01:00 AM EST on Friday, December 17, 2004

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- The chorus line of cartwheels for Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning continues across the country. Meanwhile, Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor reserves his highest praise for another AFC quarterback.

"I think the world of Tom Brady," said Taylor. "He is great. I played against him in his second (start) as a pro and got after him pretty good. Ever since then, he's been kicking my butt. He is the best to me. Peyton Manning is great. He does a lot of great things and you can't take that away from him, but Tommy has won. He knows how to win. He's done it. He's done it twice."

The game Taylor referred to took place on Oct. 7, 2001, in Miami. On that day, Brady went 12-for-24 for 86 yards. He got sacked four times and also boxed around a botched snap until Taylor picked it up and scored. The Pats lost, 30-10.

Since that day, New England's gone 5-2 against the Dolphins. Although he's made some heady plays, Brady hasn't really gone off against the Dolphins (earlier this year Brady was just 7-for-19 for 76 yards against Miami). And Taylor has easily given as good as he's gotten against New England's offense.

But that does nothing to diminish his respect for Brady or -- as Taylor pointed out -- another key cog in the Patriots offense.

"If I had to start a team today, I'd give a butt-load of money to Brady and I'd bring Charlie Weis with him and let them go," said Taylor.

Weis is going from offensive coordinator of the Patriots to head coach of Notre Dame, but with Miami in the market for a new head coach, Taylor held out hope that Weis would get a look.

"I like (Miami's interim coach) Jim Bates," said Taylor. "I think Bates is doing one heck of a job and he should get a shot to stay here because we really like him and he is doing a great job. He is going to be a good head coach somewhere, hopefully here. But, if he is not, coach Weis would be a good one for us. I have a lot of respect for the guy. . . ."

Count Taylor among those pleased to see Weis reach a personal goal in his profession.

"You have to be happy for the guy," he said. "He's put his time in and he is one of the best out there. I always thought he should have had a shot years ago and he never really did for whatever reason. I know the league's silly rule that he couldn't interview (before the Patriots' season ended) because he was winning, which doesn't make much sense. But, for whatever reason, he didn't have a chance. Now, he gets to go down there to Notre Dame and coach a very historic team and the best of luck [to him.]"

Bailey signed through 2006

Rodney Bailey, the defensive lineman who's spent the season on injured reserve, was given a contract extension earlier in the week. Signed to a one-year deal as a restricted free agent from Pittsburgh in March, Bailey is now signed through 2006. This is a pretty good indication that the team expects him to recover fully from his knee injury.

Klecko worried aobut Wallace

Dan Klecko, the Patriots' linebacker/fullback recently was involved in a Bellingham, Mass., car accident that injured Red Sox pitching coach Dave Wallace. Wallace seemed shaken but OK at the scene, said Klecko, who was uninjured. But the Boston Globe reported earlier this week that Wallace went to a hospital after the crash. At the scene, Klecko was appreciative of the concern Wallace showed for Klecko and for Klecko's girlfriend, so news that Wallace was hospitalized gained Klecko's concern for Wallace's well-being.

Vinatieri has no kicks

In praising kicker Adam Vinatieri yesterday, Belichick pointed out that the field-goal unit goes onto the field only when there is a chance to score points. "If we don't have a chance to score points, they won't be out there. So, to be able to come out of there with three points or one point, whatever the situation is, seven points in the St. Louis game, but that doesn't happen very often, that is what their job is. For the most part, they are about 90- or 95-percent efficient." Entering this season, Vinatieri had played in 93 regular-season games and been without a field goal attempt in just 10 of them. Currently, he's on the first two-game attemptless streak of his career.

Bates, Belichick have a history

Dolphins interim coach Jim Bates and Belichick go back a ways. "Bill is the coach that brought me into the league," explained Bates. "I was the (defensive) coordinator for Steve Spurrier the first year that Spurrier was at Florida and when I went up to Cleveland, Bill was the one who hired me and he showed me what the NFL was all about and it was definitely a transition. Bill had been in it many years and I learned invaluable experience from Bill. I respect him as a man and as a football coach because he is -- and he has proven it -- one of the best maybe of all time."

Squib kicks

Safety Rodney Harrison has the flu and was added to the Patriots injured list yesterday. He is probable. . . . Miami has scored 13 third-quarter points this season. . . . Belichick on Ty Law, whose broken foot is on the mend. "He is better than he was. He should be. It has been six weeks. So, we are headed in the right direction. What will happen, when he will be able to play, if he will be able to play, that is day-to-day. We won't know that until he is able to do it."