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The AFC East blog continues its ranking of the top 40 players in the division.

Here are Nos. 25-28:

No. 28: Jerod Mayo, LB

Team: Patriots

Stats: 95 tackles, two interceptions, one sack

Analysis: Mayo is exactly the type of player the Patriots covet. He's smart, solid, not flashy and rarely makes mistakes. Some expected Mayo to be a perennial Pro Bowler when he was drafted by New England in the first round. But that's not the kind of player Mayo is. His strength is more in his consistency. Mayo is very coachable, will get everyone lined up and does his job. New England coach Bill Belichick called Mayo his version of Tom Brady on the defense.

No. 27: Eric Wood, C

Team: Buffalo Bills

Stats: Nine starts

Analysis: Wood, 25, has Pro Bowl potential. He's crafty and equally good at run blocking and pass protection. Wood also is the key to Buffalo's offensive line. Things fell apart at times when Wood suffered a season-ending knee injury. Wood already has multiple leg injuries, which may be a concern down the road for Buffalo. He played in just nine games in 2011.

No. 26: Matt Moore, QB

Team: Miami Dolphins

Stats: 2,497 yards, 16 touchdowns, nine interceptions

Analysis: Who knew at the beginning of the season that Moore was the second-best quarterback in the AFC East? We settle that debate with the "Sanchez-Fitz-Moore Watch." Moore out-dueled New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick by winning the final two quarters of the season. Moore is mobile and throws a surprisingly good deep ball. He's just not the kind of starting quarterback to lead a franchise to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins are making that obvious by showing interest in every good quarterback soon to hit the free-agent market.

No. 25: Marcell Dareus, DT

Team: Bills

Stats: 43 tackles, 5.5 sacks

Analysis: Dareus had a solid rookie year. He showed at times that he can dominate a game, and that's what Buffalo hopes to see from Dareus more in future seasons. The Bills played Dareus at defensive end and nose tackle last year. Buffalo's switch to a 4-3 defense in 2012 should help prevent double teams. I fully expect Dareus to be higher on this list next year. He's just scratching the surface of what he's capable of.

INDIANAPOLIS — Jerod Mayo is part drill sergeant, part linebacker. And that combination has equaled one of New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s most reliable players.

"He sets the pace," Belichick said of Mayo this week. "He will be the first one there and the last one to leave. He will know the most about all of our calls and the adjustments on defense, as Tom [Brady] does on offense. The game runs through him."

Mayo, mentally and physically, has been the steady force of New England's defense. He recorded 95 tackles, two interceptions and a sack for the Patriots this season in 14 games. Mayo also added 17 tackles in two playoff games.

But most importantly, Mayo has provided much-needed leadership and brought order to New England's defense.

Growing up in a military household has helped Mayo on the football field. His grandfather was a chief master sergeant in the Air Force and taught Mayo a lot about work ethic and discipline at an early age.

"My grandfather used to wake us up at 6 o'clock in the morning while all my friends were sleeping and we used to go paint some houses," Mayo recalled. "He always wanted to keep us out of trouble. He bought me a weight set when I was in fifth grade."

Mayo's upbringing has made him into one of the hardest-working players on the team. In just four seasons, the former first-round pick has taken over New England's leadership role on defense.

This will be Mayo's first Super Bowl. He was drafted in the first round in 2008, one season after New England was upset by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. Mayo had the benefit of learning under veterans Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison and Richard Seymour for a short time before they retired (Bruschi, Harrison) or were traded (Seymour). Now, the defense is primarily led by Mayo and veteran defensive tackle Vince Wilfork.

Mayo is doing something right. The Patriots gave him a five-year, $48.5 million extension ($25 million guaranteed) during the season while Mayo still had one year left on his rookie contract. It says a lot when Belichick wants you in his defense for the long term.

Belichick could not say enough good things about Mayo this week.

"He's got a great unselfishness about him," Belichick said. "It's never about him. It's about what’s best for the team. I think that’s really what makes him so well-respected in our locker room and our football team is how committed he is to our team."

