FOXBORO — Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Broncos head coach Sean Payton have historically been well-matched in their long tenures in the NFL with a 2-2 record against one another.

They’ll face off again Sunday, but this time Payton, the long-time Saints head coach, will be wearing different colors. Payton was traded from the Saints to the Broncos along with a 2024 third-round pick for a 2023 first-round pick and 2024 second-round pick.

Belichick raved about the challenges that Payton presents to a defense as an offensive coach.

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“Understands defenses extremely well, and knows how to attack defenses and really puts a lot of pressure on the defense,” Belichick said. “Almost every play he runs, especially once he runs against you, and he may run other stuff against other teams that wouldn’t be that big of a problem for you, and you probably won’t see it. The things that you see are things that are designed to give you a headache, and they usually do, especially if you can hit it right. Sometimes, the plays don’t match up, but you can see what he’s trying to do and come out of there saying, ‘Well, we were fortunate we were in this defense and not that defense because that would have really put us in a bind.’ They play fast. There’s not much no-huddle, but the tempo that they play with in the huddle, the motion, snap the ball, receivers are aggressive. …

“Sean’s built certain things around what he — what the team is right now. I don’t know if that’s what it’ll be eventually, but what it is right now. He’s done a good job of building and playing into those player’s strengths.”

Belichick was asked when he got to know Payton. Both men coached under Bill Parcells — Belichick with the Giants and Patriots and Payton with the Cowboys.

“We had a common experience through Bill Parcells,” Belichick said smiling. “We’ve both been yelled at a lot. We share a lot in common there.”

Belichick was as open as he’s been all season not only about Payton but fondly remembering his year as an assistant with the Broncos in 1978 and talking about the intricacies of the 3-4 defense.