BRADY

FOXBORO — Quarterback Tom Brady finally said aloud yesterday what all of Patriots Nation has felt for weeks: This 2007 season is a special one.

Football followers across the country have debated for weeks whether New England could go undefeated this year. But it was not a topic to be brought up at Gillette Stadium. Coach Bill Belichick and his players stressed that they were focusing on one game at a time, and that the prospect of 16-0 was something for only media and fans to worry about.

Even after Sunday night’s win over the Dolphins, which made New England the first team in league history to start a season 15-0, most Pats players didn’t want to talk about the prospect.

But yesterday, Brady acknowledged that a win this week would mean a little bit more than others.

“I think we all realize what a win would mean, but a win’s always big,” he said. “A win is always important for us, and we’ve prepared pretty hard over the last four months. Being 16-0 would be a very special achievement, one that no other team has ever achieved and we’re finally at that point.”

Still, the quarterback, who is two touchdown passes shy of setting an NFL single-season record, stressed that going 16-0 is not the end-all.

“We’ve had great seasons and we’ve been 14-2. This has been a very special season. I’d hate to think that we’d go out there and not put our best out there this week, so we’ve got to bring energy and excitement,” Brady said. “It’s going to be a big test to beat (the Giants) because they’re very good. I just hope that we’re able to finish off the season the way that we’d really hoped.”

Ailing Giants

Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw (calf) did not practice yesterday. He and Brandon Jacobs (ankle, full participation) combined for 294 yards last week against the Bills, the first time in Giants history they had two 100-yard rushers in a game. Other key players on New York’s participation list were corner Kevin Dockery (hip flexor, did not participate) and receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle, limited participation). Burress has not practiced for much of the season.

smanza@projo.com