"Jerod Mayo has performed in high-profile, high-stakes, postseason games in his career. But they all came while he was wearing the orange of the Tennessee Volunteers.

"The biggest game I've ever played in was the SEC championship game (in 2007)," said Mayo, the Patriots second-year captain. "I'm sure this is a huge game and every game is a huge game from this point on."

As the young leader of the defense can attest, those contests are slightly different from Sunday's wild card game against the Baltimore Ravens.

As for what the experience will be like, he's blunt.

"I don't really know what to expect," Mayo said. "I just know how to play football, that's what I'm going to do."

Mayo is one of 25 teammates who have never played a postseason game. When the linebacker was drafted in 2008, coach Bill Belichick prepared him for this moment, telling him that the playoffs are at a higher level than the preseason and regular season.

"I worked hard all year, and I'm approaching this game the same way," Mayo said. "There's a lot more media hype, but at the end of the day, everybody has to do their job. The sense of urgency is there. We all know what we have to do.""