Mayo makes a mark

Rookie LB records a 20-tackle effort

FOXBOROUGH - Jerod Mayo turned around from his locker last night to find a herd of cameras and microphones, about the biggest compliment a rookie linebacker can receive following a loss in which he was not the goat.

But Mayo politely declined all requests for comment, citing the Patriots' (loosely followed) rule that rookies can't speak following games. He could be forgiven considering he did all his talking on the field.

Mayo, a first-round pick (10th overall) out of Tennessee, recorded a game-high 20 tackles (16 solo, 4 assisted) as the Patriots' defense did its job in helping the team overcome an 18-point deficit, but it wasn't enough as New England fell in overtime to the rival Jets, 34-31, at Gillette Stadium.

Mayo ran from sideline to sideline and it rarely seemed as if a play ended without his No. 51 jersey in the pile. Considering the Jets ran 75 plays (seven of which were pass incompletions), Mayo had a hand in more than a quarter of the Patriots' tackles.

Like the Jets' offensive line, no one could quite slow Mayo as he departed from the locker room. Quote-hungry media were left with only a parting shot in which Mayo heaped all the praise on the defensive line.

His teammates were happy to speak for him.

"Jerod's a young player with a lot of respect for the game and the way it's played," said defensive end Richard Seymour, who didn't even make it out of his uniform before reporters invaded his locker. "He plays the game the way it's supposed to be played. He's a student of the game and tonight he played with a passion. If he keeps this up, he's going to be a very good linebacker in this league for years to come."

A couple of more performances like this and they can start engraving Mayo's name on the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. On a night when Jets linebacker Vernon Gholston - a player many pegged as New England's top choice in this year's draft - saw the field primarily on special teams, it was Mayo spearheading a second-half defensive stand that helped the Patriots force overtime.

Neither he nor his teammates could get the Jets off the field in the extra session, and Jay Feely's 34-yard field goal with 7:10 remaining gave the visitors the victory. But it did little to overshadow a dominating effort by Mayo.

"He gives you his all out there and you love playing with a guy like that," said Patriots safety James Sanders. "He's got a lot of heart."

Mayo registered a team-high five tackles in the first half (4 solo), but really turned on the jets in the second half.

Whether he was in coverage, butting heads with tight end Dustin Keller (a player who killed the Patriots, particularly on the final scoring march), or chasing down running back Thomas Jones, Mayo was making plays. During one first-half sequence, Mayo showcased his speed by racing across the field to knock down a pass intended for Keller over the middle. In the second half, he always seemed to display perfect form in tackling opponents in the open field.

On the Jets' first drive of the fourth quarter, after the Patriots had pulled within a field goal, Mayo made three consecutive tackles before Jason Webster forced a fumble that rookie Gary Guyton recovered to set up the drive that tied the game at 24.

Mayo again made two tackles on the final defensive stand in regulation, which helped force a punt and set up the tying drive, on which Matt Cassel found Randy Moss with one second remaining.

Three more tackles for Mayo in the extra session, but no victory. Maybe that's another reason he didn't feel like talking afterward.

Like his play, he left it all on the field.

Chris Forsberg can be reached at cforsberg@boston.com.