Cromartie, Jammer help Chargers corner opposing passing attacks

By Tom Robinson  |   Tuesday, August 05, 2008  |  Comments( 27 )

San Diego Chargers
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Antonio Cromartie did not make his first start until Week 10 of the 2007 season, but the cornerback still managed to gain All-Pro honors and was named the San Diego Chargers' defensive player of the year. Cromartie intercepted 10 passes in the regular season and two more in the playoffs. He was the first Charger to pick off 10 throws in a season since Charlie McNeil in 1961.

The play of Cromartie – and the steady Quentin Jammer on the opposite corner – helped make the Chargers the toughest team in the league to pass against for the first time in franchise history. Opponents managed a league-low 70.0 passer rating against the Chargers, who led the NFL with 30 interceptions.

Whether the secondary’s depth matches what the Chargers have at other positions remains unproven, but the front-line players in the defensive backfield are a big reason the team is again looking like the best in the AFC West.

Jammer, a former first-round draft pick from Texas, enters his seventh season with the team as the unit’s veteran leader. He can be counted on to reliably handle the tough coverage assignments that go with playing on the left corner.

Clinton Hart, who intercepted five passes last season, worked his way through arena football2, the Arena Football League and NFL Europa to become an NFL starter. He opens 2008 as the starting strong safety.

Eric Weddle was a part-time starter and, when he didn’t start, was counted on in dime packages a year ago as a rookie. He is the free safety.

The most impressive credentials among the backups belong to rookie Antoine Cason, the team’s first-round draft pick.

The emergence of Cromartie in 2007 significantly boosted the unit’s profile. The former first-round pick from Florida State scored three touchdowns in two weeks with the help of a couple special teams efforts and intercepted Peyton Manning four times – three times in one game and once in San Diego’s playoff victory over Indianapolis.

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