Bill Belichick applauded Patriots' defense of Aaron Rodgers: 'He's just lobbing it up there'

It’s rare to get a glimpse into the coaching mind of Bill Belichick.

Showtime did just that with footage of the New England Patriots coach for “Inside the NFL” that showed Belichick literally applauding his defense for their work against Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a 31-17 win on Sunday.

Belichick the cheerleader?

“That pass rush is what we want,” Belichick said during a sideline pep talk. “Keep working the [expletive] out of those guards. Keep him in the pocket. He’s tried to throw us two interceptions, now. We’re gonna get one. He’s just lobbing it up there.

“That’s a great job. Keep pressing him. If he runs backward, then run him out of bounds, that’s great.”

Rare sighting of a happy Belichick

First, it’s nice to see that Belichick isn’t always sneering, snarling or repressed. That was a genuine rah-rah showing from the Patriots coach who was pleased with the play of his defense in slowing down one of the game’s great players.

And about that great player. It’s a bit of a shock to hear anyone criticize Rodgers for “just lobbing it up there.” The Packers quarterback appears to almost always be composed and making good decisions.

The Patriots never got that interception from Rodgers, but did limit him to 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns on a paltry 55.8 percent completion rate. That’s a win against Rodgers by any reasonable standard.

Love him or hate him, it’s impossible to deny the greatness of Belichick. Any insight into his coaching process is a worthwhile look.

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