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FOXBORO - It's not as if the Patriots haven't had to deal with misfortune before. One quick glance back at the 7:27 mark of the first quarter in last year's season opener is all the reminder that anyone needs.

But once again, with the memory of Tom Brady's year-long absence fresh in their minds, the Patriots have lost a major contributor to their success in the first game of the year (and again, the first quarter), and now they're going to have to apply Plan B in a hurry.

"It happens, it's part of the game, and we've just got to keep working," said defensive end Jarvis Green of his unit's sudden need to begin life without Jerod Mayo for at least the next month, maybe twice as long.

With 4:44 left in the first quarter of Monday's 25-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills, the Patriots' second-year middle linebacker crumpled to the ground during a 16-yard gain by Fred Jackson. Trainers quickly began attending to his right knee, and published reports (as yet unconfirmed by the Patriots) suggest that Mayo has a sprained medial collateral ligament.

So far, no one is suggesting that Mayo's injury will be a season-ender as Brady's was. Published reports have suggested an absence of 6-8 weeks. But that period of time could have an even more profound effect upon the team - starting with Sunday's game at Giants Stadium between the Patriots and New York Jets (1 p.m.; Ch, 4, 12) - because there had already been massive turnover on the defensive unit. It won't be easy to replace what Mayo offers, and it comes at a bad time, with the Patriots facing at least four teams with legitimate playoff aspirations leading to their bye week after the trip to England to play Tampa Bay.

"It seems like adversity is always hitting us and we've got guys going out and missing games," Green said, "but the next guy's got to step up."

The "next guy" would be second-year veteran Gary Guyton, who was not present in the locker room on Wednesday. Neither was Mayo, who did not practice.

"He's fine," Green said. "Jerod has always been a guy of high spirits and he showed that coming off the field. He's going to be OK.

"Whenever a situation like this happens, we know that the coach is going to put the best guys on the field," Green said. "I can't stand here and give you the answers right now, but we'll see when Sunday comes."

Patriots' coach Bill Belichick took his usual tack of guarding any specifics of Mayo's situation and reaffirming his faith in others to step in and perform as expected.

"We have confidence in all our players," he said. "That's why they're on the team. Whoever's called on, whatever we ask them to do, we think they'll be able to do it or they wouldn't be here.

"I'm sure everybody's going to work hard and be prepared to be ready to go and do the best they can Sunday," he added, "and whoever gets called on to do whatever it is, I hope they'll be prepared. I hope they'll perform well. A lot of times you never know exactly what those roles are going to be."

Belichick, however, couldn't minimize the evolution of Mayo as a player and the many contributions he was being expected to make.

"Jerod's a good player," he said. "He does a lot of things for us. He's right in the middle of the defense. He's right in the middle of every play, run or pass. He calls the signals. If it's a running play, he's right in the middle of running play. If it's a pass play, he's right in the middle of pass defense. "I don't know how you can be any more involved than that," he said.

At a time like this, it would be natural to think that the loss of a defensive standout might put more pressure on the offensive unit to score points and try to hold off the opposition by outscoring them. Brady, however, said on Wednesday that he can't afford to worry about the defense's problems, especially as he and his teammates on offense have their own issues to iron out.

"I don't play defense," Brady said. "I don't have to worry about the defense. There're plenty of guys to worry about the defense. I'm the quarterback and I'll worry about the offense, and my role, and my leadership, and throwing the ball more accurately, and making better decisions, and not turning the ball over, and trying to get us into the end zone."

MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/farinella.