CINCINNATI — When Joe Flacco threw deep down the left side, Leon Hall was there to intercept. When the Ravens quarterback tried to go deep again, Johnathan Joseph picked it off.
Nice symmetry.
The Cincinnati Bengals first-round draft picks have grown into one of the better cornerback tandems in the NFL, one reason why the defense is on the rise. Each of them has four interceptions, leaving them tied for fifth place in the league.
With Hall and Joseph able to cover man-to-man, the Bengals can free up other players to rush the passer. Steelers receiver Hines Ward, who will face them in Pittsburgh on Sunday, says the duo has grown into a formidable set of defenders.
