Steven A. Smith lauds Pat McAfee, blasts Indianapolis Colts, owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon

On Wednesday, November 4, ESPN's First Take showcased a heated exchange between sports commentator Stephen A. Smith and former Indianapolis Colts center and coach Jeff Saturday. The topic of their conversation centered around the NFL Week 9 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts, two of the season's most disappointing teams.

Smith passionately argued that the Dallas Cowboys were not as bad as the Indianapolis Colts, stating, "I don't give a damn how bad the Dallas Cowboys are. They ain't worse than the Indianapolis Colts." He lamented the state of the Indianapolis Colts, describing them as "a mess" and highlighting that coach Shane Steichen was only "lucky to still have a job." Smith also expressed his surprise at the dismissal of former general manager Chris Ballard after the Colts' Week 6 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

The situation for the Indianapolis Colts has only gotten worse, as they have since lost to the Minnesota Vikings and Jacksonville Jaguars, and are reported to have been in trade talks about several players, notably running back Jonathan Taylor. Smith firmly believed that any team could easily beat the Colts, including the chaotic and dysfunctional Dallas Cowboys, which had one of the worst defenses in the NFL and had victories over teams with a combined eight wins.

In addition to discussing the Colts, Smith turned his attention to the team's owner, Carlie Irsay-Gordon. He called for her to "clean house" and questioned her presence on the sidelines, asking, "What the hell are you doing that for if you ain't going to do nothing about the product you're seeing?" Smith questioned her involvement and whether it was merely for show.