After two road games in hostile environments, the Dolphins have the AFC East right where they want them. Obviously, being in first place by a game is nice, but kind of irrelevant at the same time this early in the year. A little cushion some may argue, but there is no time to begin to feel comfortable. The Jets and Patriots come to town in the next two weeks.

The Jets on Sunday Night Football in Week 3, and the Patriots on Monday Night Football in Week 4. Right here, right now, the Dolphins can grip a choke-hold on the AFC East, in front of the whole nation. Just about everyone had the Dolphins finishing third in the division before the season started. Still, after a 2-0 start, and after knocking off the Vikings on the road, most probably still suspect that the Dolphins are a few paces behind the Jets and Patriots. They're just not as talented some may argue. They barely beat the Bills, and Brett Favre gift-wrapped them that upset win others will say. But nonetheless, the AFC East will have to go through Miami.

Obviously, the final standings won't be decided in Weeks 3 and 4, there will still be 12 weeks of football yet to be played. But a golden opportunity presents itself for the Dolphins. They can't win the division, but they can surely pull away from the pack. If the Jets and Pats want to avoid that, and keep this division a tight race, they have to go to Miami and knock off the Dolphins.

Where else would this football team rather be right now? Two home games, both on prime time, to cease control of a division this coaching staff puts so much emphasis on winning. Talk about taking the nation by storm, you think anybody is going to disrespect the Dolphins if they are setting on top of the AFC East at 4-0 with wins over the Vikings, Jets, and Patriots? This could be their division, their time, their defining stretch of the season.

How can they not be the favorites in both games? We know the Jets are the media's darling, but come on, the Dolphins beat them twice last year, and they are surely capable of at least beating them at home this time around. The Patriots on the other hand, still have Tom Brady, but how beatable did they look the other night?

The Dolphins have the right defense for New England's offense. We saw the Jets beat them with pressure, as did teams in years past, like the Giants in the Super Bowl for example. What is Mike Nolan's scheme good at right now? Getting after quarterbacks. Nobody, can block Cameron Wake, and I mean nobody. Remember the hit on Brady that forced the game winning interception last year? Yep, that was Wake. But now he isn't being limited to only passing downs. The Earth Wake will be in there just about every play.

Nolan has got to be saving his playbook for these two games too. We've seen glimpses of the exotic looks and blitzes he has, but I have a feeling we won't see them unleashed until these two contest. Similarly, Dan Henning is saving the good stuff on the offensive side of the ball for now. We will see more of the wildcat, maybe even a pass from Ronnie, and we should see, dare I say it, Chad Henne really air it out and test a reportedly Revisless Jets' secondary and a suspect Pats' secondary.

We have been talking about this team taking the next step all offseason. We know they can be good, but can they be great? Can they really be the class of one of the toughest divisions in football? Can they really emerge as a legitimate Super Bowl contender? Can Chad Henne grow up in front of our eyes, and put to rest any doubts that he isn't this team's franchise quarterback? We shouldn't have to wait long for some answers. The opportunity is here. Will the Dolphins answer the call?

Starting the season 2-0 before even playing a home game, and beating the NFC runner-up in their own building, is going to qualify for some national attention. Nobody is going to be sleeping on the Dolphins anymore. But how much of that is legitimate, and are they really a championship contender, or just the beneficiary of two sputtering offenses?

Shutting down the Bills offense is a nice accomplishment on the road, but they're going to be at the bottom or near the bottom of most offensive statistical categories at years end. The Vikings on the other hand, appeared to beat themselves. Three interceptions and a lost fumble that resulted in a Dolphins touchdown for Brett Favre, and two failed fourth down conversions deep in Miami territory motivated Visanthe Shaincoe to hint that they gave the game away.

To an extent he has a point, but then again, what game was he watching? Ricky Williams gift wrapped the Vikings their only touchdown, and single handedly left the door open for them to get back in that game after trailing 14-0 in the third quarter.

Later on, after Jason Allen picked off Brett Favre for a second time, the Dolphins had another opportunity to close the deal. Ronnie Brown gave it right back on the next play. So while the media may portray Sunday's win as more of Brett Favre's fault than anything, don't buy it.

