Stephen A. Smith Stages Fake Debate About Dallas Cowboys MVP QB Dak Prescott
FRISCO - Former NFL quarterback turned TV analyst Robert Griffin III is attempting to engage in a serious conversation about MVP candidates at this point in the season, listing his top four contenders for the award.
Unfortunately, RGIII turned to Bristol to host his serious conversation, and ESPN transformed it into a segment all about hucksterism.
Griffin made the (obvious) case that Dak has lifted himself into the conversation. Griffin did not tout Prescott as the leader; rather, he indicated that the Dallas Cowboys QB is his No. 4 contender for the MVP award, trailing Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. (He listed Houston Texans rookie QB C.J. Stroud as his No. 5 candidate.)
We can engage in serious-minded debate about whether a Kansas City Chiefs star (Patrick Mahomes or Travis Kelce) should be included here, about whether a San Francisco 49ers star should be included here, and about how Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson should be included here.
Or ... we can watch as Stephen A. pretends to be shocked - SHOCKED!, I tell you - upon the mere mentioned of Dak's name. ... his cartoonish reaction ignoring that in addition to Prescott's hot month, for the year he boasts a 17:6 TD:INT ratio while averaging nearly 270 passing yards per game for the 6-3 Cowboys.
Stephen A.'s most nonsensical (fake) take? He thinks Dak should be disqualified for playing poorly in a road loss at San Francisco earlier in the year. And here's the problem with that, just comparing the "qualified'' QBs ...
The Dolphins have three losses. Tua played as poorly in those as Dak has in Dallas' losses. Same with Mahomes in his two losses. Same with Stroud in his four losses. And same with Lamar in his three losses.
Dak as MVP? 'The Best!' Says Cowboys' Jerry Jones
But Smith, of course, has no detailed knowledge of what the Ravens or the Texans are doing on a weekly basis ... because paying attention to them does not drive ratings the way attacking the Cowboys daily drives ratings.
It's called "debate TV'' for a reason, and we get it. But why does it have to be "fake-debate TV''?