Browns at Dolphins
Coming off his sixth career 300-yard passing game, Chad Henne looks to keep the slim playoff hopes of the Miami Dolphins alive on Sunday when they host the Cleveland Browns in an AFC interdivisional matchup.
Henne, who has at least temporarily returned to the starting lineup, came back from a one-game absence due to a knee injury and threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns as Miami (6-5) set season highs for points, rushing yards (186) and total yards (471) in a 33-17 road victory over the Oakland Raiders last week.
Miami improved its road record to 5-1 despite leading receiver Brandon Marshall missing the game with a hamstring injury. Oakland native Davone Bess, who leads the AFC with 24 receptions on third down, is coming off his second 100-yard receiving game of his career last week.
Marshall returned to practice on Wednesday but it was his first workout in 13 days.
The Dolphins come into the week trailing the New York Jets and New England Patriots by three games in the AFC East. Both teams are 9-2 and face off at New England on Monday night.
Miami has the easiest remaining home schedule in the NFL, with its three opponents posting an 8-25 overall record.
The Dolphins have the No. 6-ranked defense in the NFL and are coming off a strong effort against the Raiders. Miami held Oakland, ranked No. 5 in rushing, to only 16 yards on the ground.
A similar performance will likely be needed to contain Cleveland running back Peyton Hillis, who is coming off a 131-yard, three-TD performance in a 24-23 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Hillis is fourth in the league in yards from scrimmage with 1,319 and tied for second in the NFL with 13 touchdowns, including 11 rushing. The former Denver Bronco needs 95 rushing yards to reach 1,000 on the season.
Last week, Hillis joined Jim Brown and Leroy Kelly as the only Browns running backs to rush for a touchdown in eight games in a single season. With six catches for 63 yards, Hillis joined Marshall Faulk as the only players in NFL history to record at least 130 rushing yards, three rushing TDs, six catches and 60 receiving yards in a single game.
Last week marked the first appearance at quarterback since Oct. 10 for Cleveland's Jake Delhomme, who completed 24 of 35 passes for 245 yards but was intercepted twice. Delhomme has been picked off 24 times in his last 14 games dating to last season with Carolina.
Delhomme's status as starter depends on the health of rookie Colt McCoy, who suffered a high ankle sprain in a 24-20 loss at Jacksonville two weeks ago. McCoy, who missed last week's contest, didn't practice on Wednesday or Thursday.
Cleveland rookie cornerback Joe Haden is the first Browns' player with an interception in three consecutive games in his first season since Bernie Parrish in 1959.
The Browns (4-7), who are 1-4 on the road, can match last season's win total with a victory.
With a 6-7 all-time record against the Dolphins, Cleveland is looking for its first victory in Miami since 1970. Miami is 6-2 in its last eight games against the Browns, who trail the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers by four games in the AFC North.