FOXBORO – Dick LeBeau was the defensive mastermind that emasculated the NFL’s trendy offenses of the 1990s.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick praised the innovation and insight LeBeau employed when he designed his infamous zone blitz schemes as the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator two decades ago.
LeBeau is Tennessee’s assistant head coach/defense and Belichick expects to see some variations of the old “Blitzburg” arrangements when the Patriots host the Titans on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
LeBeau’s zone blitz effectively undermined the West Coast offense popularized by Bill Walsh in San Francisco and perfected by Mike Holmgren in Green Bay and Seattle.