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It's early in the offseason. But from the looks of it, the Miami Dolphins want to run an up-tempo offense under first-year head coach Joe Philbin.

The former offensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers is known for putting pressure on defenses. Green Bay was as good as anyone in dictating tempo. Last year the Packers were third in total offense (405.1 yards per game) and first in scoring (35 points per game).

But can Philbin's philosophy work in Miami?

The key to Philbin's first year will be quickly learning and knowing his personnel. New coaches often make the mistake of assuming their system and concepts are one size fits all.

Miami quarterbacks Matt Moore or David Garrard certainly isn't Aaron Rodgers. Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline is not Greg Jennings, and tight end Anthony Fasano is not comparable to Packers tight end Jermichael Finley.

The Dolphins have uncertainty at quarterback and the worst group of receivers in the division. Going up-tempo has its risks. Miami could face plenty of three-and-outs, which would put a lot of pressure on its defense.

Philbin and offensive coordinator Mike Sherman need to be careful about this while installing their new West Coast offense. Green Bay's strengths under Philbin were the quarterback and passing game. It's much easier to go up-tempo when you have a Pro Bowl and Super Bowl-winning quarterback throwing to stud receivers and tight ends.

Miami doesn't have that on its roster this year. The Dolphins' strength is their running game behind their offensive line and 1,000-yard rusher Reggie Bush. It would be wise for Miami's coaching staff to keep that in mind.

The AFC East made some interesting additions in the third round of the NFL draft.

Here is a recap:

• The Bills finally drafted a wide receiver by taking T.J. Graham of North Carolina State. Buffalo passed up better prospects in the second round, but you can't fault the Bills for finding a potential starting offensive tackle (Cordy Glenn). Graham was the 20th-ranked prospect at receiver by Scouts Inc. His not a big receiver (5-foot-11) but does possess top-end speed. Buffalo needs a speedster opposite top target Steve Johnson.
• The Dolphins made an interesting choice in Miami (Fla.) defensive end Olivier Vernon. He is the first player from the hometown Hurricanes the Dolphins have taken since Vernon Carey in 2004. Vernon had an inconsistent career at Miami. The Dolphins also traded back and drafted Missouri tight end Michael Egnew with their second pick in the third round. Agnew can provide depth behind starter Anthony Fasano.
• The New York Jets also drafted Arkansas State linebacker Demario Davis at No. 77 to help their pass rush.
• The New England Patriots continue to boost their pass rush with third-round pick Jake Bequette of Arkansas. He recorded 21.5 career sacks at Arkansas and is a versatile player. The Patriots traded down with the Green Bay Packers for this third-round pick.

Two of Peyton Manning's most reliable weapons are now on the free-agent market. Former Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne and tight end Dallas Clark -- both multi-time Pro Bowlers -- will wear new uniforms next season due to Indianapolis' big roster makeover.

Should the Miami Dolphins consider signing one or both players? This would be one sure way to appease Manning, who is considering Miami as one of several destinations.

Miami could use an upgrade at receiver opposite Brandon Marshall. Wayne is a good friend of Manning and lives in Miami, where he went to college. Wayne seems like a good fit. The Dolphins don't have a huge need at tight end. But Clark, 32, could make a decent tandem with Anthony Fasano. Clark does have an injury history the past two seasons that Miami needs to be careful of.

The Dolphins are expected to meet with Manning over the weekend, and Manning has all of the leverage. But this is a very fine line for Miami to walk with free agency approaching.

On one hand, the Dolphins need to be careful not to let a player who may or may not sign with the team dictate how they operate with free agents. On the other hand, this is Peyton Manning -- one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. If going after Wayne and/or Clark is what separates Miami from the other potential Manning suitors, it's probably general manager Jeff Ireland's best interest to swallow his pride (and offseason game plan) and go for it.

Miami's front office has spent months analyzing the draft and free agency, and there is a good chance spending money and cap room on two 30-something pass-catchers wasn't in the plans. But chasing a player the caliber of Manning is a high-stakes game where just about anything goes.

