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Day 3 of free agency is nearly complete, and the Miami Dolphins haven't heard from quarterback Peyton Manning.

The future Hall of Famer completed his most recent visit Wednesday with the Tennessee Titans and is meticulously taking his time making a decision. Meanwhile, the Titans, Dolphins, Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals continue to wait on Manning.

This is a delicate and dangerous game Miami is playing. At what point should the quarterback-needy Dolphins cut the cord on the Manning dream?

Reports indicate Denver, Tennessee and Arizona have all leapfrogged Miami in the Manning sweepstakes. ESPN's Adam Schefter even suggests it's now a two-team race between Denver and Tennessee. Yet, the Dolphins continue to keep their quarterback plans on ice until Manning's decision is final.

Former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn -- Miami's second choice -- will fly to Seattle tonight to meet with the Seahawks. The Dolphins may be considered the favorite for Flynn. But you can never be sure when millions of dollars are being thrown around.

The Seahawks might have a great visit with Flynn, offer a big contract, and convince Flynn to sign before he skips town. The Dolphins under that scenario could lose out on both quarterbacks, assuming Manning chooses another team.

Going after Manning was a great idea. The Dolphins had to take their shot at a quarterback who could instantly change the fortune of the franchise. But waiting too long for Manning is a mistake. Manning will do what's in his best interest, and that may not match with Miami's.

If talks heat up between Flynn, Seattle or another team, the Dolphins may want to narrow their focus in this quarterback derby or risk leaving empty-handed.

Brady Quinn has a decent chance to stick around as a backup quarterback if Denver signs Peyton Manning. Both he and Manning have the same agent and it could make sense for Quinn to stick around if Manning signs with the Broncos.

If Tim Tebow remains the starter, Quinn will likely walk.

Quinn may have a hint that Manning isn't coming to Denver or perhaps he's not waiting for him to make a decision.

The Denver Post is reporting Quinn will visit the Jets on Friday. New York has a backup job available.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s John Clayton has reported Tennessee agreed to terms with guard Steve Hutchinson. The Broncos and Titans are among the teams fighting to sign Peyton Manning. The Broncos haven’t done anything in free agency because they are waiting to see what Manning does.

Denver has $38 million in cap room. Tennessee has less cap room. It’s time for Denver to start signing some players while waiting for Manning. Not all of its cap space will go to Manning.

In other AFC West news:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that Denver receiver/returner Eddie Royal is taking a physical in San Diego. That could mean a contract is next. I like Royal's fit in San Diego.

Oakland pass-rusher Trevor Scott is visiting the Patriots. Scott was once a promising Oakland prospect, but he's been slowed by injuries. I think he is still a decent prospect. I wonder what Bill Belichick could do with him?

Keep an eye on Chiefs running back Jackie Battle as an option in San Diego if Mike Tolbert signs elsewhere. Tolbert is visiting the Chiefs.

The Miami Dolphins are playing a high-stakes, cat-and-mouse game with the NFL's two biggest free-agent quarterbacks.

Miami wants Peyton Manning, clearly its Plan A. But the Dolphins don't want to sit idle, either. So they reportedly began negotiations with former Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn Tuesday night, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald.

We explained this scenario this morning in the AFC East blog. Miami is in the running for Manning and has no choice but to wait on his decision. But the Dolphins also don’t want to be held hostage.

By entering contract negotiations with Flynn, the Dolphins run the risk of turning off Manning. How committed to Manning could the Dolphins be if they’re already looking to sign another quarterback? The Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals, for example, are not chasing other quarterbacks.

The Dolphins also traded Pro Bowl receiver Brandon Marshall Tuesday to the Chicago Bears for two third-round picks. It's unknown if that makes Miami more or less attractive for Manning. But the early reaction to the trade isn't good.

Manning is not expected to make his decision for at least a couple more days. He still has to meet with the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday.

The Miami Dolphins will finally get their meeting with free-agent quarterback Peyton Manning -- sort of. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, Manning will meet with the head coaches of the Dolphins and Tennessee Titans away from the facilities in the next few days before making his final decision.

