The decision makers at NBC are looking brilliant now.

Which is more than can be said for the Miami Dolphins.

It seemed a bit odd last week when NBC decided to dump the Patriots-Dolphins game scheduled for Sunday night, Dec. 6, in Miami and replace it with Minnesota at Arizona, pushing the Pats game from prime time to 1 in the afternoon.

Had the Dolphins won this afternoon at Buffalo, and New England lost tomorrow night to the undefeated Saints in New Orleans, then their meeting next Sunday would have been for first place in the AFC East.

But that's not the case now. Not after Miami, which led, 14-7, after three quarters at Buffalo, got blown out in the fourth quarter and wound up losing, 31-14.

The 24 points scored by the Bills in the final period are more than they'd scored in an entire game -- repeat, an entire game -- since Week Two, when they beat the Bucs.

Now, regardless of whether the Patriots can hand the Saints their first loss tomorrow night, the Pats can pretty much wrap up the division title by beating the Dolphins in Miami next Sunday.