INDIANAPOLIS -- Normally, NFL coaches hold their breath when they send in rookies. Dave Wannstedt might get his second consecutive AFC East title because of them.

	Chris Chambers celebrates with James McKnight after his game-winning touchdown.

Four rookies played huge roles in Miami's 27-24 victory Sunday over the Indianapolis Colts in the RCA Dome. Wide receiver Chris Chambers, the second-round draft choice, caught three passes for 113 yards, including 74- and 29-yard touchdowns. Halfback Travis Minor, one of two third-rounders drafted, broke the Dolphins out of a bottled-up running attack with a 56-yard touchdown run down the right sidelines to open a 7-3 lead in the first quarter.

Jamar Fletcher, a short but cocky first-round choice, replaced Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Madison in the second quarter. Madison suffered a third-degree dislocation of his right shoulder while intercepting a deep pass from Peyton Manning. Outside linebacker Morlon Greenwood, the other third-round choice, led some key blitzes that resulted in a Manning sack and had seven tackles to help limit the Colts' explosive offense to only 289 net yards.

"They bring a lot to the table," Dolphins defensive end Lorenzo Bromell said of the rookies. "They all do a great job. They don't play like rookies. They have to continue to do that. And we have to continue to play like this, and I think we will."

The play of Chambers, though, might be the most exciting to the franchise. He brings a much needed big-play option to the offense. For the season, he's averaging more than 20 yards a catch, but Sunday's game against the Colts was a breakthrough. He finally got into the end zone.

Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler has to buy time on deep passes by rolling out to his right. Chambers, a split end, usually draws single coverage on the left side of the field.

"The reason we can get him the balls on those big plays is that he is getting single coverage," Fiedler said. "Then it's a matter of how the defenders play him. He has the speed to just run by cornerbacks. I can have him go to the shoulder of a defender and throw behind him. If they play a hard inside technique, he can use his speed."

The Colts, however, at times didn't look as though they were giving him any coverage. Thomas Smith, a veteran cornerback, looked mismatched as Chambers darted by him for a 74-yard touchdown in the second quarter. His 29-yard game-winner, though, was a matter of smarts. Colts safety Chad Cota didn't realize that the defense called for two-deep zone so he was stuck in the middle of the field.

Chambers recognized once he got past cornerback David Macklin that Cota was out of position so he knew he had an easy 29-yard trot to the end zone.

Fletcher covered mostly Terrence Wilkins or Reggie Wayne or Jerome Pathon and never allowed any of them to catch a pass longer than 12 yards. Madison might have to miss a month or so with his dislocated shoulder.

"I thought I played well," Fletcher said. "I've got a lot of things to change. I was around the ball and made a few plays. As soon as I come in, I think they are going to throw at me. I know the time was going to come so I had to be ready."

The surprise of the group, though, was Minor, who had 71 yards on seven carries. He brought a much-needed quickness to a struggling running game.

In recent weeks, the Dolphins had become very predictable with their running attack. Lamar Smith takes the first-down handoffs and usually is stopped for virtually no gain. Despite that, they keep running the same inside plays to a point where Smith's rushing average fell to 2.9 yards a carry.

Against the Colts, he still averaged 2.9 yards an attempt, but his 18-yard run ended some frustration in the final minutes of the game. Smith caught the Colts' defensive line in a stunt and bolted through for the gain that got his totals to 53 yards on 18 carries.

"I needed that one," Smith said. "I just have to be patient. The past couple of weeks have been tough for me. I just have to keep getting those 2- and 3-yard runs and don't second guess myself. I'm just trying to find a soft spot against eight defenders in the box."

Minor's explosiveness allowed the Dolphins to finish with 134 yards rushing and a 4.8 yard average.

Officially upset
Colts coach Jim Mora wasn't happy with the officiating. He complained that Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain held receiver Marvin Harrison's jersey on several occasions and didn't get a call. He said Harrison wrestled an interception from the hands of cornerback Sam Madison in the first half. A replay challenge didn't alter that call either.

"I thought the officiating was below average," Mora said. "I'll get a fine for that, but I don't give a damn."

A second time in the postgame press conference he complained about the officials and said, "They'll go home tomorrow and show up for another job."

Finger follies
Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor had the worst time getting a dislocated ring finger reset. Trainers spent more than 15 minutes tugging on the finger, which fell out of the socket and was dangling from the joint. They even had to take him into the locker room to shoot up the injury and put it in place.

"It was ugly, but I'm a baby with those things, whining and crying," Taylor said. "It's a little hard playing defensive end if you can only use one hand. A defensive back can put a cast on it and play the game. But it took 15 to 20 minutes to get it back in."

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.