Steve Smith and Aqib Talib went at it Monday. (USATSI)How is Steve Smith not your favorite football player? He should be your favorite player. And the Panthers wide receiver proved why again on Monday night, when he repeatedly targeted -- and frustrated -- Patriots cornerback Aqib Talib and then followed it all up by going after him in postgame interviews.
Smith was approached by reporters on Talib and called him 'another notch in the bedpost,' which is the same level of respect he offered to Janoris Jenkins a few weeks ago.
But the defining moment of Smith's postgame came in an interview with NFL Network's Albert Breer as he left the field. Asked about Talib, Smith coined the phrase 'Ice up, son' while shredding the cornerback.
'I don't know,' Smith said. 'You gonna ask him, because he didn't finish the game. Ice up, son. Ice up!'
Smith and Talib were going at it all night -- after Smith beat Talib deep early, he reeled in a massive third-down catch, at which point in time Talib decided to snuggle his leg for a few extra seconds. The result was a near brawl in the game.
They would end up having some near football fisticuffs later in the game as well. (It was so awkward/intense that my wife, who doesn't even particularly care for football, found herself enthralled with their fights.)
The end result was Talib got frustrated and Smith ended up having bragging rights.
89. Bottom line.
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