updated 3:34 p.m. ET Dec. 9, 2008

DAVIE, Fla. - The man with the familiar frown and fishy nickname observes practices from the sideline and games from a skybox. He brainstorms with his staff, spends hours studying film and prods players in private. He arrives for work early but, at 67, sometimes calls it a day around early-bird-special time.

And while Bill Parcells goes about his business quietly, the Miami Dolphins’ 8-5 record speaks volumes: Their first-year football czar might be having the best season of anyone in the NFL.

A year ago this week, the Dolphins were 0-13. Five days before Christmas they hired Parcells as executive vice president of football operations, and the franchise has been on the rise ever since.

The Dolphins are 6-1 since late October, and no team has a better record over that span. They’re tied with the Patriots and Jets for first place in the AFC East, and if the Dolphins sweep their final three games, they’re assured of making the playoffs for the first time since 2001.

While they’ve benefited from an easy schedule, it’s nonetheless a remarkable turnaround by a team still stinging from the derision that came with last year’s 1-15 record.

“When I go to the mall, people come up and ask for my autograph,” linebacker Matt Roth says. “Before they would head in the other direction.”

The Dolphins’ new direction is due largely to Parcells, who has reinforced his reputation as a revivalist to rival Joel Osteen. As a coach, the Tuna took over losing teams with the Giants, Patriots, Jets and Cowboys and transformed them into winners.

In Miami, Parcells first brought in general manager Jeff Ireland, who acquired the 29 newcomers on the 53-man roster. Next Parcells hired another protege, Tony Sparano, the Dolphins’ fifth coach in five years and a strong contender for coach of the year.

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A rookie coach might feel diminished by Parcells’ presence, but Sparano says he solicits the help of his boss.

“I know exactly what Bill Parcells wants,” Sparano says. “I’m pretty sure that’s why I’m in this seat. And I’m pretty sure he knows exactly what he got.

“There’s a great trust there. Obviously, having someone like Bill Parcells 20 yards down the hall is tremendous for me. I’m sure any young coach in my situation would love that ability to have somebody like him with that kind of knowledge in the building to bounce ideas off.”

One idea that accelerated the Dolphins’ recovery was to sign Parcells’ former quarterback, Chad Pennington, who was waived by the Jets in August to make room for Brett Favre. As Miami’s 13th starting QB since the retirement of Dan Marino, Pennington has undergone a revival of his own, answering doubts about his arm strength and durability with the best season of his nine-year career.

Pennington says the Dolphins’ success is a reflection of the cohesion between Parcells, Sparano and Ireland.

“It’s a good dynamic,” Pennington says. “These guys have done an excellent job preparing us and bringing in the right people and making sure that all of us as players understand what this thing is about and what they’re about.”

Parcells’ primary role has been to the guide personnel decisions, but he also offers the coaching staff tips on things he sees on film, in practice or even in warmups.

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