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Former Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan has agreed to the same post with the Atlanta Falcons.

Here are some quick thoughts on the departure:

• I think this is a big loss for the Dolphins. Nolan may have been the best coach on Miami's staff this past season. Miami's defense was very tough against the run and came on strong late in the year. Nolan's success was one of the biggest reasons the Dolphins were competitive in the second half of the season.
• Nolan's replacement is hard to predict, mostly because the Dolphins haven't found their head coach. If the next Dolphins coach retains people on staff, Todd Bowles would be a great candidate. Bowles did a solid job with Miami by going 2-1 on an interim basis. But the new coach could gut the entire staff and start from scratch.
• Overall, the Dolphins are definitely losing in their once-promising coaching search. Not only did they lose out on the best possible candidate -- Jeff Fisher -- but now the Dolphins loss arguably the best coach on their old staff. It also doesn’t help that the Indianapolis Colts, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, just joined the competition. Miami's goal was the hit a home run in this search. It appears that won't be the case.

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

• New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick says great things about Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, including that "his passing is good."

Morning take: That's par for the course with New England. It's not the Patriot way to talk down opponents. But rest assured, Belichick has studied all of Tebow's weaknesses, including his passing, and plans to exploit them.

• New York Jets assistant coaches Brian Schottenheimer and Mike Pettine both say they are happy where they are.

Morning take: Both are being mentioned for other gigs at the college and pro level. This is the time of year when the rumor mill heats up. Both coaches need to stay focused on their jobs.

• Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Mike Nolan says he's not in a hurry to be a head coach again.

Morning take: It won't happen in Miami. Owner Stephen Ross will look outside to make a splash. But Nolan has done a solid job, and I think he should remain defensive coordinator.

• Can the Buffalo Bills dial up the pressure?

Morning take: I haven't seen it all year, so I don't expect it in the final three weeks of the season. Pass rush is a major weakness Buffalo must address in the offseason.

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."

Let's take a look at the San Diego Chargers', 26-16, victory over the Miami Dolphins.

What it means: Sunday's loss was another big blow for the future of Miami coach Tony Sparano. He could be the NFL's first coaching casualty of 2011. The Dolphins are 0-4 this season and overall has lost seven straight under Sparano. The bye week is a dangerous time for embattled coaches. The two-week break gives Dolphins' ownership plenty of time to rethink the direction of the franchise. Time will tell if Miami gives Sparano the quick hook now or provides more time. Miami defensive coordinator Mike Nolan is on staff and has head-coaching experience. Nolan probably would get the interim tag if the Dolphins chose to make a coaching change now.

Injured quarterback: As if things couldn't get worse, Miami starting quarterback Chad Henne suffered a shoulder injury in the first half and didn't return. Henne was having a decent season compared to previous years. He was replaced by backup Matt Moore, who threw for 167 yards and an interception. The Dolphins have two weeks to determine if Henne can return for their next game. If not, Miami has to decide whether to move forward with Moore, or try calling another veteran quarterback (David Garrard?).

What I liked: The Dolphins were somewhat competitive for three and a half quarters. This was another game Miami was not expected to win. Miami has been solid on the road dating to last year. The difference is Miami isn't winning those close road games this season.

What I didn't like: Miami didn't get much from its running game and the defense gave up several big plays. The 55-yard touchdown play to Chargers receiver Vincent Jackson was a perfect example. It was a blown assignment and no Miami defender was in the vicinity of Jackson. There has been poorly-executed plays like this all season for the Dolphins. It's one of several reasons Sparano is on the hot seat.

What's next: The Dolphins have a bye in Week 5. They return Oct. 17 to play a road game against the New York Jets on "Monday Night Football."

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: The Dolphins might be the most prepared team in the NFL based on offseason workouts. Because so many players make South Florida their year-round homes, getting them together wasn't difficult. The Dolphins gathered early and frequently during the lockout.

Biggest challenge: Miami must overcome multiple institutional issues that have placed key people on the hot seat. Head coach Tony Sparano is back for a fourth season after owner Stephen Ross publicly flirted with Jim Harbaugh, and the team's hopes appear to be pinned on unproven quarterback Chad Henne, likely an unproven-but-still-unnamed running back and new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, who was less than inspiring with Cleveland.