Here are some thoughts on the Miami Dolphins' 30-23 victory over the Buffalo Bills :

What it means: Miami (5-9) continues its strong second-half push and improves to 5-2 in the past seven games. It also marked the first victory under interim coach Todd Bowles, who kept the Dolphins focused and motivated this week after the firing of Tony Sparano. For Buffalo (5-9), it was the team's seventh straight loss. The Bills have major questions to answer on both sides of the ball.

What I liked: Miami tailback Reggie Bush continues to make a push for his first 1,000-yard season. He recorded a season-high 203 rushing yards, including a 76-yard touchdown to seal the game. He now needs 77 yards in the final two games for the milestone. Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore returned from last week’s head and neck injury and played very efficiently. He threw for 217 yards and two touchdowns -- one to receiver Brandon Marshall and the other to tight end Anthony Fasano.

What I didn’t like: Defensively, the Bills don't do anything well. They can't stop the run or rush the passer and need to spend a lot of resources in the draft and free agency to improve on that side of the football. Offensively, it also looks like the Bills may have jumped the gun on signing quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick to a $59 million extension. Fitzpatrick lost his seventh straight game as a starting quarterback and was inaccurate in the first three quarters. He threw for 316 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Fitzpatrick padded his stats late in the fourth quarter after Miami took a sizable lead. Fitzpatrick will be the starter for the foreseeable future, and it's looking dicey if he can lift the Bills to contender status.

What's next: The Dolphins will travel for the second consecutive week to play the New England Patriots. New England won the first meeting between these two teams, 38-24, in Week 1. The Bills have another tough game upcoming next week. Buffalo will host Tim Tebow and the surging Denver Broncos, who were 7-1 in their past eight games entering Sunday.

As you get ready for this afternoon's game against the Dolphins in Miami, here's one reason for Philadelphia Eagles fans to be feeling good and one reason for concern:

Feeling good: Well, you get your quarterback back. After three games of Vince Young, Interception Machine (yeah, he even threw three in the game he won), Michael Vick returns from his broken ribs to see if he can't salvage something -- if only self-respect -- out of the final four games of the Eagles' season. There was some thought that wide receiver Jeremy Maclin would be back, too, but he was downgraded from probable to questionable on Saturday and now looks like a game-time decision with that hamstring injury. Regardless, the return of Vick will help the offense run better, might help get DeSean Jackson re-engaged and is the Eagles' best chance to win their last four games and give them even an outside chance at the playoffs.

Cause for concern: These are not September and October's Dolphins. Miami has won four of five since it's 0-7 start and has outscored opponents 139-54 over that stretch. The defense is playing inspired and getting to the quarterback. The offense is clicking as quarterback Matt Moore is getting the ball to Brandon Marshall and tight end Anthony Fasano and Reggie Bush is leading the run game. This may have looked like a pushover second-half game a few weeks back, but (a) so did Seattle and (b) these Dolphins are playing some of the best all-around football of any team in the league right now. The Eagles will have to play their absolute best -- something we've seen them do for a full game maybe twice all season.

The Dallas Cowboys will host the Miami Dolphins in their annual Thanksgiving Day game on Thursday afternoon. Each team comes in having won three games in a row. The Cowboys edged the division-rival Redskins in overtime on Sunday to claim a share of first place in the NFC East. And the Dolphins have really turned it on after their 0-7 start, outscoring their last three opponents by a combined score of 86-20. Here's a look at some of the things to watch for as the Cowboys try to make it four in a row against one of the hottest teams in the league:

Air it out: The Dolphins' defense is allowing 251.1 passing yards per game this year, which is the eighth-highest average in the league. Now, during their current three-game winning streak, they're only allowing 206 passing yards per game. Their defense is playing better, especially up front. But they can still be exploited in the secondary, and none of the teams they've beaten -- Kansas City, Washington or Buffalo -- came equipped with the kind of downfield weapons the Cowboys and Tony Romo have at their disposal. While the Cowboys have shown, since rookie DeMarco Murray took over as the starting running back, a commitment to the run, I'd look for them to take some deep shots against a weak part of this Miami defense and see if they can build an early lead.

