"Checking in at age 34, with 12 NFL seasons already under his belt, only one thing has kept Fred Taylor driven through the current string of two-a-days Patriots coach Bill Belichick has cooked up for his players.

"You gotta have a crazy button," Taylor said yesterday. "You gotta be able to press that button and just get up and do it. I mean, this is my 13th year, I'm blessed. I thank God for it, and the fact that I love playing football, that's why I'm here."

Beyond the crazy button, the veteran running back, who looks to be fighting to keep his roster spot, has a routine down that's allowed him to meet the demands and rigors of camp every year.

"The thing is, you gotta develop a routine throughout camp, with the massages, with working with the training camp, the cold tubs . . . getting the proper amount of rest, and protein shakes, eating right, fruits, veggies, (laughter) whatever it is, it's a lot," said Taylor, who is entering his second season with the Pats after coming aboard as a free agent last year. "But you have to do it, especially if you want to come out and be able to compete every day. 'Cause training camp is about competition and taking advantages of your chances and the opportunities you've been given.

"At this point in my career, I can't afford to miss out on anything. This is a young man's game. I want to be able to be successful, the best I can.""