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FOXBORO - No matter what, it just seems that Jabar Gaffney has to keep proving himself to the Patriots.

The sixth-year wide receiver, a Jacksonville native, made a huge splash in last year's playoffs after having caught only 11 passes in 11 regular-season games.

But despite making 21 catches for 244 yards in three playoff games and scoring two touchdowns, Patriots' coach Bill Belichick and personnel chief Scott Pioli still felt the need to revamp the wide receiving corps in the offseason.

Gaffney started the 2007 season as the only active holdover from the previous year's receiving corps, however, because his coaches and his teammates saw something there worth keeping.

"He's had a great role on this team since he got here in the bye week last season," quarterback Tom Brady said Monday. "He was a starter by the end of the year, played really well in the playoffs, came here earlier in the season and fought for a job he can really do a lot of things. His position versatility is extremely important to us." On a team loaded with receiving talent, Gaffney still asserted himself late in the season, catching 21 passes for 307 yards in the last six games to bring his season total to 36 receptions for 449 yards, including a career-high five touchdowns.

"I'm just doing what I'm called upon to do," Gaffney said. "When the ball comes my way, I just try to make plays. That's just it."

Gaffney's 2006 playoff run was memorable, but it lacks importance to him because, as he said, "We went home before we wanted to. Hopefully we can get a little further than we did last year. Hopefully we can complete the task."

He had a career-best single game performance of 122 yards on seven catches against Pittsburgh, including a memorable 56-yard touchdown catch on a flea-flicker play in which Brady threw behind the line of scrimmage to Randy Moss, then accepted a throw back from Moss to find Gaffney well ahead of the coverage of Steeler safety Anthony Smith - the same Steeler who had guaranteed a victory over the Patriots in the week leading to the game.

"It's already pushed aside," Gaffney said. "We're not paying any of that any attention the 16-0, all that's out the door right now. It's down to eight teams left, and we've got to go out and win in order to stay here."

He expects nothing less than a battle from the Jacksonville Jaguars in Saturday night's AFC Divisional round of the playoffs (8 p.m.; Ch. 4, 12).

"You just have to go out there and play," he said. "You can't be afraid. We pride ourselves on being physical as well. They're going to come in here and talk trash and try to bully us around, but we're going to stand our ground."

Quick kicks

The Patriots did not practice Monday, but used the day to attend to conditioning or treatment and to watch film Brady knows first-hand how physical the Jaguars can be, as on Christmas Eve 2006 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, he was knocked out of the Patriots' 24-21 win for one play when he appeared to be speared in the back by linebacker Clint Ingram on a scramble. "On the film, I run and dive, and I get hit, and the next thing you see is Matt (Cassel) right on the sideline buckling his chinstrap up," Brady said. "He knew right away he was coming in. I'm hoping to not get knocked out of the game this weekend."