Defense in focus: While the offense is in doubt, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan's group is in solid shape. The whole crew essentially is back, a young group that now has another year of experience. The Dolphins ranked sixth in total defense, seventh in run defense and eighth in pass defense. If you're looking for an area that must improve, then turnovers would be the place. Ball hawking is a core Nolan belief, but the Dolphins notched only 11 interceptions and recovered eight fumbles last season.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams are the most prominent. Backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen also is on the list.

Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano felt it was important to add former NFL players to his coaching staff.

I posted a story Wednesday that looked into the importance of assistants with playing experience. To follow up, I wanted to share Sparano's thoughts on his three new position instructors: assistant wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard, tight ends coach Dan Campbell and pass-rush coach Bryan Cox.

Cox is the most familiar player to fans who follow the AFC East. He was a lightning-rod linebacker who played for the Dolphins, New York Jets and New England Patriots in a 12-year career. He recorded 51.5 sacks, 22 forced fumbles and a nice double-bird salute to Buffalo Bills fans.

Cox never played for Sparano, but former Dolphins vice president of football operations Bill Parcells -- the man who hired Sparano -- coached Cox for two seasons with the Jets. Cox's entire coaching career has been working as Eric Mangini's defensive line assistant for the Jets and Cleveland Browns.

"Since I came into the league with Bill Parcells, Bryan is a guy I've always talked to Bill about in different ways," Sparano said at the NFL owners meeting in New Orleans last week. "Bryan's a unique guy. His passion for the game is tremendous, and that's something that really intrigues me. Putting him in the role I have him in now gives me great luxury."

Former Dolphins defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni often would pull pass-rushers out of defensive drills to work with them individually. But current coordinator Mike Nolan doesn't like to leave the group much for one-on-one work -- although outside linebacker Cameron Wake didn't appear to suffer from a lack of instruction last season.

Cox "gives me the ability to split the pass-rushers up and get them away from the inside drills and exclusively work on pass-rush with a guy that's going to be able to help them," Sparano said.

Sparano was a Dallas Cowboys tight ends coach when Campbell was there. Sparano promoted him from intern to tight ends coach, replacing George DeLeone.

Sparano said Campbell, a 10-year veteran with three clubs, is "a guy I think an awful lot of" and called him "one of the toughest players I ever coached" and "fundamentally really good."

Hilliard was a receivers coach for the UFL's Florida Tuskers the past two seasons. He played a dozen NFL seasons for the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He caught 546 passes and scored 35 touchdowns. He'll help first-time NFL position coach Steve Bush.

"Ike Hilliard comes highly recommended to me from a lot of people that I respect in this business, guys that he played for," Sparano said. "Steve Bush is very good from a mental standpoint, scheme, how he attacks people. But Ike Hilliard would be a guy from a fundamental standpoint that would help those guys, particularly with the man-to-man stuff and how he played the position.

"It's unique to have a guy that has played the inside position as well as Ike has played it in our league, to be able to bring some of those details to the table for a guy like [Davone] Bess or [Brian] Hartline or even Marlon Moore. These guys can learn a lot from him."

Monday on the AFC East blog, dropped interceptions were a hot topic.

Today, I want to broach a totally different subject: dropped interceptions.

We already know New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez threw the most passes defenders dropped.

But which defender dropped the most? He's from the AFC East, too.

Football Outsiders research shows Miami Dolphins right cornerback Sean Smith tied for the league lead with five dropped interceptions last year even though he didn't re-assume his starting role until Week 9.

Smith's proxy, Jason Allen, also dropped two, giving the Dolphins seven at that position alone.

The NFL average for an entire defense was 6.3 dropped interceptions last season. The Dolphins had 19 of them. The Green Bay Packers were next with 14.

Dolphins free safety Chris Clemons dropped three interceptions, tying him for sixth in the league. Cornerback Benny Sapp dropped two. Defensive ends Phillip Merling and Kendall Langford, outside linebacker Koa Misi, inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, cornerback Nolan Carroll and safeties Reshad Jones and Tyrone Culver had one apiece.

The Dolphins actually snagged 11 interceptions. Only three teams recorded fewer.

Think defensive coordinator Mike Nolan tore out his hair much?

The other three AFC East teams combined didn't have nearly as many dropped interceptions as the Dolphins did.

In fact, the rest of the AFC East had just as many as Smith, Allen, Clemons and Sapp alone.

The Jets and Buffalo Bills each had five dropped interceptions. Strong safety Donte Whitner was the only defender on either team with two. Bills cornerback Drayton Florence didn't have any drops one season after leading the league with five.

The New England Patriots were incredibly fortuitous when it came to interceptions. They had 25 picks, but dropped only two: inside linebacker Jerod Mayo and cornerback Darius Butler.

For the second straight season, the Miami Dolphins have a coordinator opening.

Last year, the Dolphins fired defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni and seemed to already have his replacement in mind, hiring Mike Nolan a week later.

The process might not be so snappy in finding somebody to take offensive coordinator Dan Henning's vacated post.

Miami probably has known for a long time Henning wouldn't be back, thereby compiling a list of possibilities head coach Tony Sparano can spring on.

One name that stands out because of all his links to Sparano is Chris Palmer, the former Cleveland Browns head coach and New York Giants quarterbacks coach.

There are several dots to connect:

• Palmer was University of New Haven head coach with Sparano on staff as his offensive coordinator in 1986 and '87.
• Palmer went to Boston University as head coach in 1988 and took Sparano with him.
• Palmer was Cleveland's head coach when he gave Sparano his NFL break, hiring him as an offensive quality control assistant in 1999 and promoting him to offensive line coach in 2000.
• Palmer was Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach when Sparano was assistant head coach, O-line assistant and run game coordinator under Bill Parcells.
• Palmer is head coach and general manager for the UFL's Hartford Colonials. His assistant defensive line coach is Tony Sparano Jr.

I'm not saying Palmer is the frontrunner, but that's a lot of linkage to ignore.

Palmer was Giants quarterbacks coach when they knocked off the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. Palmer retired after last season, but was lured back to be a head coach and general manager in the short-season UFL. He is said to be willing to come back to the NFL as a coordinator.

Eli Manning's passer rating improved every season under Palmer. Without him this season, Manning threw 31 touchdowns, but also 25 interceptions. Both were career-highs.

The Senior Bowl has announced the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals will serve as coaches for the Jan. 29 all-star game in Mobile, Ala.

Coaching in the Senior Bowl is a strange honor. The NFL asks teams with the worst records to serve. The Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos had worse seasons, but they don't have head coaches. The Bills and Bengals were next up.

Bills coach Chan Gailey and his staff will oversee the South. This will give them hands-on interaction with some of the top players in the upcoming draft, but I've always viewed the opportunity as overrated.

All workouts are public and attended by all 32 teams. Whatever the Bills' coaching staff sees, so will the rest of the league.

Some teams decline the offer to coach in the Senior Bowl because they'd rather just evaluate than have the additional obligations that come along with coaching. The St. Louis Rams owned the No. 1 pick last year and passed on the chance to.

Mike Nolan coached the South three years in a row when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. That obviously didn't provide much benefit for him.

The Miami Dolphins couldn't coach in the Senior Bowl the year after they were 1-15 because they were had fired Cam Cameron's staff and were in the process of building a new one. The Dolphins did coach last year's Senior Bowl after some teams passed and others in the pecking order were involved in coaching searches.

» NFC Wrap-ups: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Arrow indicates direction team is trending.

Final Power Ranking: 22
Preseason Power Ranking: 11

Biggest surprise: The Dolphins seemed to have all the parts in place for a vibrant and diverse offensive attack. They traded for prolific receiver Brandon Marshall. They've fielded a quality offensive line since they drafted left tackle Jake Long. They had a capable backfield tandem Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. The team harbored high expectations for second-year starting quarterback Chad Henne. And they stunk. Miami ranked 30th in points, 21st in total offense, 21st in rushing offense and 16th in passing offense. Henne was benched at one point. The Wildcat became a farce because defenses figured it out. The interior O-line, tinkered with for three years, fell apart.

Biggest disappointment: The Dolphins started the season with a pair of road games and won them both. At 2-0 and with all eight home games to go, they bolted to a gargantuan head start in the playoff race. Since the NFL went to its current playoff format 20 years ago, only nine teams had done that. Six went to the playoffs. Four won their division. The Dolphins went 6-2 on the road. Had they split their home games, they would have gone 10-6. If the New York Jets were one of those home victories, then the Dolphins might have gotten into the playoffs. Alas, the Dolphins posted a shameful 1-7 home record, losing in Sun Life Stadium to the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.

Biggest need: The Dolphins crave offensive help. The defense did just fine under new coordinator Mike Nolan, ranking sixth in total defense, seventh in run defense and eighth in pass defense. The Dolphins probably will be looking for a new offensive coordinator with Dan Henning reportedly about to retire. They'll also be in the market for a running back. Brown and Williams are free agents. Williams recently made comments that strongly indicated he will be gone. Interior O-line reinforcements are a necessity. But there's still a major problem at quarterback. The Dolphins know what a reliable quarterback could mean. Chad Pennington parachuted into training camp in 2008 and guided them from a 1-15 season to the AFC East title. If the Dolphins can stomach bringing in another quarterback -- they've had 15 starters since Dan Marino retired -- then a steady free agent probably is the best way to pull the offense together.

Team MVP: Cameron Wake, outside linebacker. The Canadian Football League import broke out in his second NFL season. He recorded 14 sacks to rank third in the league.

Pivotal moment: Sept. 7 was a symbolic date for the Dolphins. Just five days before opening day, the Dolphins made a bizarrely timed announcement that Bill Parcells was stepping down as football operations vice president to become a mere "consultant." The Dolphins gave off the vibe of an adrift franchise from that moment on -- and played like it. Parcells packed up his office shortly thereafter, leaving general manager Jeff Ireland and head coach Tony Sparano to fend for themselves. Parcells hired them while working for previous owner Wayne Huizenga. But with Parcells on a golf course or at the race track, jobs seemed increasingly tenuous under current owner Stephen Ross, and the uninspiring product on the field didn't measure up either.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 16:

Notable Miami Dolphins could experience their final games at Sun Life Stadium. Teams never remain exactly the same from year to year, but the Dolphins might experience more turnover than most organizations before next season. Thanks to a 1-6 home record entering Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, head coach Tony Sparano's job carries no guarantees. Offensive coordinator Dan Henning likely will be gone. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan should be considered for head coaching vacancies. Running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams also will leave the field not knowing if they'll be back.

Mark Sanchez's shoulder injury is disconcerting. Reports out of New York indicate Sanchez will play Sunday against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field, but the mere idea his status is in question reminds us who the Jets' backup quarterback is. Mark Brunell is 40 years old. Since 2006, he has started one game and attempted 31 passes. The Jets are on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth. Although Sanchez is rated 28th among all NFL passers, he makes improvisational plays with his legs a rusty quadragenarian cannot. The Jets' chances would diminish substantially if Brunell were forced to take over.

The New England Patriots are in a "hat and T-shirt game." ESPN analyst and former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi emphasized the importance of donning division championship regalia, which the Patriots can do with a victory or tie against the Buffalo Bills in Ralph Wilson Stadium (or if the Jets don't win in Chicago).

"Those hats and T-shirts mean something. It means you've accomplished something," he said in the latest "Bruschi's Breakdown" at ESPNBoston.com. "There have been plenty of teams that have been wild-card teams and gone to the AFC or NFC Championships and have nothing to show for it -- no division title or anything. When you win your division, it says something, right there on the hat and T-shirt: 'Division Champs.' I was always proud to put those T-shirts on, and you want a set of three -- division, conference and you all know what the last one is. It starts with that first one, though."

Buffalo's defense deserves some credit. The Bills' defense has been ranked at or near the bottom of the league all season. But it has quietly put together some impressive performances. The Bills have allowed more than 16 points in regulation time just once since Thanksgiving and have given up only 20 points over their past two games. Encompassing the entire season, Buffalo still has the NFL's worst run defense. But take away Cleveland Browns bulldozer Peyton Hillis' first five carries on the opening drive in Week 14, and the Bills have held Hillis, Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to 118 yards on 31 carries.

AFC East players are approaching some milestones. With two games left, it's appropriate to take a look at some season stats. Bills receiver Steve Johnson needs two touchdown receptions to set the team record. Bills running back Fred Jackson needs 189 yards to hit 1,000 in back-to-back seasons. Ryan Fitzpatrick is seven touchdown passes away from 30, which would trigger a promise from Buffalo News columnist Jerry Sullivan to run down Hertel Avenue in his underwear. Dolphins receivers Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess need three catches to break the team record for two receivers set by Mark Duper and Mark Clayton in 1984. Cameron Wake needs 4.5 sacks to tie the Dolphins record of 18.5 held by Bill Stanfill and Jason Taylor. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady must average 219.5 passing yards to hit 4,000 for the fourth time. Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis is 176 yards from hitting quadruple digits. Wes Welker needs 17 receptions to get 100 a fourth straight season. Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson is 114 yards from reaching 1,000 for the first time in three seasons.

Might the Miami Dolphins be looking for their third defensive coordinator in three seasons?

Something to keep an eye on is Mike Nolan's possible candidacy to be the next Denver Broncos head coach.

Nolan left the Broncos after last season because he didn't get along with head coach Josh McDaniels. Nolan looks even better these days -- and probably is even more admired by Broncos' upper management -- for parting with McDaniels, who committed a series of gaffes and got fired less than two years into the gig.

AFC West blogger Bill Williamson sketched out a case for Nolan to return to Denver.

Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has valued the coaches who worked under Dan Reeves in Denver, which Nolan did as a linebackers coach. Denver's next two coaches after Reeves were Reeves coordinators Wade Phillips and Mike Shanahan. McDaniels was Denver's first head coach without ties to Reeves.

Williamson wrote:

While [Nolan] and Josh McDaniels parted ways after one season because they decided they couldn’t work well together, Nolan got along with other key factions of the team. Most importantly, the Broncos' defense was successful under Nolan. It has crashed badly ever since Nolan left to become Miami's defensive coordinator.

Nolan likely would command immediate respect in the Broncos' locker room because the players know him and played well under him. Nolan also has been a head coach, running the San Francisco 49ers for three years. He went 18-37 there, but head coaches often make a greater impact in their second chance.

The Dolphins' defense has performed well under Nolan -- although their 6-6 record doesn't reflect it. The Dolphins have a top-10 defense in many important categories: fourth in total defense, ninth in run defense, fifth in pass defense, ninth in sacks per pass play, fourth in first downs and 10th in third-down efficiency.

The Dolphins, who fired Paul Pasqualoni last year and hired Nolan, would have a tough time finding an adequate replacement.

Power Rankings: Preseason: No. 13. This week: No. 17.

2010 schedule/results

Where they stand: The Dolphins are 4-4 and in third place in the AFC East, two games behind the New York Jets and New England Patriots. But the Dolphins' gap really is greater than that because they're in serious tiebreaker trouble. They've lost to the Jets and Patriots and two other AFC teams apparently bound for the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. Unless the Jets and Patriots collapse, the Dolphins might already be down to competing with a half-dozen teams for the final wild-card spot.

Falling: The Dolphins were supposed to have a magnificent and multifaceted offense after trading for receiver Brandon Marshall. That gave Chad Henne one of the NFL's elite go-to targets in addition to Davone Bess in the slot and one of the most respected backfield tandems around. The offense has been frail both on the ground and through the air. Offensive coordinator Dan Henning has overseen only 11 touchdowns. Only the Carolina Panthers have fewer. Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams have combined for three rushing touchdowns. Marshall has one touchdown.

On defense, the Dolphins have been decent. They rank 13th in total defense and 16th in scoring defense. But they haven't been ball hawks under new defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. The Buffalo Bills are the only team with fewer interceptions. No team has recovered fewer fumbles. As a result, the Dolphins are a minus-7 in turnover margin.

Rising: Outside linebackers Cameron Wake and Koa Misi have chased down quarterbacks well. That was a concern in the offseason after cutting ties with Joey Porter and losing Jason Taylor to free agency. Wake is in his second NFL season, while Misi is a rookie. They have combined for 12 sacks, four shy of Porter's and Taylor's total last year. Also on defense, left cornerback Vontae Davis remains prone to the occasional lapse, but he has emerged as one of the league's top young pass defenders.

Bess is one of the NFL's most underrated players, but the Dolphins certainly value him. They signed Bess to a lucrative three-year extension. He leads all Dolphins players with three touchdowns. He's on pace to have 88 receptions for 902 yards.

Midseason MVP: Based on statistical production, Marshall would be the choice. He's on pace for 104 receptions and 1,236 yards. But he has only one touchdown, and I have a hard time selecting any offensive player as Dolphins MVP. That's why my pick is Wake, who ranks second in the NFL with 8.5 sacks.

Outlook: The Dolphins will have trouble making the playoffs, but it's certainly possible to accomplish. You can reason they are one debatable officiating decision from being 5-3 with a victory over the Steelers. Nevertheless, the Dolphins will need to go 6-2 in their remaining games to be confident in their postseason hopes and 5-3 at the very least. They'll need to get hot, and the key to that will be a clicking offense.

The NFL Nation blog assembled a roundup of teams in despair after seven weeks. The idea was to examine teams that have failed to meet expectations or were especially struggling.

The Miami Dolphins were considered for the list, but ultimately were left off -- albeit barely. The line of thinking in omitting them was they are undefeated on the road and one bad break away from being 4-2.

But considering they're in third place in AFC East with the New York Jets and New England Patriots pulling away, I decided to take a look at the state of the Dolphins, using the same format as our "despair" package.

What's gone wrong: Dolphins owner Stephen Ross declared over the summer that his team would be in the Super Bowl. A major reason the Dolphins don't look the part is they haven't been able to get their offense moving despite a substantial commitment over the offseason. They gave young quarterback Chad Henne that coveted, big-play target by trading two second-round draft choices for Brandon Marshall. The Dolphins then made Marshall the league's highest-paid receiver. But the investment hasn't paid off. The Dolphins have scored fewer points than the Buffalo Bills. Only the Carolina Panthers have scored fewer than the Dolphins' six touchdowns in the red zone. Defensively, the Dolphins have had problems stopping the pass. Right cornerback has been a weakness. But the defense has been decent overall. Special teams were so abysmal, they already fired coordinator John Bonamego.

How to fix them: Dolphins offensive coordinator Dan Henning needs to find a way to open things up. They have too much skill to be so dull. In addition to Marshall, they have running backs Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and slot standout Davone Bess. Jake Long is one of the best left tackles in the game. Defensive coordinator Mike Nolan must figure out how to generate turnovers. Ball-hawking is a Nolan trademark, but the Dolphins have just three fumble recoveries and four interceptions.

Panic rating: Moderate. The Dolphins have a lot of positives going for them, but they went into the season with high expectations, and the chances to achieve their goals will dwindle rapidly as long as they chase the Jets and Patriots.

Coach on hot seat? Tony Sparano appears safe, even though the man who hired him, Bill Parcells, has drifted from the organization. General manager Jeff Ireland still is in place, and he has worked with Sparano since their days in Dallas. Sparano banked some serious respect when he came aboard and led the Dolphins to the AFC East title a year after going 1-15. The fans love him because he's a straight shooter.

Turnovers have been a significant reason for the New York Jets' and New England Patriots' success this year.

Their defenses are snatching them. Their offenses are limiting them.

The Jets lead the NFL with a plus-10 turnover differential. The Patriots are tied for fifth at plus-6.

Jets cornerback Dwight Lowery iced their past two games by pouncing on turnovers. He returned a Brett Favre interception for a touchdown to foil a possible Minnesota Vikings comeback in Week 5 and recovered a bad Denver Broncos snap to snuff a potential game-winning drive in Week 6.

The Jets have recovered nine fumbles, tied for the league lead.

The offense, meanwhile, has just four giveaways, also tied for the best. Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez didn't throw an interception through the first five games. They've lost two fumbles.

The Patriots haven't been master thieves in general, but they have been solid on defense. They collected four turnovers in Sunday's 23-20 victory over the San Diego Chargers. The Patriots came up with three of their four fumble recoveries of the season and added their eighth interception.

The Miami Dolphins are a minus-2. That must be disappointing for defensive coordinator Mike Nolan, who takes pride in a ball-hawking mentality.

Only two clubs have recorded fewer than the Dolphins' three fumble recoveries or fewer than their four interceptions.

The Buffalo Bills ranked second with 28 interceptions last season. They have just one so far this year and five fumble recoveries. But their offense has been a bit stingy. Their 10 turnovers are tied for 11th.