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Antonio Cromartie suffers non-contact knee injury, leaves Week 1

Sep 13, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) recovers a Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) (not shown) fumble during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 13, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) recovers a Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) (not shown) fumble during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Jets are hoping their defense can carry the team, but they’re down Antonio Cromartie after he suffered a non-contact knee injury.

When the New York Jets brought back Darrelle Revis, they were hoping that he could be paired with Antonio Cromartie and form an unstoppable secondary tandem. That idea lasted about half a game into the 16-game season, as Cromartie had to leave the game after a non-contact knee injury.

It’s still way too early to tell what the real injury here is, but the fact that there was no contact on the injury and that it was a knee injury points to an ACL injury for the Jets cornerback.

That’s what the assumption was right away.

This would be a huge blow for the Jets defense, which is already starting to look like patchwork with the loss of big defensive pillars already. It’s going to be a rough season for New York, but losing Cromartie for the season is not the way to start the season.

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