There have been plenty of criticisms about Mayo and the Patriots' defense this season — and most of it was deserved. The group was ranked 31st in the NFL, and it is the one unit no one is talking about during Super Bowl week.

But players like Wilfork, Mayo and fellow linebackers Rob Ninkovich and Brandon Spikes have all taken their games to another notch in the postseason. The Patriots have allowed just 15 points per game against the Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens.

It appears New England's defense has finally figured things out, albeit very late in the season. But the group deserves a lot of credit for staying together and never pointing fingers in rough times.

Can Mayo and the Patriots stop Eli Manning and the various weapons the Giants have on offense? Most people don't think New England's defense can give the Giants' offense many problems.

But the Patriots' defense is used to being underestimated all season. Sunday will be one final opportunity for Mayo and New England to prove the critics wrong against New York's high-powered offense in Super Bowl XLVI.

"You can’t really listen to all the outsiders," Mayo explained of the defense's mindset. "You can’t listen to the media, you can’t listen to your family and you can’t listen to your friends. You just have to listen to these coaches. They know what they’re doing. They’ve won championships and hopefully we can get another one."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The AFC champion New England Patriots made one thing clear in their first two days at Super Bowl XLVI: They have little interest in rehashing past meetings against the New York Giants.

New England suffered recent losses to the Giants in big games -- both this past regular season and in Super Bowl XLII. Giants quarterback Eli Manning provided a pair of dramatic, fourth-quarter drives to seal it for New York.

Naturally, there will be a ton of questions for the Patriots this week whether the Giants have momentum, or have their number. The Patriots just won’t entertain them.

"This team doesn't talk, not about the past," Patriots veteran receiver Deion Branch said.

New England head coach Bill Belichick is leading the charge in not reflecting on previous games against New York.

"This team is this team," Belichick said. "I think our team is different than what it was at midseason, different than what it was in December. I think the Giants are a different team from when we played them in November."

Regardless, New York comes in very confident after being one of three teams to beat the Patriots this year. The Giants also had the tougher road through the playoffs, beating the Atlanta Falcons, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers.

Both teams have improved as the season has gone on, leading to Sunday's big matchup with everything on the line.

"You could take a little bit as far as the personnel, but as far as our game plan is concerned, you really can't take too much," Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo said. "They've had an extra week to prepare, so have we, and I'm sure we’ll have a lot of different looks for them."

One of the greatest Super Bowls in history is coming out for an encore, as the New York Giants and the New England Patriots hook up Feb. 5 in Indianapolis in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII just four years ago. There are 15 Giants and seven Patriots left from that game, which the Giants won to spoil New England's perfect season. But this year's matchup has plenty of its own storylines without dredging up the old ones. AFC East blogger James Walker and NFC East blogger Dan Graziano will both be on hand in Indy, but in the meantime, they've joined forces to break down Super Bowl XLVI way in advance.

Graziano: Well, James, just as everyone predicted, the Super Bowl features the team that finished 27th in total defense in the regular season against the team that finished 31st. Having watched the Giants' past 10 games, I've seen their defense transform from one of the league's most vulnerable into a tight, cohesive, disciplined bunch that bears almost no resemblance to what they were running out there in the middle of the season. When I've watched the Patriots' defense, it's looked to me like one of the worst I've ever seen. What have they been able to do lately in terms of adjustments to limit their opponents and get this far?

Walker: Hey, Mr. Pineapple ... I mean ... Dan. I don’t know whether you’re more shocked the Giants are going to Indy, based on your earlier “I’m a pineapple” statement, or that the Patriots will join them. You were pretty adamant about the Baltimore Ravens exposing New England’s defense last week -- and I can’t blame you. I have been one of the Patriots' harshest critics. But it’s time to give this group some credit. New England has allowed just 30 points the past two games, and the biggest reason is the front seven. Defensive lineman Vince Wilfork and linebackers Brandon Spikes, Jerod Mayo and Rob Ninkovich have simultaneously taken their games to another level. That is what you want this time of year. They are dominating the line of scrimmage and getting pressure on the quarterback. New England has eight sacks in the playoffs. I don’t know where this version of the Patriots’ defense has been all season, but in talking with players the past two weeks, I don’t think they care. The defense is happy to finally make plays to help the Patriots win.

