry Jones. I worry about Micah Parsons. And in this case, Jerry Jones took away that worry for them. Tiffany was right. But you weren't because you said Dak was going to throw two picks.

You did. You did.

You did.

You did. Oh, I have the tape guys. I watch this. I watch I have the film

I got the film. It's gonna be close, but that Prescott right that Prescott don't turn it over two times You got me, but my ass I still asked you a question pivot man. I said

Did the Eagles not drop three in the sets the Eagles drop. Did they not drop? Oh, come on! Come on! Come on! They have three! They were right there in the head! They did not have three! It was one!

Oh!

Quignon Mitchell on the sideline! You gonna agree with that?

I don't think C-3 dropped intercept. They weren't three! It was one!

I think there's a couple bang-bang plays,? That's part of the game. That's part of the game.

Come on, man. The ball bounces off of CD Lamb's chest?

Yeah, that's not Dak Prescott's fault. There's a drop touchdown or two as well. Ferguson drops a touchdown, and Blakenship hits him. That's not a Dak Prescott's fault.

Let me encapsulate the Micah thing, though.

They know I defer to them. They be they ganging up on me, but they know it's a league. Now you know, you had a.

Now you know it's not a lot for me.

I like to go with Martin.

Yeah, right.

I'll encapsulate it this way. The Eagles had, or excuse me, the Dallas Cowboys had 14 pressures last night in one sack. You are converting at a significantly higher rate those pressures with Micah Parsons.

Yes. Okay, tell me this. As a Cowboys fan, how am I feeling this morning? And as an Eagles fan, how am I feeling this morning? What are our biggest takeaways?

I think if you're a Cowboys fan, you're very encouraged. Okay. Schottenheimer looked like he had the team ready. Yeah. You were operational very good. The end of the first half, the two-minute drive, we've seen that team fail in that way in multiple capacities. Internal part of your offensive line played very good.

Caveat, no Jalen Carter, so I'm not ignoring that. Dak Prescott looked fantastic. I thought he looked better last night than he did all of last season. And I thought the run defense was actually solid. So I think you're very encouraged. I think if you're the Eagles and their fans are going, we played our C game and we won.

Our quarterback played a essentially perfect football game. Our offensive coordinator, who's new, looked really good. I am a little bit, nine penalties on defense and a lot of them were controllables. Multiple personal foul penalties. The Jalen Carter thing, I do think is a worthy conversation

and also, we all went, we talked about it yesterday morning. If you're the Cowboys, what are you going to do? I'm throwing every ball opposite Quinion Mitchell. Last night the Cowboys in the game threw often opposite Quinion Mitchell. So you do have to be a little bit concerned about the corner playing opposite Quinion Mitchell.

How are you feeling this morning?

Hey, honestly speaking, in all seriousness, they should feel good Dak Prescott looked pretty damn good last night He really really did better than he did all last year. You're absolutely right. Okay I know Javante Williams fun with a ball, but he was running the football relatively effectively averaging about four yards So you have that going on right then not only that I got to take into consideration CD land was balling. You see he was balling. OK George Pickens being on the opposite side is a formidable They did neutralize the run. Hell's sake one ball on the six

yard rushing. I got to give credit where credit is due in that regard. And I love the feature on Brian Schottenham because Marty Schottenham was a damn near

OK and the proceeds brought shine Brian Schottenheimer the flip side is if I'm the Philadelphia Eagles here's my concern I don't like the fact that if you're AJ Brown and you're Devante Smith you weren't open most of the night I just don't what I mean I'm just saying the Dallas Cowboys did a damn good job defending against them like you R.C. said, you know, you standing in the pocket for six seconds, the good side

is that Jalen Hurts was able to run. The bad side was that he spent all of that time looking for an open receiver and couldn't find one. I'm just simply saying that I expect more from the weapons around Jalen Hurts because I know what those brothers can do.

But I think that's what Dallas decided to do in that game. I think the Cowboys decided to play a great zone. OK keep everything in front of

But you know obviously you obviously no more football than The point is you know the great ones no matter how I mean who You could you could throw anything you want to see the

land at some point, you're going to find a Justin Jefferson open. At some point, Jamal Chase is going to be open. I don't give a damn what you doing. You got to find it.

They have different quarterbacks, and their quarterback of the Eagles has a different mentality.

OK.

Jalen Hurts truly is, I'm going to do the right thing to make sure we win. That's what he thinks. I'm going to please people, right? You can see that in the way Jalen Hurts addresses the media. He doesn't sit up there and say, I need to give them something. He says, I need to do what's best for myself

and for my team. Last night, forcing the ball to A.J. Brown and Devontae Smith wasn't the way to win the game. But when he had the shot played to Jahan Dotson on the double post. That's right. He took it. Took it. Right. And so now what this is going to be about, Stephen A, because I agree with you in this sense,

Kevin Petullo, right, who is a new offensive coordinator, he's going to have to deal with this. We think back two years ago under a different offensive coordinator. It's Minnesota Vikings. They're playing a lot of rush three, drop eight. Right? Remember, A.J. Brown didn't get the ball. Him and Jalen Hurts are having that conversation on the sideline.

Now you move to last year. You play the Carolina Panthers. He doesn't get the rock. And that's when we get the situation where he says, hey, what do we got to do better? Passing? That's when he's reading books on the sideline later on in the season, right? So now Kevin Petullo is, let's throw him a hitch. So it's gonna be about how they manage that,

because their quarterback is gonna do what it takes to win the game. It's not that they weren't open, or CeeDee Lamb's gonna get the ball, or Justin Jefferson's gonna get the ball. It's that offense is gonna scheme.

Minnesota, Kevin O'Connell, we gotta get it to 18.

So you gotta figure it out. Yeah, they run their offense through them. I think, I understand the perception of it. I don't think last night is one that spins it that way. If it continues to be a thing, I'm with you.

In fairness to y'all, from a football novice perspective, somebody that watches as opposed to have played and covering it, if we're watching a game on TV, what we're thinking is, AJ Brown has a quarter pass in three quarters totally we know that's not their intent So you understand so you're asking yourself? How did that happen?

How did that happen? Totally you understand what I'm saying and that's all and then we supposed to feed it to cats like y'all to break it down