Patriots vs. Dolphins: 5 Miami Players That Could Lead Shocking Upset

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Heading into tonight's double-header of Monday Night Football, it's clear that the New England Patriots are a heavy favorite to take down the Miami Dolphins.

But that doesn't necessarily mean they will.

No matter how much the odds may be stacked in favor of either team, this AFC East rivalry has been known for producing surprising nail-biters, and here are five players who could lead the Dolphins to a nationally televised upset.

Reggie Bush

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Based on the track record of Reggie Bush's career, it's fair to call this a bold prediction. However, the Patriots are plugging in plenty of new faces on their defensive line and Bush's quickness could become an issue for the new editions.

The new Dolphin will see the majority of touches with Daniel Thomas' injury lingering and will be sure to factor into the receiving game.

The former USC Trojan has been telling anyone who will listen his want to become an every down back, and there's no better stage like Monday night to make his case.

Chad Henne

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Much of a team's success in any given game relies somewhat on the play of their quarterback under center.

With the rumors of a Kyle Orton trade in the works, Chad Henne may not be the guy the 'Phins wanted to lead their offense this year, but he's their only choice.

It's a make or break year for the former Michigan Wolverine and don't think he doesn't realize that. So, a quality performance against one of his team's top rivals would put some confidence in the Miami front office.

We saw Rex Grossman and Matt Hasselbeck turn in impressive performances yesterday, and Henne will look to follow in their footsteps tonight en route to a huge upset.

Brandon Marshall

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If Henne is going to put in this Grossman-esque performance tonight, he'll need to lean heavily on his No. 1 receiver, Brandon Marshall.

Marshall and his quarterback will look to exploit the NFL's 30th ranked pass defense from 2010 who is now without Brandon Meriweather.

In two games against New England last year, the former Denver Bronco posted a combined 10 receptions for 147 yards with no touchdowns.

Tonight, Marshall will look to score against New England for the first time as a Dolphin and post similarly stellar receiving yards.

Cameron Wake

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Did you know that last season, Miami posted the 6th best defense in the entire NFL?

Well, part of their defensive success last year was due in large part to the breakout season linebacker Cameron Wake put together.

Wake had 14 sacks on the year in 2010, just a sack and a half behind DeMarcus Ware's league-leading 15.5.

The Detroit Lions showed in the preseason what can happen when you harass Tom Brady frequently, and tonight the former British Columbia Lions' linebacker will look to build off Detroit's blueprint.

Dan Carpenter

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As we saw last night, games can be won and lost with one swift kick through the uprights.

The Dolphins would love to find themselves in the same position the New York Jets were at the end of the Sunday night game, considering their kicker Dan Carpenter is the second most accurate kicker in NFL history.

The 'Phins don't have to get their elite kicker inside the 30-yard line to guarantee a field goal either, considering Carpenter banged one in against the Cleveland Browns last year from 60 yards away. He now holds the Dolphins' team record for longest kick ever made.

If Miami finds themselves in a position to win the game on a late fourth-quarter drive, there is a fair chance their kicker can deliver the winning three points.