FOXBORO -- One of the keys to defeating the Denver Broncos on Sunday will be for Bill Belichick's defense to disguise and surprise Peyton Manning, keeping him off-guard all game.
But it's safe to say that the Patriots won't be the only team using that defensive style.
Throughout the first four weeks of the regular season, Denver has utilized a defensive formula that has all 11 players standing up before the snap.
Belichick said it makes for a "who's who" game.
"They have kind of a defense where nobody's down, and they kind of walk around," said Belichick on Friday. "They don't really have anybody in a three-point stance, or maybe sometimes one guy will get down. They've down that, they've shown that, I'll say, in every game, or, a number of times during the year. It's not like a one-time thing against Oakland. They've been doing that.
"They have some versatile guys, that, sometimes they rush, sometimes they cover. And they like to bring a lot of defensive backs, when they get into their six or seven defensive-back defenses. So, they're really like linebackers, but they're defensive backs. It just becomes an identification thing for the offense. Who's a DB, who's a linebacker, who's got who, who's down? And so, you potentially have 11 guys in coverage, instead of, just say, seven, which is a traditional four-man line.
"They've done that, and again, that's one of the many things they do that creates problems for you, preparation-wise," added Belichick. "They do it every week, then that's something you've got to be ready for, because you kind of know that sooner or later, they're going to give it to you."