Make Matt Moore uncomfortable: The Dolphins' quarterback has played very well in recent weeks, throwing six touchdown passes and one interception during the win streak. Miami has managed to get big production out of running back Reggie Bush to take some pressure off of Moore, and he's worked tight end Anthony Fasano into the receiving mix to complement the big, physical downfield presence of wide receiver Brandon Marshall. But Moore isn't likely to find the going so smooth if the Cowboys can get into the backfield and disrupt his timing. DeMarcus Ware should be moved around some in this game so he gets to attack the Marc Colombo side of the Dolphins' offensive line as well as the Jake Long side. It's on the Colombo side, Cowboys fans will not be surprised to learn, that they're most vulnerable.

The Fiammetta factor: With fullback Tony Fiammetta sidelined due to illness last week, Murray and the run game weren't as effective as they had been in the previous four games. That's not to say Murray wasn't good. His prior four games were a lot to live up to. But with Fiammetta out, there was a clear difference in Murray's effectiveness when running between the tackles. It looks as though Fiammetta will sit out again, so watch the Dolphins stack up eight-man fronts to try and take away Murray or at least dare him to try and run inside.

Is Sean Lee all the way back?: The Cowboys were the best defense in the league against the run in the early part of this season. Then, starting with the injury to middle linebacker Lee in the loss to the Eagles, they struggled against the run for a few weeks. Was their improvement in this department Sunday because the Redskins' run game is so poor, or because Lee is getting more comfortable playing in spite of his injured wrist? The Dolphins, with Bush and rookie Daniel Thomas leading their run game, will offer a more reliable test.

Home for the holiday: Romo is 4-0 in his career on Thanksgiving Day. He missed last year's game due to injury, but he and the Cowboys are thought to have an advantage here because they play a Thanksgiving game every year and are experienced in how to handle the short week. They're also at home, and playing with extreme confidence. While they can't take the suddenly red-hot Dolphins lightly, they have what they need to establish themselves as the better team early and control the game.

As you get ready for this afternoon's game against the Dolphins in Miami, here's one reason for Washington Redskins fans to feel good and one reason for concern:

Feeling good: Rex Grossman is back! What? That doesn't fire you up? It looks as though Grossman will get the start over John Beck at quarterback, and quite honestly there's reason to believe things will improve for the Redskins on offense. Not that they're going to turn into the Packers overnight, but in spite of his turnover tendencies, Grossman is obviously more comfortable running the offense than Beck. And the whole offense has to get back in sync. The Redskins have run the ball 26 times and thrown 80 passes over their past two games, and that's an awful ratio for a team whose hot start was built on the run game. Maybe with a less jittery quarterback under center, the offense will be able to relax and find better balance.

Cause for concern: The Redskins are banged up at safety, with O.J. Atogwe and LaRon Landry having missed practice this past week because of injuries. And the Dolphins are a team that can beat you deep if strong-armed Matt Moore can find huge wide receiver Brandon Marshall. Moore looked a lot better last week working tight end Anthony Fasano into the offense, and there's a chance Miami could put together a credible passing game against a Redskins team whose corners had better play tight.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 1:

Handling Hali: Something to watch carefully when Buffalo visits Kansas City is how the Bills handle linebacker Tamba Hali. If left alone, he will torment Bills left tackle Demetrius Bell. If Buffalo designates a tight end next to Bell to assist with Hali or assigns a running back to chip him, that leaves the rest of Buffalo’s protection scheme vulnerable against pass-rushers Justin Houston, Glenn Dorsey and Wallace Gilberry. Kansas City also has a strong secondary. I have a hard time believing that Buffalo will have much success through the air this week. One guy who could really help their cause if used properly is running back C.J. Spiller.

