ESPN Stats & Information researcher Matt Lyon, with help from ProFootballFocus.com play-by-play data, produced some numbers that show Cromartie has had trouble containing Marshall the past two years.
The first game that comes to mind is Marshall's gaudy performance against the Chargers in Week 2 of the 2008 season. Marshall caught 18 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.
What an awful day for Cromartie. The NFL's official game book from that sunny afternoon had Cromartie on the scene for five Marshall receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown. NFL game books, however, only note the defender who made the tackle. While that often indicates the responsible defender on a pass play, it's not always accurate.
But the game book also reminds us Cromartie committed three accepted penalties against Marshall (unnecessary roughness, facemask, defensive holding) for 22 yards. Another Cromartie defensive holding call was offset.
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