'Non-human' coach and ageless quarterback have Patriots primed

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota - Only two months had passed, so there was no way Bill Belichick had already forgotten the Patriots had hoisted their second Lombardi Trophy in three years when New England opened minicamp in April.

"You would have thought we went 2-14," Patriots safety Devin McCourty said of the edge with which Belichick facilitated the team's first practice together after winning the Super Bowl over the Atlanta Falcons last February. "He was ripping us apart."

Accountability drives the bus in New England, and Belichick has his foot on the gas pedal.

The 65-year-old coach hands out position-specific checklists corresponding to his game plan. Players are quizzed in position meetings and in front of the team if Belichick gets the urge.

Game week is as much academic as anything.

Every alignment the Patriots might use in Sunday's Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles and the team's propensity to run certain plays from that set will be engrained in New England's defense well before the team takes a group photo at US Bank Stadium on Saturday.

Belichick's preparation defines the Patriots.

"He takes nothing for granted," said wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who is in his first season with the Patriots after an offseason trade from the New Orleans Saints.

"I've got a lot of respect for coach Belichick. He prepares for every game like it's his last."

McCourty, a team captain since his second season in the NFL, said there is never a fear Belichick will leave well enough alone.

There's no such thing as a perfect game. And you won't have to ask Belichick to be told as much if you're one of his 53 players.

"He keeps our sense of urgency high," McCourty said. "A lot of it, that's just him. The love for the game."

Is human nature not a factor for Belichick?

"I think he's non-human," McCourty quipped. "I don't know what tests we need to run, but he's probably not."

Belichick gently rolled back multiple questions on Wednesday afternoon.

Typical responses, such as "I'm not giving away our game plan" and "my focus is on Sunday night," dominated his monotone.

Media might be sensitive to Belichick's stance in the sessions, but his players see a pretty similar posture.

McCourty said the treatment in the captain's meetings, where he joins 40-year-old quarterback Tom Brady and 32-year-old receiver Matthew Slate, is no different than it would be for a room full of rookies.

Former and current assistants rave, but fail to put into words and context, Belichick's genius.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who broke into the NFL as an assistant and scout under Belichick with the Cleveland Browns in 1993, said on Wednesday it was "an absolute total football education".

Schwartz said Belichick "coaches everyone - every single person - in the building".

Every granular detail has importance, and Belichick demands of every staff member to make sure the coach gets to determine the significance of each item.

"Everyone understood - get on the same page, there is only one direction. And Bill set that direction," Schwartz said. "He makes it clear with his philosophy."

Twenty-five years later, Belichick is still dictating as scouts chart the width of offensive line splits, asking them to equate the information to play selection.

Even if the Patriots add a sixth Lombardi Trophy since 2002 on Sunday night, McCourty knows the celebration can only last so long around Belichick.

"Bill says it all the time," McCourty said. "There's a lot of hot air outside the building but if you want the truth, come to the 8 am meeting."