BOB RYAN

He's put winning in their system

2/2/2002

EW ORLEANS - There is no worse feeling for a player than to be adrift, believing he never really had a chance to win the game. He feared as soon as the schedule was published the game was over because the other team's coach knew what he was doing and his didn't.

The New England Patriots are the flip side of that equation. When they win, you've never heard such praise showered on coaches in your life. Full credit is given to the game plans on both sides of the ball. Even in defeat, you are likely to hear a Patriots player explain that the game plan was sound, but the execution was lacking.

There is no way to quantify confidence. But it may very well be that the only reason the Patriots, far inferior to the St. Louis Rams on a man-to-man basis, have a chance to win tomorrow's Super Bowl is the team's universal belief that Bill Belichick and his staff will concoct both offensive and defensive game plans that will keep them competitive.

''I've been around a lot,'' says outside linebackers coach Rob Ryan (son of Buddy), ''and one thing I've noticed since I came with the Patriots is Bill Belichick's preparation, and his attention to detail. His understanding of football philosophy sets him apart from anyone I've ever met in this game. You may have a philosophy, but he knows it better than you do. He literally knows the other team better than it knows itself.''

A team either buys what the coach is selling, or it doesn't. A coaching staff knows from experience when a team has committed itself to the program, as opposed to the circumstance when players nod and say, ''OK, Coach,'' only to have their true belief betrayed by their eyes and body language. Partially committed football players don't win many games.

''I really think you can tell the difference,'' maintains offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia. ''And the players here believe in Bill Belichick. I think the system, whether you want to define it as Parcellian or Belichickian - and it's really all integrated - has been a very successful system for a long period of time. It is time-tested. The team has really embraced the system.''

Bill Belichick is a pigskin Mozart grown up. He wanted into the family business ever since he was 9 or 10. He learned how to break down films from his dad before he was out of his teens, and he never had any doubts that coaching football would be his life. When he speaks in matters football, it is practically ex cathedra. What other people can only guess at, Bill Belichick knows.

''He sees the game at a different speed than most of us,'' marvels Ryan. ''Obviously, being around my father I've now had a chance to work with two of the best defensive minds in the game. There are some similarities in the way they know how to attack the other team's weaknesses.''

A reasonable definition of a liar would be a Patriots player who looks you in the eye following a game and says he didn't feel adequately prepared for what just took place. Scarnecchia says that just can't happen under Bill Belichick.

''If a player knows what's expected of him, it's a lot easier to function,'' Scarnecchia says. ''If a guy screws up, and is called on the carpet here, it is fair. But if a guy were to screw up and get called on the carpet and not know why, then you'd have no grounds to do it. Then you'd just have pandemonium on a team.''

It would be an exaggeration to suggest that the Rams are afraid of Bill Belichick, but they are surely wary of him. It took Rams coach Mike Martz about 30 seconds to launch into a soliloquy in which he lavished praise on Belichick in the immediate aftermath of the NFC Championship game. And many of his players sound like paid members of the Bill Belichick Fan Club.

''They did a very good job of describing coverages in the first game,'' says veteran wide receiver Ricky Proehl. ''They really know how to mix up their looks. A lot of teams give away what they're going to do before the snap, but not the Patriots.''

Proehl sees this Super Bowl as a classic chess match. ''This could be a duel where Belichick and Martz will try to outthink each other,'' he suggests. ''Both are so good at what they do. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.''

While Belichick has a lopsided reputation as a defensive guru, his assistants are impressed with his complete grasp of football. ''He is so thorough,'' says Scarnecchia. ''Each morning he'll come into each meeting and say, `Here are three or four things you need to touch on today,' and sometimes it involves something that he's seen in practice the day before. He always makes it clear what he wants, and he doesn't miss anything.''

''He's involved with the offense and special teams, not just the defense,'' confirms Ryan. ''The way he manages his time every day is unbelievable.''

It's not just a matter of working hard. Everyone works long hours. But not everyone is Bill Belichick. He sees things others don't. St. Louis has more good football players. We all know that. New England has Bill Belichick and his staff. It's the only reason to hope.

Bob Ryan is a Globe columnist. His e-mail address is ryan@globe.com.