Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther has revealed that he has a great deal of "respect" for Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers offense.
The Steelers defeated the Bengals in the final game of the 2014 regular season to secure the AFC North crown, in a year where Mike Tomlin's men were ranked second in total offense in the NFL.
Gunether has admitted that he has been impressed by the quality and resilience of Roethlisberger and his improving offense.
He told reporters: "I've got a lot of respect for him. He's taken a lot of shots and keeps getting up. He was getting hit a lot in the past while trying to throw some stuff downfield. The ball's coming out a little faster, particularly on third downs.
"That's probably part of it. He's not running as much and he has enough pocket presence where he keeps a play alive. You're talking about tight ends and wide receivers and running backs and an improved offensive line, that's a pretty good combination.
"They've gotten better up front and run the ball effectively, which helps them. The ability for them to run the ball, mix it up and keep teams honest probably got him more looks."
Roethlisberger threw for 4,952 yards and 32 touchdowns to nine interceptions in the 2014 season.
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