Colts Leaders Respect Bill Belichick, Plan For Tough Patriots Matchup
'I think Bill Belichick is the best to ever do it'
The New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts prepare to meet for the third straight season.
The home team took the win each time, with the Colts earning the victory in 2021 and the Patriots emerging victorious in 2022.
With new personnel leading the way in Indianapolis, head coach Shane Steichen showed his respect for his coaching counterpart Bill Belichick.
“Being on the opposite sideline, watching what he does over his career is phenomenal,” Steichen said at a press conference on Wednesday, per a team-provided video. “He’s always switching things up. He’s a brilliant coach. (I’ve got) ton of respect for the guy. He’s been doing it at the highest level and been the best at doing it for the last three decades. … I think Bill Belichick is the best to ever do it.”
While filling in for starting rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ quarterback discussed what he sees from the classic Belichick defense.
“Can do about anything,” quarterback Gardner Minshew II told reporters on Wednesday, per a team-provided video. “Will show you a bunch of different looks. Can run stuff the week of that they haven’t ran. Really have to be dialed in with your looks.”
New England’s defensive success on Sunday will be dependent on stopping the run against talented back Jonathan Taylor, who scored the game-clinching touchdown against the Patriots on a long run in 2021. The Colts know that the Patriots will be up for the task.
“The Patriots do a good job with their front,” Minshew shared. “They’ve always done a great job with their front. I think we’re going to have to be a little creative there. Find ways to get explosive in the run game and pass enough to keep them off of us.”
“They play hard, they play together,” Steichen explained. “They do a good job schematically with what they do defensively. They’ve been doing it a long time. We’ve just got to be on it with details and communication.”
The Patriots and Colts square off in Germany on Sunday with kickoff set for 9:30 a.m. ET.
