CBS' top team called only one Bengals game last year, which was the 31-22 loss at Dallas in Week 5. That game was Benson's first with the Bengals and the last that quarterback Carson Palmer played before sitting out the rest of the season with an elbow injury.

"I can see the attitude, environment and culture have changed," Simms said. "The defense is hard-hitting and aggressive while Benson looks like the guy he would be when he came out in the draft. And then you have Carson Palmer and the receivers, where for how long people talked about their passing game. Now the order has absolutely changed, and it's good."

As for Palmer, Simms said the seventh-year quarterback still looks rusty, but that's to be expected. Through two games, Palmer's rating of 75.9 is in the lower third of the league, and he is one of four quarterbacks with four or more interceptions.

Palmer did look better over the last 2 1 / 2 quarters of Sunday's 31-24 win over the Packers. He completed 10 of his 14 pass attempts for 142 yards with two touchdowns.

"He still has the physical abilities. I wouldn't say he's razor-sharp, but you can't be," Simms said. "He missed practice, preseason games and he's dealing with an injury, and that's a lot. But he made it through the first two games and he didn't have a setback with the injury. I really expect him to be sharper."