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Dick LeBeau vs. Bill Belichick.

Doesn’t get much better than that for NFL fans. Tennessee linebacker Wesley Woodyard believes the rare matchup is a showdown for the ages.

”Oh man Cheap Nick Chubb Jersey , it’s going to be a battle of the masterminds,” Woodyard said when the Titans defensive coordinator tries to outwit Belichick and his New England Patriots.

”Two Hall of Fame coaches, I’m sure Belichick will be there hands down. Coach LeBeau’s seen a lot, coached a lot of playoff games, so we’re relying heavily on his experience and to go out there and play hard man. That’s all we can do for our coach.”

Well, LeBeau is only in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his 14-season career as a cornerback, though he certainly qualifies for consideration for designing the zone blitz on defense. LeBeau also has an NFL-record 45 consecutive seasons as a coach, putting ahead of only one man – Belichick with 43 – in that category.

The two will be very instrumental in determining the outcome on Saturday night when the upstart Titans (10-7) visit Belichick and his defending Super Bowl champion Patriots (13-3) for a spot in the AFC championship game.

And Belichick made it very clear that coaching against LeBeau is not something he enjoys.

”I wouldn’t use that word, no,” Belichick said. ”It’s very challenging. Coach LeBeau is a great coach, he does a tremendous job, (he) has for his entire illustrious career as a player and as a coach. Really revolutionized the game, and his system has certainly withstood the test of time.”

Belichick ticked off how LeBeau’s Titans have led the NFL in rushing defense over the past two seasons and led the league this season for the fewest big plays allowed of 20 yards or longer. Belichick says the foundation of LeBeau’s defense remains the same over the years Josh Allen Jersey Elite , modified for the players he has and the teams he’s facing.

The man with five Super Bowl titles as head coach in New England made clear he has great respect for LeBeau, whom he considers a good friend.

”He’s such a great person, very humble guy that accomplished so much but he’s very modest about it,” Belichick said. ”I learn an awful lot from watching him, watching his defenses and watching the way that he does things. Techniques and adjustments and schematics and so forth. He’s one of the great coaches to ever walk the sidelines in this league.”

Told that Belichick said he learned a lot from him, LeBeau said he was humbled.

”Not very many coaches have the record Coach Belichick’s gotten, in fact he’s probably closing in on the best ever,” LeBeau said Wednesday. ”That’s quite a compliment.”

The two haven’t coached against each other in the playoffs but once before with Belichick overseeing the Patriots. LeBeau and the Pittsburgh Steelers won home-field advantage in 2004 by beating the Patriots 34-20 on Oct. 31, then Belichick and New England won the AFC conference championship Jan. 23, 2005, beating the Steelers 41-27.

”It’ll be interesting to see how it comes out,” LeBeau said.

LeBeau said preparing for a Belichick-coached team means understanding the players won’t beat themselves. Add in Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game makes the Patriots always a formidable opponent Cheap Kevin Hogan Jersey , according to LeBeau.

The Titans trust that LeBeau, who turned 80 the day before this season opened in September, will put them where they need to be. Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan said that’s what LeBeau did in the second half of the Titans’ upset of Kansas City 22-21 in the wild-card game. The Titans allowed only 61 yards total offense and no points in the final 30 minutes.

”He has all the experience in the world, probably been to 50 playoff games give or take,” Morgan said. ”We have a lot of confidence in him that he’s going to put us in the right positions.”

After kickoff, LeBeau said both coaches will be focused only on what’s happening on the field.

”Once we walk on that field,” LeBeau said, ”we won’t know who the hell’s on the other side of the field to be honest with you.”

Everyone else will know.

After slugging their way to wins in the first five games against the Los Angels Angels, the Boston Red Sox needed some strong defense to complete the season sweep.

Jackie Bradley Jr. made a leaping catch at the wall in center to keep the Angels from scoring in the first inning and broke open the game with a two-run homer in the seventh as the Red Sox beat the Angels 4-2 on Thursday night.

”It feels good when you get the results,” Bradley said. ”Both were very pivotal for the game.”

Bradley’s shot to right was the 20th homer the Red Sox hit in six games against Los Angeles, sweeping the season series against the Angels for the first time since they joined the American League as an expansion club in 1961.

Boston outscored Los Angeles 49-12 while taking all six games, which according to the Red Sox is the first six-game season sweep in club history.

The Red Sox have won four straight and six of seven as they head to New York to open three-game series between the rivals on Friday night with first place in the AL East on the line.

Hector Velazquez (6-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Craig Kimbrel earned his 24th save with a scoreless ninth inning.

With scheduled starter Steven Wright on the DL Ian Happ Jersey , the Red Sox had to shuffle their rotation. Manager Alex Cora said he was pleased to get four innings out of starter Brian Johnson and two more from Velazquez, setting up the bullpen to finish off the Angels.

”We got to where we wanted to get,” Cora said. ”B.J. (Johnson) was outstanding using his fastball, mixing up his breaking ball – very pleased with the way we got six innings out of those guys.”

The Angels have lost six straight, although they were in contention in the last two games at Fenway Park.

”There’s no doubt we hit the ball harder than looking at six hits,” manager Mike Scioscia said. ”We probably squared up five other balls that they made nice plays on. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

Andrelton Simmons hit a solo homer and Albert Pujols had an RBI single for the Angels, who had a potential rally going in the eighth with runners on first and second with one out but were robbed of another hit when Andrew Benintendi made a leaping catch at the wall that rivaled what Bradley did in the first.

”That was amazing,” Bradley said. ”We were able to make some big plays for our pitchers and get the win.”

Los Angeles was up 1-0 until Devers led off the fifth with his 13th homer, to center off of Jaime Barria (5-4).

Barria was pulled after giving up a one-out walk to J.D. Martinez with one out in the sixth and the score still tied 1-1. Jose Alvarez gave up a double to Mitch Moreland, with Martinez moving to third. Xander Bogaerts was then walked intentionally to load the bases, and Brock Holt drew a walk to drive in Martinez for Boston’s first lead. Alvarez then got Devers to ground into a double play to end the inning.

Barria was charged with two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out two over 5 1/3 innings.

”Jaime was good. He had to work hard to get to that point of the game,” Scioscia said. ”There was one fastball he just left down the heart of the plate and it was down to Devers and he hit it out to center. But I thought he gave us a chance to win Authentic Customized Ravens Jerseys , there’s no doubt about that.”

Bradley’s homer, his sixth, in the seventh off of Noe Ramirez pushed Boston’s lead to 4-1.

BRONX BOUND

The Red Sox were busy packing their bags in the locker room after the game and were headed to New York, where the three-game series was scheduled to open Friday. The Red Sox (55-27) hold a slight lead on the Yankees (52-26), who were off Thursday.

While the series is big, Bradley said the division title is not on the line – yet.

”I think if you win, that takes care of everything. You don’t have to think about anything else,” Bradley said. ”You get that done, I don’t think you’ve got to worry about any other teams.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Angels: Placed rookie reliever Jake Jewell on the DL with a broken right leg that could cause him to miss the rest of the season. He’s scheduled to have surgery Friday. Jewell was carted off the field at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. … The Angels recalled RHP Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake and added RHP Taylor Cole to the major league roster.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Felix Pena (0-0, 5.40 ERA) gets his third start of the season and first on the road when the Angels open up a weekend series in Baltimore on Friday.

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-2, 3.86) was on a six-start winning streak before taking the loss Saturday against Seattle. Rodriguez is scheduled to go up against Yankees LHP C.C. Sabathia (4-3, 3.18) in the series opener Friday night.

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Added Aug 17 '18

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