Graziano: So it looks as though both teams have overhauled or tightened up some things since the Giants went up there in Week 9 and beat the Pats in Foxborough. I'm curious to see what role that result will play in this game and the preparation for it. Justin Tuck told me Tuesday that he expects Tom Brady to do completely different stuff this time around, because he's got such great ability to adjust to what the defense is trying to do to him. And unlike the Giants' past two games, which avenged regular-season losses to Green Bay and San Francisco, this is a rematch of a regular-season game the Giants won. I can't help but think the success they had against Brady in Week 9 -- not to mention in the Super Bowl four years ago -- has to help the Giants' mental state as they prepare. If you can strip away some of that unbeatable veneer from Brady, that's a big psychological assist.

Walker: I agree, Dan. I don’t see either team lacking confidence. The Giants have it from beating New England in Super Bowl XLII and the regular season. The Patriots have it from reeling off 10 straight victories. The Patriots feel they are a much better team than what the Giants faced in Week 9. I think New England took a lot from those back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh and New York in the regular season. The Patriots knew they were good, but it was questionable whether they were mentally and physically tough. That has been the case since those two losses. The Patriots have overcome a couple of big deficits in the regular season, then lambasted Denver and showed grit against Baltimore in the playoffs. But enough about defense, Dan. We can’t do a Double Coverage without talking in depth about the quarterbacks. How do you size up Brady, who is elite, versus Eli Manning, whom many feel just catapulted into elite status with his second Super Bowl run?

Graziano: You can make the argument that Brady is the best quarterback in the history of the sport. And because of that, any other quarterback is going to have a tough time in this comparison. But I'll say these things about Eli: He's gotten better every year. Last season, the knock on him was interceptions, and he got those down. He's been smart with his decision-making and responsible with the ball. He was winning games by himself this season when the Giants couldn't stop anyone on defense and couldn't run the ball at all. His teammates trust and believe in him totally. His demeanor never changes, regardless of the intensity of the situation, and that's why he's able to excel in spots that cause other players to shrink. Every single one of those things can be said about Brady, and the fact that you can also say them about Eli at this point in his career gives the Giants a huge assist in a matchup such as this. Because to beat Brady, you need to have a quarterback on your side who's at least capable of outplaying Brady on any given day. Eli has shown he has that capability, and that's another reason the Giants have been able to close the psychological gap the Patriots have held over so many other teams in recent years.

Walker: Manning and the Giants certainly present a challenge that Tim Tebow and Joe Flacco did not. But if I’m choosing which of these two quarterbacks I want leading my team in the Super Bowl, I’m taking Brady every time. He just tied Joe Montana for the most playoff wins in NFL history with 16. Brady can surpass Montana for postseason wins, and tie Montana and Terry Bradshaw’s four Super Bowls victories by beating the Giants. Some might point to Brady's struggles against Baltimore’s elite defense in the AFC title game. But I think that makes the ultra-competitive Brady even more focused and more dangerous in the Super Bowl. When was the last time Brady played two duds in a row? New England had some issues passing for a ton of yards against Pro Bowl safety Ed Reed and Baltimore’s big, athletic corners. But New York’s secondary doesn’t have nearly the same talent. I expect Brady to bounce back and do some damage passing against the Giants’ defense, especially in a dome and on the fast track at Lucas Oil Stadium. I think the biggest issue is the Patriots’ ability to pass protect against New York’s monster front four.

Graziano: The Giants will come after Brady. They believe that's the best way to rattle him, because they believe that's the best way to rattle any quarterback. And the Giants know their defense really works only if it gets pressure on the quarterback with the front four. Their coverage in the secondary has improved in recent weeks, but as Vernon Davis proved, it can get exposed when the pressure is insufficient. I'm fascinated to see how they handle the Patriots' tight ends after they were able to neutralize Jermichael Finley two weeks ago and got burned by Davis last week. Do they have to worry about Rob Gronkowski, or is the ankle injury going to give them a break?

