Bill Belichick has coached in the NFL for 37 years. Many of those years were spent coaching defense or coaching up the secondary.
And Belichick says he’s going up against the best he’s ever seen this Sunday.
“Can’t say I’ve [coached] against anyone better in the secondary than Ed Reed,” Belichick said.
Belichick-ophiles already know about his long-standing appreciation of Reed. It’s not just Belichick’s usual public praise of an opponent. Belichick and Tom Brady were seen on an NFL Films documentary talking about Reed’s greatness behind closed doors at length as they prepared for the Ravens in 2009.
Belichick said Wednesday that Reed probably covers more field as a single safety than most teams can cover with two. While this hasn’t been Reed’s best season, he’s coming off a terrific performance against the Texans.
“You don’t fool Ed too often,” Brady said Wednesday. “Coach Belichick has a meeting for quarterbacks each week. We go over the strengths and weaknesses of opponents. Ed has no weak points.”
Brady says he locates where Reed is before every play. While Belichick may lay on his praise thick, we don’t doubt his sincerity.
Sunday’s matchup involves an all-time great coach and quarterback going up against two all-time great defensive players in Reed and Ray Lewis. Both sides know these chances don’t come around often.
It’s a matchup to savor for football fans.