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The Miami Dolphins signed versatile defensive back Richard Marshall to a three-year, $16 million contract this week. Marshall spent most of his career at cornerback before making the switch to safety last season with the Arizona Cardinals.

It's unknown what role Marshall will play in Miami's secondary. The Dolphins have needs at both safety and nickel corner behind starters Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. According to Marshall, Dolphins coaches told him they will sort everything out in the spring during offseason workouts and minicamps.

"I'm most comfortable with doing either or," Marshall said on a conference call this week. "Last year was my first year really getting back there and playing safety. I got comfortable with it after a while. I'm happy and ready to come in just to contribute any way I can."

Marshall was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2006 to play cornerback. He didn't work his way into the starting lineup full-time until 2009. The Panthers eventually let Marshall go after the 2010 season.

But Marshall had arguably the best year of his career with the Cardinals last season. He played in all 16 games, including nine starts, and recorded three interceptions and tied a career-high with 11 passes defensed. Even while trying a new position at safety, Marshall stayed around the football. That caught the eye of Miami's coaching staff heading into free agency.

"I feel like I'm big enough to play any position," Marshall said. "I'm an aggressive guy. I come up and tackle, so I've never had a problem with that. Safeties, they have a lot to cover as well. With my corner background, I don't have a problem going back there and playing safety if that's something they want me to do."

Miami could have a solid starting secondary with Davis and Smith at cornerback and Marshall and Yeremiah Bell at safety next season. If not, Davis, Smith and Marshall also would make a good trio of cornerbacks against multiple-receiver sets.

The AFC East blog continues this week's series on ranking team needs entering free agency and the NFL draft.

Next up is the Miami Dolphins, who finished 6-10 last season.

No. 1 need: Quarterback

Analysis: This has been talked about for months now. The Dolphins need a franchise quarterback who can get them to the next level. Matt Moore did a solid job for Miami last year and had a 6-6 record as the starter, including six wins in his last nine games. He's 13-12 as a starter for his career. If the Dolphins want to go 8-8 every year, Moore is the guy. But Miami has bigger aspiration of building a championship team. That is why the team is expected to explore options like Peyton Manning and Matt Flynn.

No. 2 need: Right tackle

Analysis: In addition to all the quarterback questions, Miami also will need someone to protect that player's front side. Starting right tackle Marc Colombo struggled last year and will be an unrestricted free agent. He was a favorite of former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano and is not expected to return to Miami. The Dolphins also need to decide what to do with veteran guard Vernon Carey, another unrestricted free agent. But finding a quality replacement at offensive tackle is more difficult than finding a good guard. Fortunately for the Dolphins, this is a good draft class for offensive tackles.

No. 3 need: Safety

Analysis: The Dolphins are mostly set in the secondary. Vontae Davis and Sean Smith are two young corners approaching their primes, and safety Yeremiah Bell recorded his fourth consecutive 100-tackle season in 2011. But there is one missing piece at safety in Miami's secondary. Reshad Jones, 24, showed some promise filling in during the second half of the season, but he's not a game-changer or the long-term solution. The Dolphins could use a playmaker on the back end of the defense.

Agree or disagree? Vote on Miami's biggest offseason need using our SportsNation poll.

DAVIE, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins coach Tony Sparano had no interest in discussing last week's struggles against the New England Patriots.

"On to Houston," Sparano said.

What about Miami's lack of pass rush?

"We're on to Houston," Sparano said.

What's the message for bouncing back after the Patriots loss?

"On to Houston," Sparano said.

How did rookie center Mike Pouncey play in his regular-season debut?

"Houston," said Sparano, hammering the point home.

Sparano's message was clear: Miami cannot afford to look back -- even if the game just happened Monday. Coming off a short week, the Dolphins will try to avoid a 0-2 start at home Sunday against the Houston Texans (1-0). It will mark the second straight week Miami faces a high-powered offense.

Surprisingly, the biggest concern heading into Week 2 is Miami's defense. The unit was No. 6 in the NFL last season. But New England carved up Miami's defense for 622 yards, including 517 yards passing by quarterback Tom Brady.