Here is my take on what this means:

• In my opinion, this sounds like a courtesy meeting from Manning. I don't think the quarterback is seriously considering the Dolphins at this point. It's no secret the Dolphins want Manning badly, and Manning is a really nice guy, and probably doesn't want to hurt people's feelings in the process. He already shut down several teams, including the New York Jets and Washington Redskins, who called his representatives. Manning taking the full tour in Denver and Arizona, and not in Miami, should say all the Dolphins need to know.
• This also doesn't help the league-wide perception that Miami has dysfunctional leadership. Miami's power pair of owner Stephen Ross and general manager Jeff Ireland do not have the best reputation around the league for various reasons. The most recent public handling this past year of former head coach Tony Sparano, particularly, drew ire around the league. Jim Harbaugh and Jeff Fisher both turned down Ross and Ireland, and it appears Manning will be the third big name to do so in a year.
• Finally, it's time for the Dolphins to resort to Plan B. The chances of Philbin, a rookie head coach, saying something magical to convince Manning to join Miami without even visiting the facilities are slim. The Dolphins appear all but out of the Manning sweepstakes. That means it's time for Miami to jump into the Flynn sweepstakes. Free agency starts in less than 24 hours. Miami must go back to the drawing board if it wants a new starting quarterback next season.

We know Peyton Manning visited the Denver Broncos and Arizona Cardinals over the weekend.

We do not know what he will do next. NFL teams do not know. Manning might not know.

Billionaire NFL owners accustomed to getting their way appear utterly helpless as they wait for answers. Imagine the pressure team executives must feel as they report to ownership on their failure to secure even a visit from Manning. These owners cannot even know whether Manning's surgically repaired neck will allow the quarterback to play again, but they would happily gamble millions on the prospect that Manning will be OK.

The latest report from ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter quotes sources as saying the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs are "no longer considered contenders" for Manning. The quarterback himself has said nothing publicly.

Public declarations from Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams seem aimed at appeasing fans hoping the team will bring back Manning to the state where he played his college ball.

"He is the man I want, period," Adams said. "And the people that work for me understand that. They know who I want. I want Mr. Manning with the Titans and I will be disappointed if it doesn’t happen."

Does anyone really think Manning will respond favorably to an owner essentially popping off? As with so much of this story, no one seems to know for sure.

Manning's meticulous preparation as a player suggests he'll make a well-informed decision. It's an upset if he rushes into anything.

In an Insider piece, Gary Horton of Scouts Inc. looks at the five best destinations for San Diego free agent receiver Vincent Jackson. In the end, though, Horton reasons that the best spot for Jackson is to stay in San Diego. That’s the scenario both Jackson and the Chargers want.

However, because there is a remote chance the Chargers will place the franchise tag on Jackson by Monday’s deadline, the more likely scenario is that the Chargers and Jackson will discuss a deal once he hits the open market. If the Chargers are in the same range of Jackson’s best offer, he will likely be inclined to stay in San Diego.

In other AFC West news:

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Titans are not expected to place the franchise tag on cornerback Cortland Finnegan. That is relevant to the AFC West for a couple of reasons. Finnegan will provide competition for Kansas City cornerback Brandon Carr on the open market. Finnegan will also likely attract the interest of the Broncos and the Raiders. Both teams are looking for cornerbacks, although Finnegan will be pricey on the open market.

Former Denver cornerback Perrish Cox was acquitted in a sexual assault trial Friday. I have been asked often Friday if I think the Broncos could re-sign him. I don’t see it. I think the Broncos have moved on. Perhaps Cox will get a chance elsewhere in the NFL, but I don’t expect it to be in Denver.

In a radio interview, San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers talks about the retirement of guard Kris Dielman, and how strange it was to recently work out with a division rival.

An Insider piece connects LSU defensive tackle Michael Brockers to the Broncos. I think the Broncos would do back flips if Brockers was available at No. 25.

Former NFL coach Brian Billick looks at why he thinks the Chiefs are a good fit for Peyton Manning.

One of the most intriguing stories in the NFL in this week of change is what the San Diego Chargers will do.

The Chargers could fire both coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith, fire one and keep the other or keep both.

It seemed certain Turner would be fired once the Chargers were eliminated from playoff contention last week -- the second time in two straight seasons San Diego has missed the postseason. Smith’s future, however, was more uncertain.

Yet after the Chargers dominated the Oakland Raiders in Oakland and knocked them out of the playoffs Sunday, there seems to be thought that perhaps both Turner and Smith could be kept. After a six-game losing streak in the middle of the season, the Chargers managed to win four of their final five games and finish with an 8-8 record.

