Who Are These Guys! No Really, Who Are They?

The James Gang is leading the NFL in highway robberies with 20 interceptions, and Tory James and Deltha O'Neal have talked about it among themselves. Now it just may very well become reality. Two Bengals cornerbacks in the Pro Bowl?

After all, their combined 10 interceptions are more than the total of 24 teams.

"Why not? Philadelphia sent almost their whole secondary," James said Monday, a day after the five-interception assault of Brett Favre. "I think it can happen. If we keep playing the way we're playing, it can happen. We talk about it. But we've got to focus on winning some games."

With six interceptions, O'Neal leads the NFL and is on pace to become the first Bengal to have a double-digit season. With four, James is on pace to have his second straight eight-pick season, and head coach Marvin Lewis says he's playing better than he did last year when he went to his first Pro Bowl.

It's already the first time the Bengals have lined up two starting cornerbacks who have been to a Pro Bowl. O'Neal, who went in 2001, is only three picks away from tying the nine he got that season for Denver. He admitted after Sunday's game he and James love to compete against each other.

"It's like if he does something, then I have to do that, or do it better," O'Neal said. "And if I do something, he has to do the same thing. It keeps us going."

The James Gang is only four away from breaking what is believed to be the club's record for picks by a starting cornerback tandem with the 13 Ashley Ambrose and Jimmy Spencer had in 1996.

"You didn't go (to the Pro Bowl) until you came here and had to cover me," wide receiver Chad Johnson said to James, and James isn't about to disagree.

He says working against the Bengals receivers has raised his game, and that competing against practice squad player Jamall Broussard has paid big dividends.

"Jamall is probably one of the quickest guys I've faced in my career," James said. "To go against him every day makes it a lot easier."

Johnson figured Sunday was going to be the closest he would get to a Hall of Fame quarterback "until Carson gets old," he said. So before the Bengals played the Packers, Johnson wandered over to Favre during warmups and asked for a No. 4 jersey and if he would please throw him a pass.

Favre said he would send him a jersey before he whipped a 15-yarder to Johnson standing still.

"I couldn't keep the ball. They were using it," Johnson said. "I don't want to say I was star struck, but it was like Elway or Montana."

Johnson said Favre was equally gracious, telling him he admired his work ethic and that he is a very good player. Johnson squelched a rumor going around Green Bay that he also asked Favre for a jersey after the game even though Favre was clearly hurting and drained.

"No. I asked him if he was all right and congratulated him on all his accomplishments," Johnson said.

By the way, Packers cornerback Al Harris got the "No" check mark, meaning Johnson is 8-0 against his checklist. But he knew even back in the spring he's got a tough nut this Sunday in Baltimore because he already put down both corners in his cousin Samari Rolle and Pro Bowler Chris McAlister.

"I'm very excited. Like all you were when you were little the night before Christmas," he said.

"I like those guys," said Johnson of hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. "They've been getting on me lately, though."