It was Cameron Wake that brought the pressure all game long. It was Vontae Davis making an outstanding play, intercepting that ball in the redzone, and it was Jason Allen who had perfect coverage on Favre's other two picks. It was Karlos Dansby who rose to the occasion on fourth and goal. And at the end of the day, no matter what it looked like, or how ugly it was, it was the Dolphins who knocked off the Vikings at home for the first time since 2008.

There is really only one thing left for this defense to prove. We know they are capable of stopping the run, even though Peterson really got going in the second half, and we know they are going to get after the quarterback. We've yet to see them go against an elite passing attack, though. I don't even need to address the Bills, and the Vikings have a depleted receiving core.

Sanchez played well against the Patriots, but I still don't think this improved secondary will get their first true test until Week 4 against Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and Wes Welker. If we can see the type of lockdown coverage we saw yesterday from Vontae Davis and Jason Allen, against New England, I will be ready to jump head first on the "this defense is the real deal" bandwagon. At the very least, though, they are significantly better than they were a year ago, and good enough to compete against elite offenses.

Dolphins 14 Vikings 10

They bent, but didn't break. When adversity hit, the Dolphins defense we have become accustomed to in recent years was nowhere to be found. Two lost fumbles and another lackluster performance on offense, begged the Vikings to come back and win that game at home.

But when a play needed to be made, it was the defense that answered the call. They produced a score of their own, Jason Allen continued to defy logic with two interceptions, a goal-line stand prevented Minnesota from taking the lead late into the fourth quarter, and when Brett Favre, the king of game winning fourth quarter drives, had the ball with under two minutes remaining, the young Dolphins defense rose to the occasion, and put the exlamation point on Miami's first 2-0 start since 2002.

Sure, Adrian Peterson got his numbers, and almost single handedly won that game for the Vikings, but he's going to do that against everyone. He's a freak. There were certain plays when the Dolphins could have tackled better, contained the edge better, and took better angles on Peterson, but they did what they had to, when they had to do it.

No, it wasn't pretty at times, but it didn't have to be. Do you realize that the Dolphins just knocked off a team that hasn't lost a home game since 2008? They just beat a Super Bowl caliber team who was desperate for a win after dropping to 0-1 last week.

Maybe it's still too early to tell if the Dolphins are for real contenders. But the way this defense is playing right now, they can compete with anyone in this league, and there isn't a team out there they can't beat. Now, just imagine if the offense can begin to live up to it's potential. It's still early, though. It's no time to marvel at how far this team has come. Vontae Davis said it best: "We got the Jets next week, we got to go back to work."

More evaluation on this game to come tomorrow. You can see the full box score right here.

Game Ball: Jason Allen, CB, 11 tackles, 2 interceptions, 3 passes defensed

We've previewed the running game, the passing game, and talked with Purple Jesus Diaries about the Vikings. Now it's time to condense everything, and determine what three things need to happen for the Dolphins to pull off the upset in Minnesota and improve to 2-0 for the first time since 2002. By accomplishing a feat this team hasn't in eight years, against a team with Super Bowl aspirations, could the Dolphins finally be resurrected as one of the league's premiere franchises?

Of course, it would still be too early to tell, and the two games that will likely define them the most will come in Weeks 3 and 4, against the Jets and Patriots on national television. But nonetheless, beating the Vikings on the road, a team that hasn't lost at home since 2008, would be a great first step in the right direction, and the media would finally begin to buy into the Dolphins as a legitimate contender. Who cares what ESPN thinks, though. If you've watched this team over the past three years you know what they're capable of.

I mean, if they nearly beat the Colts and Saints last year without the new additions of Brandon Marshall, Karlos Dansby, and Mike Nolan, they are certainly capable of knocking off the Vikings tomorrow afternoon. There's a huge leap between being capable of and actually doing it, though. Thats the next step for the Dolphins. Will they finally take it in the Metrodome tomorrow? Here's what I think needs to happen for them to do just that.