San Diego owner Dean Spanos told the San Diego Union Tribune on Sunday he was impressed by the effort and he’d consider the situation for a couple of days.

CBS Sportsline is reporting that the team may be leaning toward keeping both Turner and Smith. Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union Tribune agrees. I heard similar talk as well. The players, led by quarterback Philip Rivers, are in Turner’s corner.

I think the Chargers believe they have the makings of a good team and would rather keep it together than tear apart their leadership core. But ownership also knows the fan base is antsy because of the recent failures. With the team trying to secure a new stadium in downtown San Diego, fan sentiment means a lot these days.

If Turner and Smith are kept, it will certainly be on a year-to-year basis. To appease the fans, if no chances are made, I would think the Chargers would have to get aggressive this offseason to add some big-name players, especially on defense. Another playoff-less season will not be tolerated.

It seems everything is still on the table in San Diego, but with Black Monday coming to an end, the fact that Turner and Smith are still around, may be working in their favor. If Spanos knew he wanted to make a change for sure, he would have done so already.

Timing is critical because other teams are already getting a jump on candidates. NFL.com reported that former Titans’ coach Jeff Fisher would be interested in the Chargers. He reportedly is already lining up interviews with the Rams and Dolphins. Fisher is one of the best coaching options available. If the Chargers want him, you’d think they’d act quickly.

Miami Dolphins are prepared to make their best pitch to one of the top coaching candidates on the open market. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher will interview with the Dolphins this week.

Fisher getting an interview this early confirms my prediction that he's a top target for Miami. The Dolphins would prefer a veteran coach who can make a splash, and Fisher has that name recognition. He's been to a Super Bowl and built the Titans into a perennial playoff contender.

But landing Fisher won't be easy. Miami owner Stephen Ross has deep pockets, which helps. But Miami's opening isn't all that attractive to top candidates.

The new coach has to work under general manager Jeff Ireland, who will call the shots in Miami. Ireland and former Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano had their issues, and Miami will have to convince Fisher that he can work with Ireland. In contrast, other teams may allow Fisher to bring in his own general manager that he's more familiar with.

There is no chance of Miami landing Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden. Therefore, Fisher would be the best-case scenario. Miami is starting top shelf and will work its way down. If Miami can't land Fisher, the team may go to the route of assistant coaches.

Suzy and Mort discuss their matchups to watch in Week 14; Marcellus and Jon debate the NFL’s most clutch quarterback; Did You Hear That? asks if Chris Johnson can carry the Titans to the postseason.

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

FALLING

1. Buffalo Bills' defense: Buffalo has lost five consecutive games, and the biggest reason is its inconsistent defense. The Bills can't stop the run or rush the passer. That leaves very little hope on game day. Buffalo had only one sack and allowed Tennessee Titans tailback Chris Johnson to rush for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Injuries to players such as defensive tackle Kyle Williams, linebacker Shawne Merriman and safety George Wilson have contributed to Buffalo's struggles. But the Bills need to make it a point in the offseason to add more depth and defensive playmakers.

2. New England Patriots' fourth-quarter defense: I'm not going to make a huge deal about it, but the Patriots allowed 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to the winless Indianapolis Colts. It's clear the Patriots took their foot off the pedal. But Indianapolis is 0-12 and had Dan Orlovsky at quarterback. The Colts shouldn't score 21 unanswered points against anybody. Before Sunday's game, the Colts had scored 21 points or more just once in an entire game. The Patriots allowed that many points in one period.

3. New York Jets' passing offense: There are times when the Jets' passing offense makes you scratch your head -- the quarterback misses throws or receivers will run the wrong routes and aren't on the same page. There has been a lot of that lately with the Jets, at least in the first three quarters. New York's passing game isn't waking up until the end of games, and that's saved the Jets in back-to-back weeks. Quarterback Mark Sanchez struggled against the Washington Redskins but saved his best throws for last. The Jets have little margin for error and need the passing game to be there consistently.

RISING

1. Miami Dolphins' running game: The Oakland Raiders were completely run over by Miami. The Dolphins recorded 209 rushing yards and had great performances from two tailbacks. Reggie Bush had 100 yards rushing and rookie Daniel Thomas added 73 yards on the ground. Miami's offensive line dominated in the trenches. It even led to frustration by Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour, who hit offensive lineman Richie Incognito in the face and was ejected.

2. C.J. Spiller, Bills running back: Spiller gets an unexpected and late audition to be the main running back in Buffalo. Fred Jackson's leg injury has the 2010 first-round pick in the spotlight. Based on Spiller's first two starts, he is making progress. He had his best game as a pro against Tennessee, running for a career-high 83 yards and a touchdown. Spiller could have done more. But Buffalo went away from the running game too early, despite Spiller's averaging 5.9 yards per carry.

3. Aaron Maybin, Jets linebacker: "Mayhem" continues to get to the quarterback for the Jets. Maybin recorded his third sack in two games in Sunday’s victory over Washington. Maybin, signed by the Jets in late September after he was released by the Bills, has quietly been a solid pickup for New York. Maybin's sacks are making an impact — he has five in New York's victories and just one in New York's losses.

Here are some thoughts on the Tennessee Titans' 23-17 victory over the Buffalo Bills.

What it means: The Bills' playoff hopes were hanging by a thread entering this weekend. Now, they are virtually over. Buffalo (5-7) lost for the seventh time in nine game. What's even more worrisome is the Bills haven't been competitive in most of those losses. Meanwhile, the Titans improved to 7-5 and remain in the AFC wild-card race.

What I like: Buffalo 2010 first-round pick C.J. Spiller showed flashes of being a lead running back Sunday. Spiller rushed for a career-high 83 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries. This is a good opportunity for Spiller to showcase his talents with starting running back Fred Jackson (leg) out for the season.

What I didn’t like: Buffalo's defense needs to consider changes in the offseason. It's been, by far, the Bills' weakest link the entire season. Buffalo's front seven can't stop the run. Titans tailback Chris Johnson ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. And Buffalo doesn’t rush the passer well. There is really nothing the Bills do consistently on defense and that needs to change.

FitzWatch: Buffalo starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick put up decent numbers, but it wasn't enough. Fitzpatrick tried to rally a late comeback and threw for 288 yards and a touchdown. He also lost a fumble. But with the touchdown, Fitzpatrick reached 20 passing touchdowns for the second consecutive seasons.

What's next: The Bills will travel to play the San Diego Chargers next week.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Thoughts on the Texans’ 41-7 win against the Titans at LP Field.

What it means: The Texans are in first place in the AFC South at 4-3. They have a win over their top challenger, and they are 2-0 in the AFC South while the Titans are 0-2. With a dominant performance, Houston has re-established itself as the clear favorites to take the division and earn a playoff berth. If the Titans can recover, the Week 17 rematch at Reliant Stadium could be a big one. But with the directions these teams may be heading from here, perhaps not.

What I liked, Texans: The single best thing the Texans could have done for their banged up quarterback, Matt Schaub, was to run effectively. Arian Foster took 25 carries for 115 yards and scored twice, while Ben Tate added 15 carries for 104 yards. It was a perfect scenario, and Schaub did nice work playing off of it, particularly on play-action rollout and boots. The defense survived the loss of free safety Danieal Manning (lower left leg) and didn’t allow the Titans to find any rhythm. They forced the Titans to pass to play catch-up, and gave an inefficient group of receivers little space to do anything.

What I didn’t like, Titans: We’re not really overstating when we say everything. It was an exceptionally flat, uninspired performance coming off a bye. Tennessee was pushed around by the Texans all day, showing a great combination of no playmaking on offense and an inability to stop anything consistently on defense. Jake Locker was in the game at quarterback by the middle of the fourth quarter for training time. Chris Johnson was regularly booed, and deserved it for a lackluster effort.

The telling numbers: Houston ran the ball 47 times for 222 yards. Tennessee ran it 15 times for 53. The Texans had possession for 37:58.

What’s next: A couple more AFC South games. Houston hosts struggling Jacksonville. Tennessee gets a visit from the Colts.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is looking at some trades that he thinks make sense, but likely won’t happen before Tuesday’s trading deadline. Included in his proposed deals is a swap of receiver Dwayne Bowe by Kansas City to Tennessee. In the deal, Schefter has the receiver-hungry Titans giving the Chiefs second and fifth-round picks to the Chiefs.

It would surely be a good deal for the Titans, who could use a veteran a receiver as they try to continue their playoff push.

But would it be a prudent deal for the Chiefs? I don’t think so.