Walker: Gronkowski won’t be 100 percent, but who is this time of year? There are two reasons I’m sure he will play. First, he returned to the AFC title game in the fourth quarter. Second, he said he won’t miss the Super Bowl. Of course, there could be setbacks, but Gronkowski seemed confident it won't keep him off the field. Whether we see Gronkowski at 70 percent or 90 percent is up to how well his rehabilitation goes. But he has to be accounted for as long as he’s on the field. This could mean more chances for fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez. He is slightly more athletic and stretches the field more than Gronkowski, which might work better against the Giants’ defense. Should we make our predictions now, Dan, or wait until next week? What say you?

Graziano: As I tell my followers every time they ask, I make my predictions on Fridays. So I’m going to wait until Friday, Feb. 3, to make my pick for this game. That gives me another week-plus to mull over whether the Giants have an answer for the Gronk, and I look forward to talking it over with you in Indy, James. See you there in a few days.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. New York Jets' playoff chances: It was just one week ago that the talented but inconsistent Jets controlled their own playoff fate. It was a simple formula: Win the final two games and they're in. But the Jets laid their second egg in a row, to the cross-town rival New York Giants. Now, the Jets need to beat the Dolphins and get a ton of help. Three teams need to lose next week or the Jets will be watching the playoffs from home. This team had Super Bowl expectations entering the season. The Jets have no one to blame but themselves if they don't get into the postseason.

2. Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer: The Jets have the NFL's 27th-ranked offense. Although there's plenty of blame to go around, the offensive coordinator will probably get the brunt of it. Schottenheimer has underachieved with talented weapons such as tight end Dustin Keller, receivers Santonio Holmes and Plaxico Burress and running backs Shonn Greene, Joe McKnight and LaDainian Tomlinson. There are already rumblings in New York that Schottenheimer's job may be in jeopardy. I think, at the very least, Jets head coach Rex Ryan and the front office will take a hard look at ways to improve the offense and its coaching staff in the offseason.

3. Miami Dolphins' draft stock: The Dolphins are 5-10 and currently own the No. 8 overall pick in April’s NFL draft. Sounds good, right? Well, not so much. Miami is searching for a top quarterback and may be on the outside looking in this offseason. Three very good quarterback prospects were expected to be available: Stanford's Andrew Luck, Baylor's Robert Griffin III and USC's Matt Barkley. Luck will be gone with the first pick, Griffin is projected to go before No. 8 and Barkley opted to return for his senior season. The Dolphins could roll the dice with Oklahoma's Landry Jones, but he's considered a drop-off from the other three college quarterbacks. It's looking more and more like Miami could stay with Matt Moore in 2012 or see whether there are any intriguing veterans available in free agency.

RISING

1. Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots linebacker: New England needs someone to step up defensively down the stretch. Mayo is the most likely candidate to do it. He is coming off his best game of the season in a key win over Miami. Mayo recorded 13 tackles and a season-high two sacks. Mayo is one of the few consistent players on New England's inconsistent defense. Keep an eye on Mayo in the playoffs.

2. Leodis McKelvin, Buffalo Bills cornerback: Buffalo fans expected more from McKelvin when the team drafted him in the first round in 2008. The Bills were counting on McKelvin to develop into a shutdown corner. That hasn't been the case. But one area where McKelvin has been as good as advertised is his ability to return kicks, which came in handy during Buffalo's win over the Denver Broncos. McKelvin set a team record with 136 punt return yards, including an 80-yard touchdown in the second quarter that was Buffalo's final lead change.

3. Wes Welker, Patriots receiver: What more can you say about Welker? He continues to produce and had another big game against Miami. Welker recorded 12 receptions for 138 yards. Teams are focusing on Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski more, which should open up opportunities for Welker. Welker was targeted 19 times last week by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Welker has 116 receptions for 1,518 yards in what will surely be another Pro Bowl season.

