The Miami Dolphins continue to hold onto 1st place in the AFC East, and after beating the Las Vegas Raiders 20-13 in Week 11, they maintain a 1 1/2-game over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.

Mike McDaniel's team is seemingly on its way to a division title, but the head coach has more than the AFC East crown on his wish list. The Dolphins started the season in an explosive manner, demonstrating the most exciting offense in the NFL.

They had a 36-point effort in the season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers and followed with a 24-point effort on the road against a defensively sound Patriots team. Then came the most notable effort of the season — by the Dolphins or any team. The offense was unstoppable in a 70-20 victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 3.

False promise in the rout of the Broncos

While no team could possibly be expected to mount a similar effort on a regular basis, the Dolphins offense has not come close to a high-powered offense in their most recent games. They have been held to 20 points or less in 3 of their last 4 games, and questions have to be asked if the Miami offense can get back to its previous level.

Miami still has the top-ranked offense in the league, but much of that is the result of the 726-yard effort against the Broncos.

In many ways, the Dolphins ranking on offense and the Broncos ranking on defense are based on that monumental game. The Broncos are still ranked dead-last in yards allowed per game, but they are not playing like it.

The Broncos have won 4 games in a row, and their defense has been largely responsible. They are not the worst defense in the league — just as it seems the Dolphins are no longer the most dominant offense in the league.

That's a major concern for this team. Despite the presence of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Raheem Mostert, the offense has slowed a bit. It's up to McDaniel and offensive coordinator Frank Smith to get the team back to a high-functioning level.

Defense steps up vs. Raiders while the offense slowed

When the Dolphins lined up against the Raiders, it appeared to be an opportunity for the offense to strike it rich once again. While the Raiders have picked up their level of play under new coach Antonio Pierce, they simply didn't have the speed on defense that the Dolphins demonstrated on offense.

Tagovailoa got the passing game going against the Raiders by throwing for 325 yards and the running game contributed 99 yards. However, the Dolphins scored just 2 touchdowns, and that left the Dolphins in a vulnerable position. The Raiders could have tied things up in the 4th quarter.

The Raiders had 4 possessions after Miami had extended the lead to 7 points, but the Miami defense refused to let the Raiders get any closer. At the same time, the Dolphins had three possessions that ended in punts.

Upcoming schedule gives Dolphins a chance to regain swagger

The Dolphins go to Met Life Stadium on Black Friday to take on a Jets team that is known for its defense but has struggled badly on offense.

The New York defense should provide a major test for the offense, and if Tagovailoa, Hill and Mostert can do some damage, it should rejuvenate that unit. After facing the Jets, the Dolphins should have a chance to light up the scoreboard against the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans before hosting the Jets again in Week 15.

The Dolphins have seen some improvement from their defense, and they have a couple of impact players in linebackers Bradley Chubb and Andrew Van Ginkel. Chubb has 45 tackles, 6.0 sacks and 4 forced fumbles, while Van Ginkel has 40 tackles and 4.0 sacks. Cornerback Jalen Ramsey is a game-changing player who excels in coverage and has 3 interceptions in 3 games.

Reaching the heights

A look at the AFC reveals that nearly all of the powers in the conference have problems. The defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are not operating at a high level on offense, the Browns are almost devoid of offensive firepower following Deshaun Watson's trip to IR and the same can be said of the Bengals. The Bills have become one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL despite their talent.

The Ravens may be the best team in the AFC, but they have been beaten by the Colts, Steelers and Browns.

The point is the Dolphins don't have to take a back seat to any of those teams. The defense is improving, but the offense needs to get back to its best level. If that can happen, there may be no limit to what Miami can achieve this season.