Cromartie gives “special” effort

Sunday, Nov 05, 2006
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

Since childhood, Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie has loved a good footrace.  He never turned down an opportunity to go stride for stride with one of the neighbors in the street or in the school yard, and Sunday afternoon he found himself in a pair of mad dashes that proved to be critical plays for the Chargers in their 32-25 win over the Cleveland Browns.   

The first came on a punt return late in the first quarter.  Browns punt returner Dennis Northcutt had picked his path, made his move and appeared to be sailing smooth into the end zone.  Then out of nowhere came Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie. 

“I actually had to slow down because I was about to over run him,” Cromartie said. 

Instead of waltzing into the end zone to give Cleveland an early 10-3 lead, Northcutt was tossed out of bounds at the San Diego 10-yard line.  After a gritty stand by the Chargers’ defense, the Browns had to settle for a field goal on the drive, leaving the gap just 6-3.

“We chased him down, and that’s a four-point play right there,” Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer said.  “Every time you hold them and they’ve got to kick a field goal, that means you just saved your football team four points.  We did that quite a number of times today.” 

Later in the half, just after Marques Harris recovered a Charlie Frye fumble to give the Chargers their first touchdown of the day, the Browns nearly broke another long return.  Joshua Cribb hit the sideline and had daylight ahead – until Cromartie ran him down from behind.

The return was halted after 47 yards, but very easily could have gone 99 for a touchdown.  Cleveland had to settle for a field goal on the drive. 

“We hustle on special teams because those plays are important,” Cromartie said.  “I’m just out there trying to make a play.  It felt good to do that.”

Cromartie’s two special teams tackles saved the Chargers a combined eight points in a game that was ultimately decided by only seven.

“Those plays were huge for us,” said linebacker and special teams ace Carlos Polk.  “In a close game like that, you have to make those kinds of plays if you want to win.  We’re all out there working our (tails) off on special teams, trying to help our defense.  Antonio made a couple of big ones for us.”

Even when he wasn’t chasing down return men, Cromartie found other ways to contribute on special teams.  During a crucial point in the third quarter, he downed a Mike Scifres punt at the Cleveland two-yard line, pinning the Browns deep in their own end zone. 

The Chargers’ defense held, forcing a three-and-out, and on the first play following Dave Zastudil’s punt, LaDainian Tomlinson darted 41 yards for a touchdown that gave the Chargers their first lead of the second half and allowed them to reclaim momentum. 

“There are two qualities that are most helpful to a guy in the kicking game,” Schottenheimer said. “Number one, he wants to be good at it, and number two, he can run fast.  Fortunately, Antonio has both of those qualities.”

While they might not stand out much in the box score, Cromartie’s special teams play proved to be key Sunday.

“You’ve got to find ways to help your team however you can,” Cromartie said.  “I’m having a blast out there on special teams, running down the field and trying to make something happen.