Here are seven notes and observations after Week 16 in the AFC East:

• New York Jets coach Rex Ryan will not be on the hot seat. I already hear grumblings coming from Jets Nation, but it's not going to happen. Ryan is too good a coach. He led the Jets to back-to-back AFC title games in his first two years. Ryan is not the issue in New York. His problem is his brash trash talking makes him an easy target. I can go down a list of many things that went wrong with the Jets this season before I get to Ryan. But his boastful ways place the biggest spotlight on him when things go bad.
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Kirby Lee/Image of Sport/US PresswireMark Sanchez still must prove he's the long-term answer at quarterback for the Jets.
• If quarterback Mark Sanchez doesn't improve his accuracy next offseason, he's going to have a hard time proving he's the long-term solution in New York. Most great quarterbacks complete about 60-65 percent of their passes. Sanchez has been hovering around the mid-50s his entire career and hasn't shown much improvement in three seasons. Sanchez misses too many open receivers, particularly deep, which either leads to interceptions or leaves big plays on the field. Sanchez has some strengths, but accuracy is a major weakness that is hard for teams to overcome. He threw a career-high 59 times Saturday against the New York Giants and only completed 30 passes for a 50.8 completion percentage.
• The New England Patriots got the best of both worlds against the Miami Dolphins. New England received a scare by falling behind 17-0 at halftime but rallied to win, maintaining the inside track on home-field advantage. This game was enough to serve as a wake-up call for the Patriots. Despite seven straight wins, they cannot go on cruise control. It was a good learning tool that coach Bill Belichick can build on late in the season.
• Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo had his best all-around game of the season against Miami. He led New England with 13 tackles, two sacks and two additional hits on the quarterback. I like the idea of giving Mayo more opportunities to get to the quarterback. Mayo is at his best when he's attacking, as oppose to reacting. Saturday's game marked Mayo's first two sacks of the season. Mayo only has 5.5 for his career.
• Jake Long tearing his biceps was the worst possible news for the Dolphins' left tackle. Long is going into a contract year in 2012. Any chance he had of Miami giving him an extension this offseason might have ended with this season-ending injury in December. Long will miss the Dolphins' final game and has a lengthy rehabilitation process ahead. Miami would be wise to let Long play out the final year of his contract and see how he bounces back from this major injury. Eventually, Long will be looking to become one of the NFL's highest-paid offensive linemen.
• With the Detroit Lions clinching a playoff spot last weekend, the Buffalo Bills are alone with the longest non-playoff streak in the NFL. It will be a dozen years and counting for the Bills since they last made the postseason. This season, Buffalo got off to a fast start but fizzled down the stretch. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the teams with the second- and third-longest streaks are the Houston Texans (nine seasons) and San Francisco 49ers (eight seasons). Both will make the playoffs this season, leaving a huge gap between Buffalo and the next team -- the Cleveland Browns (eight seasons).
• Parity is alive and well in the NFL. The league is doing exactly what it's supposed to, considering the amount of average teams. An astounding 14 clubs are in position to finish 8-8 or 7-9 this season. Other than the Green Bay Packers (14-1), there are no true dominant teams. Fans love that nearly every team has a shot. There is a fine line for most teams being in or out of the playoffs.

The AFC East has been "Tebowed" twice already this season.

In Week 7, the Miami Dolphins led 15-0 in the fourth quarter before Tim Tebow led the Denver Broncos to 18 straight points in an overtime victory. It was Tebow's first start of the 2011 season.

In Week 11, the New York Jets allowed Tebow to drive Denver 95 yards in the final minutes for the game-winning score. It was capped by Tebow's 20-yard touchdown run with 58 seconds remaining.

Are the New England Patriots Tebow's next victim?

The Patriots (10-3), winners of five straight, will travel to Sports Authority Field at Mile High to face Tebow and the equally hot Broncos (8-5). Teams have been unable to solve Tebow and Denver's read-option offense for four quarters. The Broncos have won six in a row. They are 7-1 with Tebow under center and in first place in the AFC West.

