Miami's remarkable rise from 1-15 to thus far a 6-4 record helps put the screws to other struggling franchises around the league. It increases the heat in those organizations from owners who remember the pitiful state of the Dolphins and have seen their quick turnaround in hope and results. That prompts owners around the league whose teams are floundering to ask, "Why not us?"
The culture change continues in Miami from top to bottom and a Dolphin who is helping ignite it is receiver Ted Ginn Jr.
Remember him?
The ninth pick in the 2007 draft. Booed by Dolphins fans because the selection was not quarterback Brady Quinn. Viewed as an underachiever and somewhat lost as a rookie, Ginn has taken to the coaching of new Dolphins receiver coach Karl Dorrell.
Oftentimes in the NFL, it is coaches such as Dorrell whose work in relative quiet behind the scenes help form the guts of a team's makeover.
With Dorrell's guidance, Ginn is rising. Ginn scored on a 40-yard reverse in Miami's 17-15 victory over Oakland. That was the first rushing score by a Dolphins receiver since 2003. Ginn also made a fourth-and-5 catch of 7 yards in Miami's winning, late field-goal drive. Ginn has been in the heart of Miami's four-game winning streak. He has led the team in receiving in three of those four games. For the season, he has 38 catches for 508 yards and averages 20.8 yards gained per kickoff return.
Pro Bowl voting
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Last season in 16 games he caught only 34 passes.
"We have a great commitment to winning here that begins at the top and in a short period of time the players are responding by playing hard and realizing there is a formula to winning," said Dorrell, the former UCLA head coach who is in his first season with the Dolphins. "Ted is one of those young players who is responding.
"He left school as a junior, so this year is like a true rookie NFL season for him. He has had his ups and downs, but in the daily aspect of things, you see improvement. I keep talking into his ear. We talk about mental toughness and how to compete on each and every play. He is the son of a coach. He has a mindset of reaching out and helping people on his team and in the community. He is always checking with me, 'Is this right?' or 'Is that right?' on a play or a technique. He is showing much more confidence now."
So are all of the Dolphins.
Their six remaining games are home against New England, at St. Louis and Buffalo, home against San Francisco and then at Kansas City and the New York Jets.
Collins shows his playmaking side
We can finally put to rest the notion that Titans quarterback Kerry Collins simply hands the ball off in the Tennessee backfield. Not after bringing undefeated Tennessee back from an 11-point deficit on the road to beat Jacksonville. Not after Collins threw three second-half touchdown passes in that victory.
It was hello once again for Collins and the Jaguars. Collins entered in relief at quarterback for Vince Young in the season opener for both teams in Nashville. Since, Collins has started every game.
And as teams turned their defenses into run-stuffers to make Collins beat them, he has.
"I think starting with the Indianapolis game when they played four linebackers to stop the run, Kerry has responded to what we have asked," Titans offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger said. "Given the chance to throw the ball, Kerry has made plays. Meaningful ones. Beyond that, he has kept us in good situations on the field with his knowledge. His teammates know all about his leadership abilities. And when we turn it over to Kerry and say it's in your hands, he's handled it."
Collins has made five starts this season where he has thrown 30 or more passes. His season-high was 41 vs. Chicago. He has thrown five touchdown passes in his last two games.
With Brett Favre and the Jets coming to Nashville on Sunday, it is one more chance for Collins to distinguish himself as one of this season's dynamic quarterbacks.
"You are talking about a veteran player who knows the game, who knows what he is doing," Jacksonville general manager James Harris said. "He made quick decisions and good decisions against us on Sunday. He makes timely plays for them."
Cardinals' tribute to Boldin
Arizona added another notch to a season that is shaping up as a historical one all-around for the Cardinals.
They won in Seattle for the first time since 2002.
Arizona (7-3) owns a four-game lead in the NFC West.
The Cardinals are drawing inspiration from receiver Anquan Boldin.
Boldin suffered that crunching hit against the Jets on Sept. 28 and underwent surgery that involved eight plates to repair jaw and facial fractures. He missed two games and then returned, displaying a renewed passion and zest for football that is contagious among the Cardinals.
Boldin's 13 catches for 186 yards vs. Seattle on Sunday led all NFL receivers.
"Anquan is spectacular in so many ways," Cardinals general manager Rod Graves said. "There is not anyone more competitive on the field. He is the kind of player you can build a game around. Having that kind of element in your locker room and on the field can take you a long way. He is the epitome of us. He is basically the heart and soul of our football team."
What a tribute to Boldin.
Graves said expect Boldin to remain with the Cardinals.
"It's going to work out," Graves said. "It is our desire to conclude this as quickly as both sides can."
Rave reviews for rookies
NFL teams over the course of a successful season always find a surprise player or two who surfaces to make major contributions.
Denver (6-4) leads the AFC West and beat Atlanta on Sunday with a rookie tailback, Peyton Hillis, who scored two touchdowns, and rookie Spencer Larsen, who started at both fullback and middle linebacker. He is only the fifth player since 1990 to start on both offense and defense and the first in the league to do so in five years. The Broncos started six rookies in total vs. Atlanta.
New England rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis has given his team a jolt at running back with three starts and 252 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground.
The defending champion Giants keep giving their opponents more weapons to consider.
Johnson was a free-agent pickup for the Giants in 2006. He was on the practice squad for most of that year. He hurt his knee in mid-August last year and spent that season on injured reserve.
"At one time here I was the backup to Jeremy Shockey and thought I might get a chance to become a factor there like him," Johnson said. "But sometimes when you get injured in this league, you are lost. People outside just forget about you. I don't think the Ravens even knew I was on the roster. But I got a chance. I know what to do if I get a few more."
Spoiler alert
It is time to begin considering the role that spoilers will play in the playoff push. Each season the teams fighting to get into the playoffs encounter teams at this juncture who have little to no chance of getting in.
Some of those teams include Detroit, Oakland, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Houston and St. Louis.
Oakland will play four teams that have playoff hopes, including a season-ending game at Tampa Bay. St. Louis has Chicago, Miami and Atlanta left, and can help ruin those teams' chances. Cincinnati in the next four weeks is at Pittsburgh, home against Baltimore, at Indianapolis and home vs. Washington -- all teams in the thick of the playoff race.
But the team that can be a factor in the playoffs more than any other in the season's final stretch is, you guessed it, 0-10 Detroit.
Each team that Detroit faces the rest of the way -- Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Minnesota, at Indianapolis, New Orleans and at Green Bay -- is in the playoff mix. With six chances left to win at least one game and with four of them at home, the Lions can still be heard from and can still be a factor in the playoff field.
And the longer Detroit goes without a victory, those teams bidding for the playoffs at the back end of the Lions' schedule are the ones that will get this team's most dire effort.
