Injury-free Rodney ready to go.

• Position: SPORTS

Byline: Jennifer Toland; Rich Garven

COLUMN: PATRIOTS NOTES

PHOENIX - Rodney Harrison has been at this for 14 years now, and you better believe he's cherishing this latest chance at another Super Bowl championship.

"It's more special because the older you get, you understand your time playing football and having this opportunity really wears down," the Patriots' hard-hitting safety said yesterday. "For me to have this opportunity at this stage in my career is really special."

Harrison's 2006 season ended abruptly - because of a knee injury - and his '07 season started late - because of a four-game suspension for violating the league's banned substance policy.

In the '06 regular-season finale, Harrison, who had come back from a career-threatening left knee injury suffered in 2005 and a fractured scapula suffered earlier last season, was knocked out again after absorbing a borderline low blow to his right knee from the Titans' Bobby Wade.

Harrison missed all of last year's playoffs.

"He could have ended my career, and they call me dirty," Harrison said.

Harrison, who turned 35 in December, was asked if the injury made him consider retirement.

"Initially, you go through that frustration," he said. "I wanted to go find (Wade). I was so disappointed. Things happen for a reason. You just have to try to draw strength from it."

Harrison said Wade never reached out to him after the incident.

"I don't need his sympathy," he said.

Harrison has remained injury-free in 2007.

The Patriots' record-setting offense has dazzled opposing defenses during the season, and Harrison has been impressed by the unit every day in practice.

"The analogy I use is when we played the '03 Colts and it seemed like they were unstoppable," Harrison said.

The 2003 Colts featured familiar names like Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Marcus Pollard and Dallas Clark.

"It just seems like when we go against our offense," Harrison said, "it's like going against the '03 Colts with so many different weapons - the wide receivers, the running backs, the tight ends - just so much talent, and that's what we have."

Harrison was particularly excited about the Patriots' offseason trade with Miami for wide receiver Wes Welker. Welker set a Patriots' record for receptions in a season with 112, while totaling 1,175 receiving yards.

"I was just ecstatic," Harrison said, "because he was probably the toughest guy (to cover) because no one could stick him man-to-man. We...