Yes, Bowe is a free agent at the end of the year. So, if they don’t think they can or want to extend him, getting valuable picks is better than losing Bowe outright.

But I think the Chiefs need to keep him. They have plenty of cap room and he is a core player. The Chiefs will be better with Bowe than without him. He is heating up after a brilliant season last year. He and quarterback Matt Cassel have a terrific rhythm together.

I know the Chiefs drafted Jon Baldwin in the first round and signed Steve Breaston in free agency. But this offense could be very dangerous with all three of these receivers.

Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli has done an outstanding job in giving his core players contract extensions. The fact that Bowe has not been given a new deal yet could be a sign that there is hesitation on one of the two sides.

But, in the end, I think extending Bowe would be a better avenue than trading Bowe.

PITTSBURGH -- Thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers' 38-17 win against the Tennessee Titans:

What it means: The early demise of the Steelers has been greatly exaggerated. After getting pushed around by Houston last week, Pittsburgh was the bully on the field against a Titans team that had convincing wins over two AFC North teams (Baltimore and Cleveland). It didn't matter that four starters were sidelined (nose tackle Casey Hampton, linebacker James Harrison, defensive end Aaron Smith and left guard Chris Kemoeatu), their starting running back (Rashard Mendenhall) didn't get on the field because of a hamstring injury and their starting quarterback (Ben Roethlisberger) played with a sprained foot.

Thumbs up: The Steelers' maligned offensive line. Pittsburgh opened up big holes for its backup running backs, including an especially big one that sprung Jonathan Dwyer for 76 yards. The line also protected its hurt quarterback, even though Roethlisberger did get the ball away quicker Sunday. On the touchdown pass to Heath Miller, Roethlisberger had time to pump and look to his left before finding the tight end over the middle.

Delivering some pain: Despite playing with specialized footwear for his sprained left foot, Roethlisberger had one of the best games of his career, throwing five touchdowns. It marked the fourth time in Roethlisberger's career that he had at least four touchdown passes in a game. He had only three touchdown passes in the four games before the injury.

Capitalizing on "special" play early: A 52-yard kickoff return from Antonio Brown set up the Steelers' first touchdown, and a 33-yard pass from punter Daniel Sepulveda on a fake at midfield led to Pittsburgh's second touchdown. But the Steelers' special teams tried to give that lead back in the second half after failing to recover an onside kick and getting a punt blocked.

Timely takeaway: Speaking of that onside kick, the Steelers' defense didn't let the Titans keep the momentum. On the next play, Brett Keisel deflected Matt Hasselbeck's pass with his right hand and LaMarr Woodley made the interception. It was just the second turnover forced by the Steelers this season.

What's next: The Steelers stay at home to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It’s a rough start to the NFL weekend.

The league is mourning the death of Mike Heimerdinger after a fight with cancer that lasted nearly a year. He was 58.

Heimerdinger had key assistant-coaching roles with the Broncos, Jets and Titans. He had a long career in Denver and was on the team’s staff when it won back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1997 and ’98 seasons as the receivers coach. He was the assistant head coach in Denver in 2006 and 2007. He and former Denver coach Mike Shanahan were roommates at Eastern Illinois and they were best friends as adults.

He was the Titans’ offensive coordinator last year and he coached through battling the disease.

Known simply as “Dinger” to nearly everyone, Heimerdinger was intelligent, hard-working and caring.

Former Denver receiving great Rod Smith routinely credits Heimerdinger for his development. They remained close.

I always enjoyed my time spent with Heimerdinger. He was always cordial and generous with his time.

Rest in peace, Dinger. My condolences go out to his family and friends.

Here's a statement the Broncos released Saturday:

The Denver Broncos are heartbroken to learn of Mike Heimerdinger’s passing on Friday night following his courageous battle with cancer.

Mike coached for the Broncos during the most successful period in team history, highlighted by the club’s back-to-back World Championship seasons of 1997-98. Known affectionately as Dinger, Mike earned respect and admiration from this franchise and around the NFL for his grit, passion and “never-give-up” attitude.

He remained close with several members of the organization following his final year with the Broncos in 2007, including some who visited him last week before the team’s game in Tennessee.

The Broncos extend their deepest sympathies and prayers to Mike’s wife, Kathie, and the rest of his family and friends during this most difficult time.