Take the leash off Chad Henne
Last week, with the defense dominating and the running game pretty solid, Dan Henning was content letting Henne dink and dunk all game long, and didn't want to risk turning the ball over. That's not going to cut it against the Vikings. They're too good up front and offensively for that strategy to work. Henne needs to stretch the field early and often to open things up for the underneath stuff and the running game. I'm not saying they should go on a chucking spree, but developing Brandon Marshall and the rest of the receivers' routes further down field isn't too much to ask. It's totally achievable too, especially against the suspect secondary they will face tomorrow. Could this be Brandon Marshall's breakout game as a Dolphin? It would be just what the doctor ordered, and on paper, anyway, appears to be the most realistic scenario for a Miami upset.

Keep things even in the battle of the trenches
Winning the battle in the trenches on both sides of the ball would be great. But come on now, how realistic is that? The Vikings have one of the league's best front sevens on defense, and a powerful offensive line that leads the way for the one and only Adrian Peterson on offense. The Dolphins are solid up front on both sides, don't get me wrong. But they are still young and relatively unproven at a number of positions. Containing Adrian Peterson and getting Ronnie and Ricky a good 40 yards a piece seems like an achievable goal, and would surely keep this game competitive; up front anyway. Chad Henne could still blow it by turning the ball over, and the secondary could always revert back to their old Swiss cheese ways. But if the Dolphins can play stride for stride with the Vikings in the trenches, their chances will significantly improve.

Don't turn the ball over and force a takeaway or two
To beat a superior team, you need to protect the football and generate some takeaways of your own. The Dolphins didn't turn the ball over last week, but saw two golden opportunities to blow that game open go in and out of their hands. Benny Sapp and Jason Allen both dropped two likely pick sixes. One thing about Brett Favre, he's probably going to try to force a few passes. When he does, the Dolphins need to capitalize. An interception or two could generate a much needed extra score, but would at least likely give the offense some great field position to work with. Oh, and let's hope Peterson isn't quite over his fumbling issues yet.

It's that time of the week again. Time to hit the film room for a little study session before Sunday's game. Once again, all we have is highlights, so this lacks the depth of a realistic, NFL quality film study. Nevertheless, we can still pick up on some of the things the Dolphins and Vikings struggled with and had success with last week.

Week 1: Dolphins 15 Bills 10

Defensively, it's tough to re-watch that blown coverage, because the Dolphins played too well on defense to have given up a touchdown. They surrendered the fewest yardage in the entire league in Week 1, after all. The Dolphins need to play mistake free football against the Vikings to have a chance at pulling off the upset. A blown coverage like that, or any costly mistake for that matter, will make winning in the Metrodome a near impossible task.

Offensively, we saw just how conservative Dan Henning and Chad Henne were through the air. I mean, if you would have told me Brandon Marshall was going to catch eight passes, I would have probably guessed he would have had at least 100 yards. But 53? Come on, let the man get you some chunk yardage down the field. I know, if it wasn't for the Henne underthrow/Marshall drop on the one long ball, we wouldn't be having this discussion. But still, if the offensive line can protect for another split second, the Dolphins would be wise to develop Marshall's routes a good three to five more yards down field. That will do wonders for the running game, and eventually give the short receptions more yards after catch opportunities.

Week 1: Saints 14 Vikings 9

We saw the Saints test that questionable Vikings secondary early on. That led to a beautifully executed opening touchdown drive. But as that second half went on, it become clear how important it will be for the Dolphins to establish Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. I don't care who you are, Drew Brees or Chad Henne, you can't just line up a throw the ball on every down against any NFL secondary. You've got to keep them off balance, and make them respect both the run and the pass. The second-half was a different story. The Saints were able to retain the lead with a heavy dose of Pierre Thomas with a little Reggie Bush sprinkled in. Yes, they only managed to score 14 points, but it would have been a respectable 20 if it wasn't for a couple missed Brantley field goals.

On the other side of the ball, Adrian Peterson got his numbers, but Favre and the passing game really didn't look like it was clicking. Some may point to Favre being a little rusty, and maybe he is, but it looked like the Saints were bringing the heat. If the Dolphins can do the same, we should see Favre make a few poor decisions. It's what makes him great, but it's also the reason why he's thrown more interceptions than any other quarterback in the history of the game. Visanthe Shincoe is going to be tough to handle, though. Karlos Dansby, Chris Clemons, and maybe Benny Sapp will have their hands full all game long.