A rookie-year treat for Meriweather.

Byline: Jennifer Toland

COLUMN: NOTES

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - When he was selected by the Patriots in the first round of last year's NFL Draft, Brandon Meriweather truly believed this is where he would be right now - preparing for his first Super Bowl.

"This is a great team," Meriweather said yesterday. "This is a team that went to the AFC Championship Game and had a chance to go to the Super Bowl last year but came up just a little short."

Meriweather, a versatile star at the University of Miami, was the 24th overall pick. The Patriots acquired the selection from Seattle in exchange for Deion Branch.

Meriweather has played in all 18 games, mostly on special teams, but saw some significant action as the nickel back in the last two regular season games.

Because he was a first-round pick, Meriweather's development hasn't been rapid enough for some onlookers, but he thinks it's been a season of progress.

"I think I became a better pro," he said. "I don't think as I did. I don't act as I did. I do everything a little more aggressive, a little faster. I learned how to practice. I learned how to play. I'm developing slowly, but I think I'm coming along."

Meriweather and No. 3 quarterback Matt Gutierrez are the only rookies on the Patriots' active roster.

The Giants, on the other hand, have 10 rookies who have played regularly.

Notable among the first-year group are first-round pick Aaron Ross, who started nine games at cornerback, wide receiver Steve Smith, who was inactive for 10 games because of injuries but has nine catches for 102 yards in the postseason, and tight end Kevin Boss, who's come on since Jeremy Shockey went down for the year with a broken leg.

"When you first bring them in, they're so very young," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said, "and they've got that look in their eye. You're trying to find a role for them, a spot for them to play in. Many of our guys have been forced into much more complex roles than what our initial thought was, and they've responded well."

Rookie Zak DeOssie, a former Patriots ball boy and the son of former Patriots and Giants player Steve DeOssie, is the Giants' long snapper on punts.

Meriweather is one of seven former Hurricanes in this year's Super Bowl, giving the U the most participants.

Marshall, USC and LSU are tied for second most with five players each.

Brady's ankle not taped

The Patriots practiced for two hours yesterday at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe and quarterback Tom Brady participated in all phases of the session. Brady did not have his ankle taped on the outside of his shoe like he did during Monday's practice and he was not limping noticeably.

The Patriots did not list Brady's ankle on the injury report, just his usual right shoulder.

Wide receiver Jabar Gaffney was limited in practice because of a shoulder injury. The team wore pads for the first time this week.

"We tried to get the tempo up a little bit and we did that," coach Bill Belichick said.

Giants receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle) did not participate in practice, while cornerback Kevin Dockery (hip flexor) and guard Rich Seubert (knee) were limited.

No strangers to not losing

We all know the Patriots are trying to join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only undefeated NFL teams of the modern era, but did you know nine members of the Patriots played for an unbeaten team in college?

They are: Kyle Brady (Penn State, 1994), Randy Moss and Chris Hanson (Marshall, 1996), Tom Brady (Michigan, 1997), Vince Wilfork (Miami, 2001), Bam Childress (Ohio State, 2002), Matt Cassel and Oscar Lua (USC, 2004) and David Thomas (Texas, 2005). Childress is on the Patriots' practice squad. Lua and Thomas are both on injured reserve.

Unlikely venue for Spach

Two weeks before Christmas, Patriots tight end Stephen Spach was without a job. This week, he's getting ready to play in the Super Bowl.

"It's been great," Spach said. "I'm happy to be here."

Spach was originally signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent out of Fresno State and played in 13 games for them in 2005. He was out of football the last two seasons.

Injuries to Benjamin Watson and Kyle Brady created the need for Spach, who was about to start substitute teaching when the Patriots called. The team signed him Dec. 13.

"Everything happened fast and it was a blur," Spach said. "I've just kept my head down and tried to do my job."

Spach, the eighth of 11 kids in his family, has not recorded any stats in the four games he's played, but, in the AFC Championship against the Chargers, he was part of the Patriots' three tight end package that helped paved the way for Laurence Maroney's 122-yard rushing performance.

"Everything's played out pretty well," said Spach, who was a four-time academic All-WAC selection. "Everybody takes their job seriously here and wants to win. All I had to do was follow suit."

Downplaying prediction

New York wide receiver Plaxico Burress has predicted a 23-17 Giants win.

"We're only going to score 17 points?" Tom Brady asked with a laugh when told Burress' forecast. "Is Plax playing defense?"

Everyone remembers what happened when the Steelers' Anthony Smith "guaranteed" a Pittsburgh win over the Patriots back in Week 14. That didn't quite work out and Smith looked foolish on a couple of balls thrown his way.

"The one thing I admire about that is he has the confidence to say it," Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs said upon being informed of Burress' predicted score. "Obviously you know how this team works. We don't do things like that. We let our play do the talking."

Extra points

Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker, who played the previous three seasons with the Dolphins, was asked the differences between New England and Miami. His response was, "Weather. Women. Wins." ... Giants cornerback R.W. McQuarters has intercepted a pass in each of Giants' first three playoff games.

NAME: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 

ART: PHOTO

CUTLINE: Patriots quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass during practice yesterday at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

PHOTOG: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS