The Patriots second-year linebacker missed three games after suffering a knee injury in the season opener, and even after making a game-high 12 tackles against the Dolphins on Sunday, he wasnt yet ready to proclaim himself 100 percent healthy. The kid has nonetheless made a huge impact, however: Quietly, Bill Belichick transitioned from his staple 3-4 scheme to a hybrid one with a 4-3 emphasis over the offseason never mind that he hasnt bothered to announce this publicly because he realized that Mayo, a pure middle linebacker, is already New Englands second-most important player. As Ray Lewis(notes) and Brian Urlacher(notes) complete the latter stages of their brilliant careers, Mayo and the Niners Patrick Willis(notes) are the heirs to their legacies as the games most feared monsters in the middle. If Mayo can stay healthy for the rest of 09, hell have a chance to complement Brady the way Freeney does Manning, and make the Pats a championship contender.