This will be an intriguing challenge for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. He's developed a reputation as a defensive mastermind and is known to come up with schemes to confuse quarterbacks. But that hasn't been the case for Belichick this season. New England has the NFL's worst-rated defense, allowing 416 yards per game.

Rex Ryan and New York's defense couldn't stop Tebow. Neither could Miami and veteran defensive coordinator Mike Nolan.

Will Belichick find the right formula to stop the Tebow train?

"They're at the top of their game," Belichick said of Tebow and Denver's offense this week. "Hopefully, it's our target to get to the top of ours by Sunday."

The good news for New England is its run defense is solid. The Patriots are ranked 13th against the run. Players like defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and linebacker Jerod Mayo should allow New England to match Denver's physically up front.

The Broncos lead the NFL in rushing with an average of 156.2 yards per game. Tebow is at his best when he's a dual threat with his legs and arm. He's thrown for 1,290 yards and rushed for an additional 517 yards.

"Tim is a strong runner, good athlete, he can hurt you out of the pocket," Belichick said. "We've faced other quarterbacks like that. The big thing is just the whole offense. They run the ball, they have different types of running plays, running attack and then they have a lot of good receivers and they throw the ball down the field. There are a lot of challenges there."

Denver likes to run the ball the first three quarters to eat up clock and limit possessions. That keeps games close for Tebow to pull it out in the end.

With New England's defense struggling, expect the "Tom Brady factor" to play a huge role in this game. This game will be as much about Brady versus Tebow as it is Tebow versus New England's defense.

Often, Brady is New England's best defender. The MVP candidate has been stellar. The Patriots are second in the league in total offense (424.4 yards) and third in scoring (30.5 points). Last week was a perfect example as Brady continued to put up points to barely stay ahead of the Washington Redskins. New England won that game, 34-27.

A shootout between Brady and Tebow definitely favors New England. Therefore, Brady scoring early and often against Denver's defense is key to pressuring Tebow to match that production. Five of Tebow's seven wins have come by scoring fewer than 20 points.

"I think that's the difference," said Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. "That's something that the Broncos haven't faced yet -- the firepower that they're going to have to deal with Sunday. Denver's defense is quite good, but not against Brady and those guys.

"I think Denver's defense is in for a long day. Brady is going to put up 28-35 points against just about anybody, including Denver. In the end, I think that gets Tebow out of his game. Even though he's getting better as a passer, that‘s not the game they want to play with him."

New England's biggest fear is keeping the game close in the final minutes. That is when Tebow is unleashed and becomes a completely different player. Many in Denver call the fourth quarter "Tebow Time."

According to ESPN's Stats & Information, Tebow has the NFL's highest Total Quarterback Rating (96.3) in the fourth quarter. This season Tebow has performed better than everyone down the stretch, including Brady (83.0) and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (91.7).

"They've had a lot of production," Belichick said of Denver's offense late in games. "I wouldn't say it's dramatically different. It's not like they run out a new whole thing. They’ve done it in different ways — they’ve done it throwing the ball, running the ball, driving it, making big plays. We’ll have to obviously study it a little bit more carefully but from what I’ve seen, they’ve made plays when they had to make them, critical plays."

The challenge for Belichick and New England is to get a big enough lead in the first three quarters, especially on the road. That way, the Patriots can avoid being the latest team to get "Tebowed."

New England Patriots (9-3)

Opponent: Washington Redskins (4-8)

X factor: LB Jerod Mayo

Analysis: Although most points came in the fourth quarter, the Patriots had no business giving up 24 to quarterback Dan Orlovsky and the winless Indianapolis Colts. New England's defense needs to finish and will have a bit stiffer test against Washington. The Redskins will try to run the football. That has been a staple under coach Mike Shanahan. Mayo is one of the defensive leaders and needs to set the tone in the middle for New England. He had seven tackles and an interception last week against Indianapolis.

New York Jets (7-5)

Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs (5-7)

X factor: QB Mark Sanchez

Analysis: It is rare that I list a quarterback for an X factor. But Sanchez has been hard to figure out lately and is really important in this game. The Jets are in a must-win mode and Sanchez has struggled early in back-to-back games. The good news is he's come through in the fourth quarter. But the Jets can't rely on late heroics every week. Sanchez and the Jets' offense need to start fast against a team they should beat in Kansas City. If the offense can't move the ball or score early, things could get tense for New York.

Buffalo Bills (5-7)

Opponent: San Diego Chargers (5-7)

X factor: WR Steve Johnson

Analysis: The Bills aren't stopping anyone lately on defense. That trend is likely to continue Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, who scored 38 points last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Bills' best chance is to win this game in a shootout. For that to happen, Johnson, Buffalo's No. 1 receiver, needs to have a big game. Johnson hasn't had a 100-yard receiving game all season. Now would be a good time for the talented Johnson if Buffalo wants to end its five-game losing streak.

Miami Dolphins (4-8)

Opponent: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-8)

X factor: RB Daniel Thomas

Analysis: The Eagles have issues stopping the run, and that happens to be one of Miami's strengths. Miami had 209 rushing yards against the Oakland Raiders. Dolphins starter Reggie Bush will get his opportunities, but so will Thomas. The rookie second-round pick is coming off a solid, 73-yard performance against Oakland. Thomas is more of the inside runner for the Dolphins.

The New England Patriots are 5-2. But their defense has been the talk of Boston because of its inconsistency.

In our latest "Caption this," we have Patriots coach and defensive guru Bill Belichick talking to three key defensive players: Safety Patrick Chung and linebackers Jerod Mayo and Brandon Spikes. This was during last week's 25-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose offense controlled the game.

So what is Belichick talking about with his defense?

Have fun and keep it clean.

» NFC Stock Watch: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

FALLING

1. Miami Dolphins' poise: The Dolphins (0-6) are setting records for being inept. They are the first team to blow a 15-point lead in the final three minutes since the NFL-AFL merger, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Once Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow got hot, Miami completely unraveled on offense, defense and special teams. The Dolphins' defense allowed two late touchdown drives to Tebow, the special teams failed to recover an onside kick, and Miami quarterback Matt Moore's sack and fumble led to Denver's game-winning field goal. It was a teamwide collapse.

2. Tony Sparano, Miami head coach: The Dolphins' coach is one of the AFC East leaders in the "falling" category this season. He dropped his ninth straight game as head coach. The Dolphins also are an astounding 1-12 in Sparano's last 13 home games. It's just a matter of time before Miami makes a coaching change. It could happen next week or at the end of the season. But Miami can't continue down this path beyond the 2011 season.

3. New York Jets in the first half: This may sound like nitpicking -- New York eventually came back to beat the Chargers -- but the Jets have started slow for the past month. New York trailed at halftime in three of its past four games. The Jets led at halftime only against the winless Dolphins, 14-6, in that span. New York overcame a 21-10 deficit last week against the Chargers. The Jets are 4-3 and cannot continue to rely on second-half rallies if they want to make the playoffs.

RISING

1. Shonn Greene, Jets tailback: The AFC East blog has been critical of Greene's lack of production all season. So it's fair to give Greene credit when he has a great game. Green rushed for a season-high 112 yards on 20 carries. He ran strong between the tackles against the Chargers and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. The Jets can win a lot of games if Greene runs this way more consistently. This is the first 100-yard game for Greene in 2011.

2. Plaxico Burress, Jets receiver: Burress had the most impressive four-catch, 25-yard performance a receiver can have. Burress was unstoppable in the red zone against San Diego. He scored all three of New York's touchdowns to lead the Jets to a 27-21 win. The Jets invested $3 million into Burress for games like this. He's a big body who can make quarterback Mark Sanchez's job a lot easier when the offense is clicking.

3. Rest for Patriots and Bills: The Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots should benefit from the bye week. Both teams had injuries and gave key players two weeks to heal. For the Patriots, Pro Bowl linebacker Jerod Mayo is improving and has a chance to return against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Buffalo is expected to get back starting linebacker Chris Kelsay. Linebacker Shawne Merriman (Achilles) also said last week he expects to play against Washington, but nothing has been made official by the Bills.

