"His best game of the season? Are you kidding?

Jerod Mayo hears you repeat his tackle numbers - 15 against the Jaguars - and he shakes his head. Celebrating his own performance is the last thing on the mind of the star Patriots linebacker.

"I'm not making a big deal about this last game," Mayo said. "I don't think that was my best game, to be honest. I was just in the places to make plays. Earlier in the season, I had 12-tackle games. Two more tackles doesn't make it my best. But anytime you win a game, everybody loves you this time of year."

Mayo is getting some love. The second-year co-captain began the season with a knee injury, then struggled to regain the form that led him to earn AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2008.

If you're searching for evidence that Mayo has found his way just in time for the playoffs, you have ammunition. If you want proof that the defense has done the same after holding the past three opponents to 10 points or fewer, you have it.

He has 95 tackles - 66 solos - with 1 sacks and a forced fumble in 12 games. Mayo may not care about his own stats, but he knows the numbers of his defense.

"At the end of the day, our scoring defense is top five," said Mayo, whose unit is tied for third with 16.7 points per game. "People can talk as bad as they want to about this defense, but you take away a couple bad games, and people might be talking about this being a No. 1 defense.""