"End the half, end the game" has been Miami coach Joe Philbin's mantra, and on Sunday his team did just that, beating the Atlanta Falcons 27-23 in a statement comeback that took the Dolphins to 3-0 for the first time in 11 years.

Road wins against Cleveland and Indianapolis had raised the question as to whether the Dolphins were emerging as legitimate contenders for a playoff spot and in beating an Atlanta team that had made the postseason the past three years, Miami gave a firm affirmative answer.

"We've got a damn good football team," said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross as he left a locker room where the floor was covered with the ice cubes from a celebratory Gatorade shower.