In the next-to-last full practice session before the NFL title game on Sunday, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady showed no signs of a limp and went through the drills without any extra taping on the ankle he sprained during a victory over San Diego in the AFC Championship contest.

Receiver Jabar Gaffney, however, was limited in practice because of a shoulder injury.

Although the Patriots usually do not wear pads for their Thursday sessions, they did for this pre-Super Bowl workout.

"Another day always helps," Belichick said. "These guys care. They want to practice well. When we make mistakes, we've got to correct them. They want to get it right the next time."

When asked where his team was in overall preparation, Belichick said:

"We're pretty close. We'll review some stuff tomorrow. We're as ready as we're going to be. We could spend four weeks preparing for the Giants. But we'll be ready to go."

The Patriots are trying to become the first NFL team ever to put together a 19-0 season.