Week 1 of the 2019 NFL season will feature a notable AFC showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. It seems the biggest challenge for defensive end Michael Bennett will be bringing down quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Getting to Roethlisberger is a difficult test in itself. According to Henry McKenna of the Patriots Wire, trying to bring him down is whole different story.

“(It’s) kind of like tackling a truck,” defensive end Michael Bennett said on Wednesday during a locker room session. “He’s kind of hard to tackle. He’s a strong guy. He’s able to stand and be in the pocket and be able to still throw the ball with guys hanging off of him. Him and (Panthers quarterback) Cam Newton are two of the hardest quarterbacks to tackle. I think quarterbacks are always hard to tackle because they have so much heart. They have the will of the team on their back. When you look at guys that have that and size, it’s just hard to tackle them.”

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There is certainly plenty of truth to Bennett's comments. One does not earn the nickname “Big Ben” without at least looking the part. At 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, it is safe to say that Roethlisberger fits the description.

Aside from his physical stature, Roethlisberger possesses uncanny awareness that helps him navigate the pocket. Although he is not very mobile, he does possess some sneaky elusiveness in his legs. This combination is obviously more than enough to make Bennett reconsider his approach.

He and his fellow pass rushers will need to figure out a way to make Roethlisberger feel uncomfortable if they hope to get the season started off on the right foot.