Inexperienced Cowboys: Dallas visits the Jets on Sunday night. This is a terrible matchup for the Cowboys’ offense. Instead of older, heavy-footed road graders up front, the Cowboys' offensive line has an influx of athletic, but very young, starters. This could pay off in time, because they should be much better equipped to pass-block and get out on the screens and draw plays that favor Felix Jones. But for now, I expect huge growing pains. Ultra-talented Cowboys first-round pick Tyron Smith will not play because of a knee injury. I expect Dallas’ protection schemes to have plenty of breakdowns. That is an awful situation against a defense coached by Rex Ryan. Compounding matters for the Cowboys are the matchups on the perimeter. Miles Austin and Dez Bryant are as good a pair of starting wideouts as you will find. But Austin isn’t 100 percent healthy, and Darrelle Revis will shut down whichever wide receiver he covers. Antonio Cromartie is a very good man-to-man cover man who thrives against bigger wide receivers like Austin and Bryant. However, it should be noted that New York’s third-down defense last season gave up too many big plays.

Test for New England: New England travels to Miami for the early "Monday Night Football" game. Although it struggled this preseason, particularly against the Lions, I still consider New England’s offensive line one of the very best. But they will be tested in a huge way on the road. In the Miami heat, the fatigue factor will favor the home team. Miami has an extremely physical and deep 3-man defensive line. Led by Cameron Wake, the Dolphins’ edge pass-rushers are a real handful for any protection scheme. New England might be without starting right tackle Sebastian Vollmer, so we might see first-round pick Nate Solder in his first action.

Pressure from Patriots: When Miami has the ball, I expect Bill Belichick to dial up a lot of front-side pressure. Chad Henne is not very mobile, and he can struggle with pressure right in his face. Jake Long returns, after missing the preseason, to man his left tackle spot. I worry about the right side of the Dolphins’ offensive line, particularly starting right tackle Marc Colombo. He should be out-manned by players such as Shaun Ellis and Jermaine Cunningham, let alone the added front-side pressure. Compounding the problem, right guard Vernon Carey has little experience at guard. Anthony Fasano is an excellent blocking tight end and will have to spend much of his time on the right side, but the Miami running backs are either small and lacking physicality (Reggie Bush) or lacking experience (Daniel Thomas) in protection.

Stopping the run: The Bills' defense was awful against the run last season, but I am betting that it improved with the drafting of Marcell Dareus and some other additions. I expect the run defense to be particularly stout up the middle, where Dareus, Kyle Williams and Nick Barnett play. However, the changes might not pay off big against the Chiefs because Jamaal Charles is such a great runner outside the tackles. I also expect Dexter McCluster’s role as a ball carrier to increase.

To play off ESPN.com's positional Power Rankings, I've broken down the AFC East's best tight ends.

Here’s how I slot them:

1. Dustin Keller, New York Jets
2. Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots
3. Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots
4. Anthony Fasano, Miami Dolphins
5. Alge Crumpler, New England Patriots
6. Jeff Cumberland, New York Jets
7. David Martin, Buffalo Bills
8. Jonathan Stupar, Buffalo Bills
9. Mickey Shuler, Miami Dolphins

The first five are obvious. Keller is the most dangerous tight end in the division. I ranked him sixth in the NFL on my ballot.

But if Gronkowski and Hernandez didn't have to share touches, then one of them might surpass Keller. Gronkowski and Hernandez combined for 87 catches, 1,109 yards and 16 touchdowns.

ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer thought Gronkowski was snubbed from the overall top 10 list and called him "a dominant blocker in-line ... almost like another tackle" and said "he will be the premier tight end in the NFL in the next few years."

Fasano is next in the AFC East with 39 receptions for 528 yards and four touchdowns, but the stats plummet after that. Crumpler is next because of his blocking skills and knowledge he can make the play if the Patriots depended on it.

From there, I sorted them based on speculation.

Cumberland, an undrafted rookie, was deactivated for 15 games. But I saw enough of the physical specimen in training camp and the preseason to imagine him contributing more to the Bills than Martin (seven receptions, one touchdown) or Stupar (12 receptions, no TDs).

Sports labor squabbles often are described as billionaires arguing with millionaires over money.

While that's a catchy rhyme that sums up fan frustration, the phrase is not entirely true.

Inspired by a blog entry from the minister of all things AFC South, Paul Kuharsky, I looked at NFL Players Association files to count up the number of AFC East players scheduled for $1 million base salaries in 2011.

Granted, up-front bonuses and incentives can make base salaries misleading. But base salaries are the only figures that create a common ground, player for player.

You'll see a vast majority of NFL players make much less than $1 million a year. Although many will make seven figures before they walk away from the game, careers are short and treacherous. They'll never see that kind of cash again for the rest of their lives.

That's why they're fighting for every dollar now.

Of the 226 players under contract in the AFC East, only 62 of them (27.4 percent) will make base salaries of $1 million or more.

The NFLPA hasn't acknowledged any franchise tags that have been signed. Those players are marked with an asterisk and not factored into the totals.

Buffalo Bills

• Receiver Lee Evans, $3.275 million
• Cornerback Terrence McGee, $3.2 million
• Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, $3.195 million
• Defensive end Spencer Johnson, $3 million
• Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman, $2.75 million
• Defensive end Dwan Edwards, $2.6 million
• Center Geoff Hangartner, $2.55 million
• Outside linebacker Chris Kelsay, $2 million
• Running back Fred Jackson, $1.75 million
• Defensive lineman Kyle Williams, $1.75 million
• Kicker Rian Lindell, $1.45 million
• Punter Brian Moorman, $1.425 million
• Cornerback Reggie Corner, $1.2 million
• Receiver Steve Johnson, $1.2 million
• Safety Bryan Scott, $1.15 million
• Linebacker Andra Davis, $1.1 million
• Receiver Roscoe Parrish, $1.025 million
• Safety George Wilson, $1.025 million
• Cornerback Leodis McKelvin, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 19

Players under contract: 54

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 35.2

Miami Dolphins

• Nose tackle Paul Soliai, $12.47 million*
• Tackle Jake Long, $11.2 million
• Receiver Brandon Marshall, $6.5 million
• Tackle Vernon Carey, $4.15 million
• Safety Yeremiah Bell, $3.7 million
• Defensive end Randy Starks, $3.625 million
• Inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, $2.7 million
• Inside linebacker Channing Crowder, $2.5 million
• Tight end Anthony Fasano, $1.9 million
• Cornerback Benny Sapp, $1.9 million
• Inside linebacker Tim Dobbins, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Will Allen, $1.5 million
• Safety Tyrone Culver, $1.25 million
• Fullback Lousaka Polite, $1.25 million
• Receiver Davone Bess, $1.013 million
• Kicker Dan Carpenter, $1.005 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 15

Players under contract: 55

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 27.3

New England Patriots

• Quarterback Tom Brady, $5.75 million
• Cornerback Leigh Bodden, $3.9 million
• Tackle Nick Kaczur, $3.4 million
• Defensive end Ty Warren, $3.1 million
• Center Dan Koppen, $2.9 million
• Safety James Sanders, $2.8 million
• Tight end Alge Crumpler, $2.4 million
• Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain, $2.3 million
• Receiver Deion Branch, $2.2 million
• Receiver Wes Welker, $2.15 million
• Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, $1.7 million
• Cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, $1.2 million
• Offensive lineman Dan Connolly, $1.025 million
• Inside linebacker Gary Guyton, $1 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 60

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 23.3

New York Jets

• Quarterback Mark Sanchez, $14.75 million
• Inside linebacker David Harris, $10.1 million*
• Cornerback Darrelle Revis, $6 million
• Tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson, $5.615 million
• Inside linebacker Bart Scott, $4.9 million
• Outside linebacker Calvin Pace, $3.855 million
• Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas, $3.2 million
• Guard Brandon Moore, $2.75 million
• Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, $2.425 million
• Center Nick Mangold, $2.26 million
• Defensive end Mike DeVito, $2.125 million
• Safety Jim Leonhard, $1.95 million
• Receiver Jerricho Cotchery, $1.8 million
• Defensive tackle Sione Pouha, $1.28 million
• Quarterback Mark Brunell, $1.25 million

Base salaries of $1 million or more: 14

Players under contract: 57

Percentage of roster making $1 million or more: 24.6

» NFC Decisive Moments: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The Miami Dolphins were in a must-win situation Sunday at home.

They never led the Cleveland Browns in Sun Life Stadium, but the Dolphins never were down more than a score, either. Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne found Anthony Fasano for a touchdown with 10:27 left to tie it at 10.

With 1:34 left remaining, the Dolphins took over on their own 25-yard line and had a timeout. At a minimum, they appeared on their way to overtime.

Ronnie Brown ran for 1 yard.

Henne threw an incomplete pass to Fasano.

Now the Dolphins were in a spot. They had a third-and-9 situation with 65 seconds left. The Browns still had all three timeouts.

Henne threw a pass to his left toward popular third-down target Davone Bess. Browns defensive end David Bowens stuck up a paw and deflected the ball. Defensive back Mike Adams snagged the ricochet and returned it to the Dolphins' 2-yard line.

Three kneeldowns later, Phil Dawson kicked a 23-yard field goal to deny the Dolphins another home victory.

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

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11:

Look long: I’ve been critical of Jaguars QB David Garrard’s ability to see receivers downfield and connect with them. But in his past two games he has been ridiculously good on balls thrown over 10 yards. (Yes, that includes the batted Hail Mary that won the Houston game.) In two games since returning from a concussion, ESPN Stats & Information says Garrard has hit on 66.2 percent of such throws for a 20.5 yards per attempt average, three touchdowns and no interceptions and a 149.3 passer rating. The Browns will certainly be conscious of that, which may mean there is a little more room underneath for a guy like Maurice Jones-Drew.

More men on Manning: Since Colts tight end Dallas Clark was lost for the season with a wrist injury, defenses have been blitzing Peyton Manning more. The thinking is that Clark was an excellent safety blanket and outlet for Manning to find against extra rushers, but that he’s got less reliable options in those situations now. In the past three games, he has seen five or more rushers 37.7 percent of the time (as compared to 21.9 percent before). In those situations, he has completed only 54.2 percent of his passes, posted a passer rating of 66.5 and been sacked four times. Will Patriots coach Bill Belichick find a way to have a similar effect?

Careful with Cooley: The Titans have struggled against tight ends recently, getting lit up by San Diego’s Antonio Gates and Miami’s Anthony Fasano in recent weeks. Jason Witten and Kevin Boss also have had big games against them. Jeff Fisher has said it’s mostly on the linebackers. Well, they need to do better against Washington’s dangerous Chris Cooley, a guy who can do some damage after the catch. There can’t be communication issues about who’s on him when and where, or he can tear them up.

Force Foster: The Jets are fifth against the run and 14th against the pass, but that doesn’t mean the Texans should minimize Arian Foster. Offenses with a good back against good run defenses shouldn’t presume he won’t be able to gain yards. I think the Texans would be well served to show some attitude here. When they lost their opener to the Jets last season, New York players suggested the Texans were a finesse team that couldn’t slug it out toe-to-toe. Forcing the issue early with Foster would go a long way in this game toward showing the hosts that’s no longer the case. Trouble is, it may still be.

Force fumbles: If the Patriots happen to be losing late and trying to muster a late drive, they should be hyper-aware of Dwight Freeney. In the Colts’ past two wins, he has had a strip sack late in the fourth quarter to get Indianapolis the ball back. Even as offensive linemen and quarterbacks know what’s coming, Freeney is able to dig down and make a giant play to help secure a win. Second-year tackle Sebastian Vollmer is 6-foot-8, 315 pounds. Will there be a critical moment when the 6-1, 268 Freeney speeds, or spins, around him?