On a night Miami's offense and quarterback Chad Henne played well, the defense was a liability. It was the opposite of last year's identity.

The Dolphins couldn't stop the pass Monday. They didn't stop the run. They had little pass rush and gave up big plays, including a 99-yard touchdown catch by Wes Welker. Miami also didn't tackle well and struggled defensively in the red zone. The Dolphins allowed New England to score touchdowns on four of six trips inside the 20.

There wasn't much good the Dolphins' defense could take away from Monday's game. It's probably one of those gut-wrenching tapes Miami wants to throw in the garbage and never watch again.

"That was embarrassing. There is no question about it," Dolphins safety Yeremiah Bell said candidly. "But we went through that tape and it's over. Now it's on to Houston and time to prove what kind of defense we really are."

Secondary players such as Bell often talk about having short memories. But it's up to an entire defense to forget what happened against New England. The Texans are coming into Sun Life Stadium with a lot of momentum after scoring 34 points in the first half of last week's 34-7 win against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Texans were the NFL's No. 3 offense in 2010 and No. 4 in passing. They have plenty of firepower with receiver Andre Johnson, quarterback Matt Schaub and Pro Bowl tailback Arian Foster (hamstring), who could make his season debut Sunday.

If Miami's poor defensive performance last week was a one-game fluke, we're about to find out.

"Everyone knows the defense is better than that," Dolphins starting cornerback Sean Smith said. "What we did is in the past. We're definitely looking forward to going out there and showing everybody that we can still get this thing rolling."

Miami's defense was active last season. The Dolphins were ranked in the top 10 in sacks (39) and total yards allowed in 2010. The Patriots gained more than 622 yards Monday and only allowed one sack to Miami linebacker Cameron Wake.

It's only Week 1, but the Dolphins are last in the NFL in total defense by a wide margin. The Patriots are the next closest team, allowing 488 yards to Miami's offense.

"I didn't see the fire from our guys that we usually play with," Bell said. "Whatever reason it was, we didn't have that fire. We need to get back to the basics. We need to get back to competing with guys and get in guys' faces like we did last year."

Someone had to pay the price for last week's debacle. There was one casualty: Dolphins veteran cornerback Benny Sapp. Miami cut Sapp this week after he allowed the 99-yard touchdown catch to Welker in the fourth quarter.

Miami re-signed veteran corner Will Allen and hopes he can help tighten up the pass defense. Allen spent the past five seasons with Miami and knows the defense well. The Dolphins cut Allen before the regular season.

Allen is a longtime starter and can play on the outside as well as the nickel role. It also doesn't hurt that he's coming back with a chip on his shoulder after being released.

"You always got something to prove, and that's what I think each and every player in this locker room feels like each and every day," Allen said. "Maybe not so much as far as practice. But on Sundays, stepping up and having different competitions and [being] challenged in different ways. Everybody has something to prove all the time."

Sunday is show-and-prove time for the Dolphins' defense, particularly the secondary. The common theme in Miami's locker room was, "Last week was last week." But if Miami’s defense lays another egg at home for the second straight game, doubt might start to creep in with this proud, veteran group.

"That wasn't us out there. We know that," Bell said. "It was the first game, and that's over with. So we're on to the Texans. We're going to put on a much better showing than we did Monday night, that's for sure.

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins returned to practice Wednesday following a 38-24 defeat to the New England Patriots on "Monday Night Football."

Here are several notes from the locker room:

• Veteran cornerback Will Allen is happy to be back with Miami. He was released when the team cut down to 53 players before the regular season. Allen said he had no ill feelings about Miami's decision. "This is a business," Allen said. "You just gotta understand that you can't take anything personal. As soon as you start taking stuff personal, you need to sit down and [quit]."
• Allen will be wearing No. 38 this season. It's an odd choice because Allen wore No. 25 his entire career with the Dolphins and New York Giants. Allen said there's no particular reason behind his new number. Miami rookie corner Jimmy Wilson has No. 25 and Allen couldn't switch because players can't change numbers once a regular-season game is played.
• Dolphins starting corner Sean Smith said he's not worried about future cramping. Smith claims he's never had issues with it in Miami before Monday. Smith and fellow corner Vontae Davis cramped up in the second half versus New England and were in and out of the lineup. "I’m in top-notch shape; I was hydrated," Smith said. "I have no clue what the reason for that was."
• Speaking of injuries, Miami is getting healthier at running back. Tailback Daniel Thomas (hamstring) and fullback Charles Clay (hamstring) both had full participation in practice. Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano said starting tailback Reggie Bush played every offensive snap last Monday against New England.
• Dolphins who did not practice Wednesday were defensive end Jason Taylor (ankle), safety Chris Clemons (hamstring), defensive end Tony McDaniel (hand) and receiver Roberto Wallace (quad).

Of the five panelists asked to pick the AFC East, four had the Dolphins finishing third and I picked them to finish second. Here's my intelligence report on Miami:

Five things you need to know about the Dolphins:

1. Henne must improve: Chad Henne needs to play better in 2011 than he did a year ago. He just didn't convert enough big plays to throw as many interceptions as he did (19). Still, I do think he was slightly unfairly criticized and I think he can revive his career, especially since Miami was quite proactive this offseason in getting him a lot of help at surrounding positions. And as Football Outsiders so adeptly notes, Henne was the most "unlucky" quarterback in the league last year as far as interceptions -- no quarterback paid more for his mistakes. This offense also has to get more aggressive with play calling. But any way you cut it, the Dolphins will go only as far as Henne can take them.

2. Defense is elite: I love the Dolphins' defense. Led by a very deep but greatly underappreciated defensive line, I fully expect Miami to have one of the top three or four defenses in the league. Vontae Davis and Cameron Wake are budding superstars with a ton of big-play potential, but young complementary players like Sean Smith and Koa Misi are also quite effective -- and should only be getting better. This defense needs to do a better job of taking the football away, and I don't love its free safety situation, but all in all, there are only a couple of NFL defenses that I rank ahead of the Dolphins'. And Mike Nolan is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league.

3. The Reggie Bush effect: As a former second overall pick in the draft, many consider the often-injured Bush a bust. I am not going to say that Bush was worth such a lofty draft slot, but I will tell you that he can make a major difference in Miami. Bush is as much wide receiver as he is running back, which makes accounting for him extremely difficult when he is on the field. Do you play nickel or base defense when he is the lead back? If you chose the smaller, more athletic defensive personnel, Miami will run the ball with Bush. If you chose the heavier base set, the Dolphins can split Bush away from the formation and get a coverage mismatch against a linebacker. His stats are not extraordinary, but Bush's effect on the game can be. Bush and Brandon Marshall should quickly become Henne's best friends.

4. Offensive line rebuilt: Henne isn't very fleet of foot. He struggles against interior pass-rush pressure, which was a big problem a year ago. In turn, Miami used its mid first-round pick on the best interior offensive lineman in the draft, Mike Pouncey, who is penciled in as the starting center. Former right tackle Vernon Carey has moved to right guard. That move is a bit curious, though, as I have major reservations about now-starting right tackle Marc Colombo. The plan is that the revamped line should help an ailing running game while also providing better interior protection for the immobile Henne.

5. More team speed: Miami clearly made a concerted effort to become a faster team this offseason. On offense, the Dolphins added a burner at wide receiver, Clyde Gates, who should open room for the Dolphins' other skill positions. We touched on Bush's potential effect in this offense, but clearly he is an improvement just in terms of his pure speed compared to the running backs from a year ago. Miami desperately needs more big plays on offense. On defense, the addition that really sticks out is every-down linebacker Kevin Burnett, who is replacing the slower run-stuffing Channing Crowder. Burnett's athletic ability and extreme versatility should serve Miami very well, especially when dealing with the Patriots' wide array of tight ends and running backs who can torture a defense from a matchup standpoint. He should make a very formidable inside linebacker pair with Karlos Dansby in Miami's 3-4 scheme.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills signed veteran linebacker Kirk Morrison on the same day they placed Reggie Torbor on injured reserve due to pain in his shoulder. The Bills also added free-agent wideout Ruvell Martin.

Why didn't the Bills, a team in dire need of offensive line help, make a play to sign former Pro Bowler Bryant McKinnie, who signed with the Ravens this week?

Miami Dolphins

Cornerback Vontae Davis claims he and fellow corner Sean Smith make up the "best tandem in the league."

Tony Sparano isn't buying the idea that the AFC East is a two-horse race between the Jets and Patriots. Sparano: "I think we’re one of the good teams in this division, and I think anybody that doesn’t believe that is probably going to make a big mistake."

New England Patriots

Andre Carter has never seen a coach as hands-on as Bill Belichick. Carter: "I've probably had five or six head coaches and that's a lot of head coaches in 11-year span. But, by far, I see why he's successful, why he's an X's and O's guy. From special teams to position meetings to just detail in general, I've never seen a coach so hands on."

Belichick took his team on a field trip to watch "The Fighter," a movie based on the life of Lowell, Mass., native Micky Ward, who was on hand to speak with the players and tout his message of perseverance.

New York Jets

Derrick Mason has sky-high expectations for the Jets' offense. Mason: "I think with the personnel we have, the coaching we have, we can be one of the top-scoring teams in the NFL."

The Giants and Jets have moved up the start of their preseason game on Saturday from 7 p.m. to 2 p.m. because of the threat of Hurricane Irene.

Safety Jim Leonhard looks back on the busted play during last season's Jets-Giants preseason game in which Giants quarterback Eli Manning lost his helmet and came away with a nasty gash requiring 12 stitches.

Buffalo Bills

Count running back Fred Jackson among those surprised when he learned he wouldn't be starting the Bills' second preseason game last week. "I was shocked," Jackson said. "I feel like a No. 1 back, and I should be treated like one. As far as what's going on, you would have to ask them. I'm going to come out here and compete. I feel like I have been competing. I feel like I have done everything I can. It's been like that for two or three years, and nothing has changed."

After missing last season with an injury, linebacker Danny Batten isn't taking playing football for granted.

Miami Dolphins

Coach Tony Sparano has been impressed with the lack of mental errors from cornerbacks Sean Smith and Vontae Davis.

Anthony Fasano isn't flashy, but the Dolphins know they can always count on the veteran tight end to get the job done.

New England Patriots

Despite what appeared to be a very solid performance in the Patriots' latest preseason game, Logan Mankins says there is still room for the offensive line to make improvements.

Gerry Callahan of the Boston Herald is anything but a fan of Albert Haynesworth.

New York Jets

Former Jets first-round draft pick Vernon Gholston says he never got a fair shot to succeed under Rex Ryan.

Saturday’s Jets-Giants matchup, according to Plaxico Burress, is just "another football game."

Buffalo Bills

Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: "Aaron Maybin's status as arguably the most seismic draft bust in Buffalo Bills history was secured Monday when the team waived the undersized outside linebacker, a move that likely surprised no one."

Chan Gailey was pleased with the way his offense performed in rainy conditions during Monday's practice.

Miami Dolphins

Cornerback Sean Smith's new approach appears to be paying off.

The Dolphins hope Will Allen is able to make his preseason debut Friday night.

New England Patriots

Wes Welker says how he feels right now is the best he's felt in his career.

Are the Patriots looking to part ways with safety Brandon Meriweather?

New York Jets

Rich Cimini weighs in on the Jets' preseason opener.

Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan laughed off the quarterback's "GQ" comments.

The countdown of my top 25 AFC East players continues, one weekday at a time ...

About the choice: Vontae Davis ranked fifth in tackles with 51 and first in passes defensed with a dozen. He had one interception, mostly because quarterbacks chose to throw at Sean Smith and Jason Allen (17 combined passes defensed) on the other side. Davis forced a fumble on special teams. He led the Dolphins with four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, his rookie season.

Key fact: Davis held New England Patriots receiver Randy Moss without a catch, snapping Moss' 51-game reception streak. Two days later, the Patriots traded Moss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Hint about No. 19: ESPN Stats & Information data had him tied for 14th in end-zone targets, but he was third in overall targets within the AFC.

Previous picks:

• 21. Bart Scott, Jets inside linebacker
• 22. Randy Starks, Dolphins defensive lineman
• 23. Dustin Keller, Jets tight end
• 24. Kendall Langford, Dolphins defensive end
• 25. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end

Scouts Inc.’s Matt Williamson looks at AFC East players on the verge of a breakout in 2011.

Koa Misi certainly benefits from having stud pass-rusher Cameron Wake on the opposite side of him in Miami’s 3-4 scheme, but this is an impressive young player in his own right who is poised for a breakout year in 2011. In fact, I think the Miami defense as a whole is on the verge of establishing itself as one of the truly elite units in the NFL.

A great defensive line that should be much healthier this year will have a lot to do with this, but so will the development of this 24-year old linebacker. Misi has a sturdy frame and plays to the whistle snap after snap. His pass-rushing arsenal should improve with experience, but he is already very sturdy securing the edge as a run defender. In this respect, Misi was one of the better run defenders at his position last year.

Along with Misi, this Miami defense has plenty of young players who could qualify as on the verge of stardom. To go along with what I expect to be an outstanding and improving defensive line, Vontae Davis and Sean Smith could be on the cusp of becoming perhaps the premier tandem of corners in the league. In fact, both Davis and Smith are superior players to Misi at this point. But having all this talent surrounding the second-year outside linebacker should put him in a position to flourish.

Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.

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.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A couple days back I posted some AFC East-related tidbits from defensive players at the NFL scouting combine in Lucas Oil Stadium. Let's close the combine book with thoughts from the offensive prospects.

Maryland receiver Torrey Smith on watching the New York Jets on "Hard Knocks:"

"It's tough. It's a grown man's league. You get that feel from watching it. I liked their coach. He has a lot of fun. He definitely gets his team ready. It's an eye-opener."

Pittsburgh receiver Jonathan Baldwin on his mentors:

"People from Aliquippa, Darrelle Revis and Ty Law. After the combine I'll be working with Darrelle, doing one-on-ones and press release and things like that. Darrelle Revis is one of the best corners in the game. So doing what I’m sure will help me get ready for the next level of cornerbacks."

San Diego State receiver Vincent Brown on the toughest cornerback he faced in college:

"My true freshman year, Sean Smith. He shut me down pretty good that game. I'm not going to lie. It was definitely a learning experience, and I definitely grew from that. His size [was difficult]. I'm a smaller receiver. He's a big dude. He's got a big wingspan. It was a little tough to get around him at times when I'm a true freshman and thrown in the fire like that."

Indiana receiver Tandon Doss on learning from former Bills second-rounder James Hardy's inability to make it in the NFL:

"He's a great player and athlete. He's a freak athlete. He had some things along the way that kept him down. Hopefully, he gets back into it. I’m going to learn from the experience and take as much out of it as I can."

Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady:

"Coach [Nick] Saban doesn’t ever say 'Here, let's watch No. 12 from New England,' but you watch him. He's the most fun guy to watch in the league right now. There's a lot of efficient quarterbacks, but as far as his control, his balance, the way he sets up in the pocket, the way he is so mechanically sound, it really is such a joy to watch. He's so fluid. He never gets flustered. Just his subtle movements, all of his subtleties, every little detail is addressed. Coach Saban would never let me watch another quarterback play. He thinks that's soft or something. But, yeah, I obviously have spent time watching Tom Brady. He's a hero of mine and a guy who I would love nothing more than to try to pattern my game off of."

McElroy on whether he'd like to be Brady's backup:

"In a heartbeat. Absolutely."

Texas Christian quarterback Andy Dalton on the Bills' coaching staff at the Senior Bowl:

"It was fun being able to get to play underneath the Bills and their staff. To be in a pro system and to be in a pro offense and to learn with a bunch of guys. It was a great experience and will help me with the transition."

Arkansas tight end D.J. Williams on being compared to Jets tight end Dustin Keller:

"You've got to like it because he's very successful in the NFL. I like watching him play, his style. He's that type of person who can get down field and run amazing routes. He can cause a mismatch against a slower linebacker or a smaller DB. And he has the ability to get on the line of scrimmage and block, too. I enjoy watching him play, and that's not a bad comparison at all. It's a very good one."

North Carolina receiver Greg Little on being teammates with New England Patriots receiver Brandon Tate:

"I was on the team with Brandon for about two years. I was a backup to Brandon, and I really grew as a player seeing him play and just taking notes from him. Just sitting alongside him in the meeting rooms and watching his play was very beneficial to my game as well. I don't talk to Brandon as much today. But it's definitely someone I learned from and grew from as well."

Pittsburgh tackle Jason Pinkston on his relationship with Bills assistant head coach Dave Wannstedt:

"I was pretty upset when Coach Wannstedt first got fired [from Pitt]. I had a different relationship with Coach Wannstedt than some of the other players on the team. I actually graduated from his high school [Baldwin] when he was recruiting me. I've known him for about six or seven years. So it was a different kind of relationship with me and him. He was like a father to me. My mother passed away two years ago from breast cancer, and he was there for me -- him and his family -- a lot. So I had a different kind of love for him. He was more than just a coach to me. He was like a father figure. So I was pretty upset and hurt when they fired him like they did."

Pinkston on Wannstedt's coaching style:

"Aggressive. He's smart and he plays to win. He's a great coach, and he does everything by the book. We always went by three words: trust, accountability, desire. If he couldn’t trust you, you weren't going to play. He definitely had the backs of all his players, and now all his players respect him. We love him. I still love him to death."

ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer provided his insight on a top offensive trend earlier Tuesday.

He also shared thoughts on a defensive movement he speculated could dictate schemes for the next decade.

Not long ago, Tampa 2-style zone defenses were en vogue. Dilfer now sees the NFL widely adopting a "coverage-based" philosophy.

"The trend now in the NFL for the dominant defenses is that it's become about coverage," Dilfer said. "At times it's pass rush. At times it's zones. At times it's blitz. But, ultimately, this has become a coverage league.

"When you can find corners on the outside that can play man-to-man defense -- old-school man-to-man, 'I got you' all over the field -- it creates so much flexibility in your schemes defensively to keep the offenses off balance.

"What are offenses doing? They're spreading you out. They're trying to attack zones. The defenses that lock up and still put pressure on the quarterback are the defenses that are having success."

What does that mean for the AFC East?

If this becomes the preferred method of defense, then the New York Jets are in good shape as long as they have Darrelle Revis at cornerback. Antonio Cromartie is a free agent, but he could be back, helping the Jets maintain a formidable tandem.

The New England Patriots also have a strong coverage foundation. Rookie cornerback Devin McCourty was voted to the Pro Bowl after a season of covering the opposition's best receivers. He had seven interceptions. Reliable veteran Leigh Bodden missed the season with a torn rotator cuff. But he'll be back. Bodden is under contract through 2013.

The Miami Dolphins are confident in Vontae Davis, but coverage on the opposite side of the field has been erratic. Sean Smith possesses tremendous athleticism, but the Dolphins haven't been comfortable with him as a starter. They removed Smith as a starter when the season began and eventually cut the player who replaced him, Jason Allen.

The Buffalo Bills' cornerbacks are an interesting group. Drayton Florence has been their best pass defender and showed a knack for the big play in 2010, but he's a free agent. Terrence McGee is a formidable player when healthy, but he missed seven games. Leodis McKelvin, the 11th overall draft choice three years ago, is an athletic specimen but gets burnt way too often.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Boos filled the Meadowlands, where the New York Jets fell to the Miami Dolphins in one of the sloppiest games of the year.

What it means: For the third time in seven home games, the Jets failed to score a touchdown. The Jets have lost two in a row for the first time this year, while the Dolphins once again avoided back-to-back losses and are back above .500 for the sixth time.

MVP: How bad was the game? The most important player might have been Dolphins punter Brandon Fields. When the Dolphins weren't fumbling, Fields made sure the Jets had long drives ahead. He punted 10 times, averaging an eye-popping 56.4 yards. He had a long of 69 yards.

Pop-gun QB duel: It's amazing either quarterback could win with these stat lines. Mark Sanchez completed 17 of 44 passes for 216 yards and no touchdowns with one interception and at least three dropped interceptions. Chad Henne completed five of his 18 throws for 55 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions but two lost fumbles. The Dolphins had 30 net yards passing.

What a waste: The Jets' defense made three plays that could have shifted momentum, but the offense turned them into a grand total of three points. Calvin Pace had a second-quarter strip sack in Dolphins territory that led to a Jets field goal, but not before a wide-open Santonio Holmes let a surefire touchdown pass drop through his hands in the end zone. Jason Taylor recovered a fumble at the 50 that brought no points. Brodney Pool pounced on a botched Henne play that rolled 35 yards back to the Jets' 42-yard line, but the turnover brought no points.

League review: Dolphins cornerback Nolan Carroll went down late in the third quarter. He stumbled on the Jets' sideline while covering a punt, and CBS Sports replays appeared to show a Jets staffer sticking his knee out to trip Carroll intentionally. Carroll did return to the game, but it looked filthy to me.

Injury report: Jets right tackle Damien Woody, who has been battling a knee injury for a few weeks, left the game in the first half and did not return. No update was immediately available.

What's next: The Jets will visit the Pittsburgh Steelers and then the Chicago Bears after that. The Dolphins will welcome the Buffalo Bills to Sun Life Stadium next week.

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

FALLING

Steve Johnson, Bills receiver: A player can't fall much harder than Johnson did Sunday. He was riding a wave of national media attention for his breakout season and three-touchdown performance in Week 11. Against the Steelers, he dropped five passes, including a perfectly thrown 40-yarder in the end zone in overtime.

Brandon Tate, Patriots receiver: He's not getting on the field as much as he used to and dropped his best opportunity to make a play Thursday against the Lions. Tate, since scoring his first receiving touchdown against the Vikings in Week 8 to outperform Randy Moss, has three catches for 62 yards, and no receptions in his past two games.

Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, Dolphins cornerbacks: Head coach Tony Sparano will not say what team rules they violated, but both were removed from the starting lineup Sunday in Oakland. They came off the sideline to play well, however.

Mark Sanchez, Jets quarterback: Maybe he doesn't belong on the list, but I did bang the drum last week for him to receive MVP consideration. He had a ho-hum game for the first time in a long while. He did not throw for 300 yards or multiple touchdowns or conduct a winning drive in overtime. His 166 yards were his lowest output since Week 4.

RISING

Chad Henne, Dolphins quarterback: According to a South Florida Sun-Sentinel report, Henne's season was all but over when he injured his left knee in Week 10. Turns out, he missed one game, and returned Sunday for one of his best pro performances. He completed 57 percent of his throws for 307 yards and two touchdowns with one interception to beat the Raiders.

Brad Smith, Jets Swiss army knife: Smith took an end around 53 yards for a touchdown then returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, sprinting the final 40 yards or so without his left shoe on. He also had one reception for 23 yards.

Kyle Williams, Bills nose tackle: His Pro Bowl-caliber season continued with two sacks against the Steelers. Williams, who's more penetrator than run-stopper, created havoc along the Steelers' offensive line and drew multiple penalties.

Devin McCourty, Patriots cornerback: The rookie picked off two Lions passes in the second half, giving him five for the season. His third-quarter interception prevented the Lions from taking a two-score lead. His fourth-quarter interception kept the Lions from getting back into the game.