Tennessee Titans

Bill Belichick expresses respect for Titans defensive guru LeBeau

Published Dec. 17, 2015 12:12 p.m. ET

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The Tennessee Titans enter their Week 15 game against the New England Patriots at 3-10 and in contention for the top overall pick in the NFL draft.

While the defending Super Bowl champions will be the heavy favorites on Sunday in Foxborough, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he isn't taking the Titans lightly, pointing to the presence of Tennessee assistant head coach/defense Dick LeBeau.

Via Tennessee's official website:

LeBeau, in his first season in Tennessee after 11 years with the Pittsburgh Steelers, is in charge of a Titans' unit ranked 13th in the NFL total defense this season.

“There’s no coach in the league I have more respect for than Dick LeBeau and what he’s done in his career and what he’s done with the Titans, and how well they play, and how well coached they are,’’ Belichick said.

LeBeau will need to lean on his years of experience this week as the Titans face arguably their toughest challenge of the season. The defending Super Bowl champions enter with the league's third-ranked offense led by quarterback Tom Brady, who has thrown for 33 touchdowns against just six interceptions this season.

"Preparation for these guys is going to be really challenging for us, starting with their defense," Belichick said. "Of course Dick LeBeau, I don't think I could just say enough about him. What he's done over his career, not only the length of it but the quality of it, is really remarkable. The man's given so much to this game and one of the real, one of the guys I have as much respect for as really anybody in professional football. Dick's just made great contributions to the game.”