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

FALLING

1. Brandon Marshall, Dolphins receiver: Six games and counting without a touchdown reception for the splashy offseason acquisition. His frustrations are starting to boil over. Marshall caught one pass in the first half of Sunday's victory over the Titans. After his first catch in the second half he heaved the ball into the stands from Titans' 11-yard line, earning a 5-yard penalty for delay of game. He finished with three receptions for 34 yards.

2. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets running back: He's still performing well -- and much better than the skeptics figured -- but production has tailed from his torrid start through the first five or six weeks. Tomlinson hasn't scored a touchdown in three games and hasn't rushed for more than 57 yards or averaged more than 3.7 yards a carry in four games. For the first time all year, Shonn Greene outgained Tomlinson on the ground Sunday.

3. Shawne Merriman, Bills outside linebacker: The Bills' waiver gamble isn't paying off. Merriman missed his first game with the Bills because he didn't have enough time to prepare for their Week 9 matchup against the Bears in Toronto. A week ago, minutes into his first Bills practice, he injured himself and couldn't play in Sunday's victory over the Lions. Bills coach Chan Gailey has all but ruled out Merriman for Sunday's game at Cincinnati, leaving the former star a maximum of six 2010 games.

RISING

1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots tight end: In his previous five games, he had nine catches for 90 yards and one touchdown, taking a backseat to fellow rookie tight end Aaron Hernandez. On Sunday night, Gronk grabbed five Tom Brady passes for 72 yards and three touchdowns in a romp over the Steelers. His six touchdowns this year already have set the franchise record for rookie tight ends. Only six rookie tight ends have scored three in a game since 1960.

2. Anthony Fasano, Dolphins tight end: We learned this week the Dolphins signed Fasano to a two-year contract extension. That's appropriate given his big game Sunday. He made five catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. The most receiving yards he had prior was 84 in the 2008 season opener. His TD was thrown by Tyler Thigpen, the Dolphins' new starting quarterback.

3. Mark Sanchez, Jets quarterback: He seems to be making it up on the fly, but the kid is repeatedly winning games in ways you expect from great quarterbacks. Each of the Jets' past three victories was won dramatically at the wire. In Sunday's overtime thriller in Cleveland, he came back from a leg injury at the end of the third quarter to complete 14 of 21 attempts for 170 yards and a touchdown.

A few thoughts from the Dolphins' 29-17 win over the Titans.

What it means: The Dolphins persevered through injuries to starting quarterback Chad Pennington (shoulder) and Chad Henne (knee) to score a crucial victory and remain in the AFC East race.

Injury report: Pennington's turn as starting quarterback lasted two plays. He injured his shoulder again. He was hit while completing a 19-yard pass to Brian Hartline. Henne came in for Pennington and played decently, going 19-of-28 for 240 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Henne was knocked out of the game in the third quarter.

Wildcat returns: The Dolphins went with their Wildcat offense rather than rely on third quarterback Tyler Thigpen right away. Thigpen eventually entered the game and completed four of his six throws for 64 yards and a touchdown.

Touchdown bonanza: The Dolphins' struggling offense received scoring contributions from all sorts of cast members. For the second straight week, the Dolphins scored on their opening possession with a Ronnie Brown run. Third running back Patrick Cobbs caught Henne's touchdown pass. Tight end Anthony Fasano caught Thigpen's.

Quiet day for Moss: In his Titans debut, Randy Moss made one reception for 26 yards. He did draw a 33-yard pass interference penalty on Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis that helped the Titans score a first-quarter touchdown.

What's next: The Dolphins have four days to prepare for the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, but at least the game is in Sun Life Stadium.

BALTIMORE -- The Miami Dolphins weren't going to finish the season with an undefeated road record. They were due to lose away from Sun Life Stadium. In that regard, Sunday's result from M&T Bank Stadium shouldn't make Dolfans depressed.

