Strange times.

And for the Dolphins and investment banks, new life.

After the putrid 31-10 loss at Arizona on Sept. 14, the Dolphins' Channing Crowder and Vonnie Holliday sounded like delusional optimists.

''Hey, the Giants started 0-2 last year and they won the Super Bowl,'' they said.

Was Crowder trying out his latest punch line?

But now, after Sunday's 38-13 befuddlement of the Patriots, the Dolphins have something they have lacked for years: Hope.

And with surprises popping up all over the league, who knows what the Dolphins might accomplish if they get on a roll in the upside-down NFL.

They remain among the longest of shots, but confidence works in mysterious ways.

For the first time in a long time Monday, players watched game highlights in the locker room and didn't turn the TV off.

A BUILDING BLOCK

Was the upset in Foxborough, Mass., a fluke? Was it simply an anomaly that the Dolphins, who had lost 20 of 21, dazed the three-time Super Bowl champs, who had won 21 consecutive home games? Only time will tell, but the thoroughness of the beating lends credence to the Dolphins' belief that it was a milestone. It confirms Bill Parcells' status as makeover man. It gives coach Tony Sparano credibility as an agent of change. It renews the buzz about Ronnie Brown's potential.

Brown, proving he has recovered from the injury that cut his 2007 season short, ran for four touchdowns and threw for a fifth as centerpiece of the wacky ''Wildcat'' offense.

Even wackier, the college spread option package was rehearsed for the first time since training camp just four days before the game. The scheme, in which running back Brown took the snap in a shotgun formation, was designed by quarterbacks coach David Lee at the University of Arkansas to take advantage of the talents of Darren McFadden.

Sparano and Lee discussed using the ''Wildcat'' on the plane ride home from Arizona. An act of desperation or genius? Against the Patriots, the strategy worked again and again and again and again. Don't expect it to be as effective against San Diego in two weeks. The element of surprise is gone.

But for one memorable afternoon, NFL rookie coach Sparano, whose only former head coaching job was at the University of New Haven, flummoxed the dour mastermind Bill Belichick.

The Patriots had an excuse on offense, with Matt Cassel playing for the injured Tom Brady, but defense has always been Belichick's pet project. Chaos reigned on New England's side of the line as Patriots yelled to each other to move or change coverages. It was like a backyard pickup game. The Pats couldn't adjust. Even after they were fooled three times, Brown took the snap again and broke free for a 62-yard touchdown run, showing he has his burst back.

''It was like playing hide and go seek, making them guess,'' Brown said.

Not only did the Dolphins win, but they won in compelling style. They demonstrated they have personality -- another aspect of the franchise that has been missing. Linebacker Joey Porter finally put his muscle where his mouth was, recording three sacks, forcing a fumble and baiting New England fans. The defensive line, led by Randy Starks, pressured Cassel all afternoon. And Miami's secondary, worst in the NFL going into the game, made Randy Moss and Wes Welker insignificant.

The offense, which had regressed after the 1-15 season, was pure pizazz. The line paved the way for 216 rushing yards and did not yield a sack. Quarterback Chad Pennington showed why he is respected as one of the smartest in the NFL with 17 completions to eight different receivers. Who needs arm strength when you have diversity? The dynamic duo of Brown and Ricky Williams combined for 211 rushing yards; the Dolphins had gained just 121 in the first two games combined.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves because the Dolphins aren't. They came off the field in Foxborough exuding calm pride, not the jubilant relief and desperate high-fiving of last year's face-saving defeat of Baltimore.

''It was one game, but we want to get used to being there,'' Sparano said.

ISSUES REMAIN

The Dolphins have the exact number of wins they had all of last season: One. They have lots of issues. Just last week they looked inept against Arizona, a team that last made the playoffs in 1998. They have San Diego on Oct. 5. The receivers and defensive backs could revert to awful form. A Pennington-Chad Henne quarterback controversy could ignite down the road. A total turnaround is unlikely given the work to be done.

But after beating the Patriots and their smug coach, the Dolphins are no longer the joke of the NFL. That makes this team worth watching.

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