After a week in which he praised his starting middle linebackers, Dolphins coach Tony Sparano got a solid performance from his interior defense against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday night at Land Shark Stadium.

Starting inside linebackers Channing Crowder and Akin Ayodele stymied running back DeAngelo Williams when he tried to rush in between the tackles.

Phillip Merling moved well laterally and stuffed running plays better than starting left end Kendall Langford.

``Those guys played big inside for us, keeping [Carolina] out of the end zone,'' Sparano said at halftime.

The Panthers offense had no success against the Dolphins until Williams bounced outside on a 25-yard run for a touchdown in the first quarter to tie the score at 7.

While first-stringers stayed in, Carolina continued to exploit an inexperienced secondary on comeback and out routes.

SURPRISE SUBSTITUTE

When rookie third-string quarterback Pat White entered the game for starter Chad Pennington at the eight-minute mark in the second quarter, he drew some raised eyebrows from Dolphins fans who expected to see backup Chad Henne.

But Sparano said the substitution pattern was by design and does not indicate a change in the depth chart. Sparano used the second half to allow Henne to gel with fellow youngsters Patrick Turner, Ted Ginn Jr. and Brian Hartline.

White showed an erratic arm but moved the Dolphins well with his feet in his seven plays under center. Pennington took 18 snaps during three drives and lined up three times at receiver in the Wildcat formation, once passing deep to Patrick Cobbs out of the receiver spot on a reverse.

CATCHING ON

With 6:21 remaining in the first half, White found Greg Camarillo on a screen pass for Camarillo's first catch since he had surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament sustained last season in a Week 12 loss to the Patriots. Camarillo caught a 5-yard pass over the middle on the next play and finished with two catches for 4 yards.

Camarillo, who is second on the depth chart behind Davone Bess, led the Dolphins in receptions per game in 2008, breaking out for a career-high 55 catches in 11 games. He started all 11 games.

THIS AND THAT

• Despite a sore toe, linebacker Joey Porter started and played most of the first half, along with fellow pass rusher Jason Taylor.

Porter and Taylor missed practice time last week -- Porter because of his toe and Taylor because of a family illness that required him to leave town Thursday and Friday.

• Lionel Dotson, the third-string right end behind Randy Starks and Tony McDaniel, might have made his case for a roster spot Saturday.

Dotson, in his second year out of Arizona, was a force against Carolina's offensive line in the second half. Dotson nearly had a safety in the fourth quarter, when he collapsed the pocket.

• When Bess went to the bench, the Dolphins lined up with Ginn and Hartline, forming an all-Ohio State pass-catching tandem.

Ginn was thrown to twice but did not make a catch. Hartline caught a tough 8-yard pass across the middle just short of the goal line.