But in many ways, how the afternoon unfolded for the Dolphins was more alarming than one defeat to a formidable opponent.

The Dolphins are frustrated and confused and -- worst of all -- sounded like they were doubting themselves after the Baltimore Ravens thumped them 26-10.

Halfway into the season, the Dolphins are a .500 club that doesn't seem to know what it is or what it can be.

"I think it's obvious right now we can't beat the great teams," Miami receiver Brandon Marshall said. "We can't beat the good teams. I can't put my finger on it. We just shoot ourselves in the foot."

The Dolphins' losses are to each of the teams rated No. 1 through 4 in ESPN.com's latest Power Rankings. The New England Patriots, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers previously defeated them.

The schedule has been unkind, but Dolphins owner Stephen Ross predicted they would go to the Super Bowl. The Dolphins can't go 0-4 against the best teams in the league and consider themselves near elite.

On a day when the Cleveland Browns walloped the Patriots, a Dolphins' victory would have muddled up the AFC East standings.

But about a quarter into the game, the Ravens demonstrated they were in command.

Had Baltimore not continually frittered away opportunities, the score would have been much more lopsided. Baltimore was pathetic in the red zone, finishing with a touchdown once on seven trips.

The Ravens had the edge on offense, defense and special teams. They had the ball for 38 minutes, 22 seconds and rolled up 402 total yards. They doubled the Dolphins' 73 rushing yards. The Ravens didn't punt.

The Dolphins pride themselves on being a physical club, but they were dominated that way.

"We didn't tackle worth a crap," Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano said barely above a whisper. "We're a lousy tackling football team today, and we gave them opportunities by not getting people on the ground a couple times out there, didn’t execute calls properly, checkdowns to backs end up being big plays."

Ravens running back Ray Rice was virtually ignored by defenders a few times. Rice had a game-high seven catches for 97 yards in addition to his 83 yards rushing.

"It was a ridiculous performance by our defense," Dolphins inside linebacker Channing Crowder said. Crowder's frustrations boiled over in the third quarter, when Ravens fullback Le'Ron McClain allegedly spit in his face. McClain denied Crowder's accusation.

The Dolphins' offense was sensational on its first possession, and the effect should have been inspiring for a struggling crew that went into the weekend with the NFL's second-fewest touchdowns.

Ronnie Brown ran six times for 45 yards. His first two carries went for 12 and 14 yards. Brown capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown run, making it appear way too simple.

"We were knocking them off the ball," Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne said. "But then we didn't execute as well."

Brown had one more carry in the first half and two more in the second half.

The Dolphins didn't score another touchdown. They got inside the Ravens' 30-yard line twice more and managed one field goal. Late in the second quarter, they had a third down at the Ravens' 1-yard line and called a play-action pass. Henne's throw knuckled out of tight end Anthony Fasano's reach.

"That's a throw that I need to make," Henne said. "That was my fault. He was wide open."

Henne had a rough afternoon. He threw three interceptions -- not all his fault -- and didn't have a touchdown pass. Over his past three games, he has one TD and five interceptions.

Henne drew the ire of Miami's coaching staff three plays into the second half. On a third-and-10 play, he was forced to scramble and rather than fight for the first down, slid feet first for a 7-yard gain.

F-bomb screams about Henne's decision were audible from the Miami coaches booth adjacent to the press box.

Although the Ravens missed a field goal in the second quarter, they made more plays on special teams.

The Dolphins had 10 men on the field on a Ravens punt, leaving cornerback Cary Williams uncovered for a 13-yard first-down reception one play after the alleged spitting incident and subsequent skirmish. The Dolphins nearly gave up a safety on a kickoff return.

So what are the Dolphins? Are they a contender? Are they as average as their 4-4 record would suggest? Are they victims of a tough schedule?

Halfway into the season, they don't have a handle on any of those answers.

"We've been inconsistent all year, game to game, series to series," Marshall said. "We won't beat anybody playing the way we do with this up-and-down football. We've got to find solutions and eliminate these problems we're having."