FOXBORO — Against the Broncos, we were reminded why Bill Belichick is an X-factor on any given Sunday.

It doesn’t matter if he’s out-manned or has what’s considered a lesser team on paper.

He can get the Patriots to play at whatever level it takes to beat any opponent. He can out-scheme and out-think most coaches and put his players in the best positions to succeed.

Taking down Peyton Manning and the Broncos merely re-emphasized the point.

Running backs coach Ivan Fears, now the longest tenured coach in the building, having been with the Patriots 18 years, offered some perspective on what he believes separates the Pats coach from the rest.

While Belichick built a reputation on his cunning defensive schemes, and ability to shut down high-powered offenses, Fears says what makes him special is more than just X’s and O’s.

“He knows how to get players to (act as) one, not be separate, and be a team, not individuals,” Fears said. “That way you cover all your weak spots and all your strengths. You’re just one unit, one team playing the game, not separate. Not offense, not defense, not special teams. But everybody playing together to beat somebody. And he shows them how to do that.”

He shows them the power of team, and this of course goes back to them coming out as one during the introductions in that first Super Bowl against the Rams in New Orleans during the 2001 season.

And, as we saw against the Broncos last Sunday, it was certainly a collective effort. The offense, defense and special teams all contributed to the cause.

“His organizational skills, his direction is unmatched. There’s no doubt he knows how to get everyone focused in the right direction at the right time,” Fears said. “It’s not an individual thing. It’s not Peyton vs. Tom (Brady). It’s a team thing. That’s what he does.”

Devin McCourty explained how Belichick weaves his magic and puts the team spell over everyone during the week in meetings.

“When we sit in squad meetings, we talk about every phase of the game. So Tom’s hearing about two-minute, and what we have to do to stop the other team defensively. And we’re hearing about stuff from his end,” said McCourty, one of the team’s defensive captains. “So I think that allows us to know the mentality and where we have an advantage. I think it enforces everyone to be a part of the team. Even though you don’t have a role playing on the field, you’re just into it. You get into it.”

McCourty said Belichick has a way of getting the players into the team mindset without them even knowing it.

“It’s just naturally how he runs things, how he does things,” McCourty said. “I don’t want to say it forces us, but it kind of forces us to be that way. I don’t even think you notice it. It starts in OTAs and builds throughout the season.”

For example, Belichick doesn’t go overboard in his praise of anyone, whether it’s Brady or Vince Wilfork. He’ll laud a special teams player just as much, if not more, than one of his stars on offense or defense. Or, he’ll salute a guy like offensive lineman Ryan Wendell to the hilt just to emphasize the importance of everyone.

Belichick preaches that a role player on the 46-man game day roster is just as important as a starter. Then he backs it up.

“I think that goes a long way, especially when you talk about playing for each other,’’ McCourty said. “It gives you confidence in everything you do defensively, offensively and special teams.”

And then, of course, Belichick is an X-factor because he’s always had a way of taking away what the other team does best, or neutralizing the other team’s best player.

The defensive game plan Belichick and coordinator Matt Patricia cooked up for Manning and the Broncos was executed to perfection by the players.

Between the mixing of coverages, and the veiled looks up front to disguise who was rushing, and who was dropping back, that gave Manning reason for pause. But the real gem was the person Belichick chose to take away from Manning.

It wasn’t DeMaryius Thomas or Emmanuel Sanders. Instead, Belichick thought taking out tight end Julius Thomas was the best way to disrupt the Broncos high-powered offense. He was right.

Using physical intimidator Brandon Browner, or going with bracket coverage on Julius Thomas proved effective.

It forced Manning to fit more throws into tighter spaces without having his best mismatch player available.

When you’re talking mismatches, however, it’s hard to beat the man in the hoodie. Belichick typically proves the real nightmare.