Here are the most interesting stories Tuesday in the AFC East:

• After taking criticism about his team from former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath, head coach Rex Ryan offered a sly jab at Namath.

Morning take: Both guys like to talk. So maybe both should come to an agreement not to poke at each other in the media. Ryan has a football team to coach and Namath can move on to other things.

• It is backup linebacker Gary Guyton's time with the New England Patriots in place of the injured Jerod Mayo (knee).

Morning take: Mayo will be missed. But New England's defense still has a lot of room to grow. It couldn't do much worse than the first few weeks.

• Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross backs Tony Sparano, saying "Tony is the right coach."

Morning take: You have to wonder how much of this is financial. Ross just gave Sparano a contract extension in the offseason. Firing him after four games would not be a good return on that investment.

• Buffalo Bills rookie left tackle Chris Hairston will make his first career start in place of the injured Demetrius Bell.

Morning take: Buffalo's offensive line played well above expectations during the first month of the season. But this unit lacks depth, and that will be tested Sunday against Philadelphia.

Here are the latest happenings Monday evening in the AFC East:

• Former New York Jets quarterback Joe Namath didn't rip coach Rex Ryan this week. But he did have a lot to say about Jets receiver Santonio Holmes, offensive line coach Bill Callahan and the personnel department.
• The Jets also lost linebacker Bryan Thomas (Achilles) for the season.
• Should Buffalo Bills fans be surprised about their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals?
• New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo will miss several weeks with a MCL sprain in his knee.
• Here is more on the "Suck for Andrew Luck" campaign, which is growing in popularity in Miami.

Here are the most interesting stories Friday in the AFC East:

• New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie called out Baltimore Ravens rookie receiver Torrey Smith, saying he had "one big game."

Morning take: Cromartie isn’t impressed with the rookie, who had a slow start until last week. You knew trash-talking would pick up at some point between these two teams.

• The Miami Dolphins have to do a better job of protecting quarterback Chad Henne.

Morning take: All things considered, I think Henne has improved from previous years. He's off to a decent start despite poor protection and several big drops by receivers.

• New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo says it's time for the defense to step up.

Morning take: That's not a secret. The question is can the unit step up? It's a long season and there's plenty to fix on that side of the ball for New England.

• Buffalo Bills No. 1 receiver Steve Johnson (groin) returned to practice on Thursday.

Morning take: Johnson said this week that his groin injury feels better than last week. Buffalo was cautious by letting Johnson miss Wednesday’s practice to help with recovery.

New England Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich, safety Josh Barrett and linebacker Jerod Mayo discuss fixing defensive miscues and bouncing back next week versus the Oakland Raiders.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick hits from the Patriots locker room during today's media-access period:

1. Before speaking with a group of reporters, Albert Haynesworth shared thoughts on playing under Bill Belichick. Haynesworth said the part that stands out to him more than anything is that Belichick is involved in meetings and has a knowledge of every position. That's different than anything he's experienced.

2. The nameplate over veteran defensive lineman Gerard Warren's locker has been taken down, but there are still personal items inside. That could be a sign that Warren's time in New England is not yet over.

3. Players speaking with large groups of reporters included linebacker Jerod Mayo, Haynesworth, receiver Matthew Slater and cornerback Devin McCourty.

4. Haynesworth was wearing a blue hat with the word "Pat's" on it, which is from his friends' towing business. Haynesworth said it's a coincidence that the colors are Pats' red, white and blue and that owner Robert Kraft was curious about it, so Haynesworth gave him one, too.

5. Mayo on the Dolphins' offense: "They have a great stable of running backs, starting with [Reggie] Bush. The quarterback [Chad Henne] looks more comfortable making throws and [Brandon] Marshall is still making plays down the field. It's a big test for us. [Bush] can take a 3-yard checkdown to the house, so you have to stay on him. He adds a whole another dynamic to the offense."