OSVets: The Bengals #4 - EmmittSmithx22x's Blog

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EmmittSmithx22x's Blog

OSVets: The Bengals #4

Posted on August 23, 2012 at 05:40 AM.

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The Image says it all. Antonio Cromartie or what the Bengals have named him "Father of the Year" delivered single handedly the team to their 3rd OSVets Super Bowl Victory in 5 years. The Bengals played the Tampa Bay Buccs for the 2nd time in their 3 appearances, and this was by far the closest of their 3 games.

The Bengals went on to win Vets bowl IX by a score of 26-20. The score was believe it or not...closer than it sounds. With about 3 minutes to go in the game, the Bengals trailed 16-20. The Buccaneers were driving down the field. And, as he has done all year, Antonio Cromartie made the biggest play of the Bengals season. He intercepted a pass from Shane Boals (The Buccs QB) and took it the distance to give the Bengals a 23-20 lead.

Antonio Cromartie: "I can't explain it man... This season has been a blessing man.... I was told I would be the third string CB behind Champ [Bailey] and Prince [Amukamara]. If you told me I would have had a season like this I would have believed it, but I wasn't starting you know? it was tough...."

The Bengals then forced the Buccs into a 4th down situation in which the Buccs failed to convert giving the ball back to the Bengals in FG Range who killed some clock and then took a 26-20 lead with 1 minute to go.

The Stage was set for someone to step up for either team. Would it be the Bengals D who gets the stop? Or would it be the Buccs driving down the field in a Joe Montana-esque fashion to win their first Super Bowl Title? The Buccaneers fought hard... and tried to make a play anyway they could. They were at their 18 yard line, thats when Shane Boals saw him. Mike Williams seemed open on a crossing route.....but it was not meant to be....

As he had done in the AFC title game, and the Divisional Round before that, Antonio Cromartie put an exclamation mark on the game.

Antonio Cromartie: "I figured they would try for something over the middle because they still had time to get down the field. Some how...some way i managed to intercept that pass. I couldn't explain to you how or why... the ball just landed in my hands...."

Cromartie picked off Boals for the final time. And with no timeouts, he sealed the fate of the Buccs in Vets Bowl IX. After the Cromartie interception, Coach EmmittSmithx22x fell to his knees, and in one of the few times he seemed at a loss for words about what happened, he put the situation in a very simple light.

EmmittSmithx22x: "Cromartie did it!!! Cromartie Did it!!!! Cromartie Did it!!!" (the coach shouted as he jumped around on the sideline shouting)

And it was fitting. Antonio Cromartie, who was once touted as a star in the league, was then buried on the depth chart behind Champ Bailey and Prince Amukamara. It was Cromartie who ended up having the most magical season of the 3. There is one word that can describe Cromartie's season:

Champ Bailey: "Clutch."

Cromartie went on a historic run which will probably never be duplicated. He recorded one of the Interceptions that turned the Bengals fortunes around against the Browns which they ended up defeating. In the AFC Title game, he Records 2 INT's the first of which set the Bengals up for the lead, and the second was on the Ravens drive to tie the game. Cromartie Stole the life from both teams. And then, in the Super Bowl, he cemented his legacy forever....Sealing the Bengals 3rd Superbowl in 5 years...with a Pick.