Dolphins coach Nick Saban reiterated his preference for a two-back system, and Ricky Williams, coming off a 172-yard outing against the Titans, said he would be fine with sharing the backfield with rookie Ronnie Brown again next season. "I like Ronnie," said Williams, who has 635 yards on 140 carries, less than half his career average of 318 carries a season. "I find myself out there rooting for Ronnie, not ever wishing I was in there, but excited to see him run and be in there. "This part of my career I don't play for numbers. I don't play for anything except it's my job to play. I could be happy doing whatever, if I was on special teams, if I was on the bench, anything I would do." Williams, 28, also said that the $8.6 million federal judgment hanging over his head for breaching his contract last year is no factor in his decision in wanting to return to the Dolphins and that he'd be quite content in making the league-minimum $545,000 next season. "Five-hundred thousand dollars is plenty of money," said Williams, who made approximately $285,000 this season after eight weeks of pay was taken out because of his four-game suspension and fines. "I don't think I could sit here and tell you that's not enough money. It'd be kind of foolish when I grew up with my mom who had three kids and did it by herself on $50,000. "[Money] never has been an [issue] and I don't think it ever will." It's believed that Williams could wriggle out of his contract and become a free agent by declaring bankruptcy to void the $8.6 million judgment. Williams, who has three children by three different women, doesn't think he'll have to go that route, but he's certainly not afraid to. "I brought the situation on myself so I have to deal with it," he said. "I don't need to file bankruptcy. Even if that [happened], that's not so bad. I can't see things going in a way that I'm going to be put out by it. "As for my kids, they're stuck with me. Kids don't need money, they're happy. Their moms aren't as happy."

With a talented rookie running back in Ronnie Brown set to have an even bigger 2006 season, the Dolphins must now assess what they are going to do with another talented running back, Ricky Williams, who has proven he can run in the NFL after gaining 172 yards on 26 carries Saturday against the Titans. ''He's different as a runner, but he's still great,'' an NFL executive said Saturday after watching Williams. ``He's not a great power runner anymore. He's OK at that. Where he gets you is that his speed is so good to the outside now that he's going to get a lot of yards out there.'' If the Dolphins choose to deal Williams this offseason -- an idea the team and Williams would like to pursue, for different reasons -- the only way to get proper value for Williams might be built around delayed gratification.

For the second home game in a row, a finger injury left Miami Dolphins quarterback Gus Frerotte watching his team's fourth-quarter comeback from the sideline. Frerotte aggravated a sprained index finger on his throwing hand Sunday against the New York Jets. Sage Rosenfels replaced Frerotte to start the second half and led Miami to two touchdowns in the final 14 minutes, including the go-ahead score on a 50-yard pass to Marty Booker. The Dolphins won 24-20. Frerotte was hurt trying to make a tackle after he threw an interception on the Dolphins' final offensive play of the first half. He said his status for the next game against Tennessee is uncertain. "I came out after the half and couldn't really throw the ball like I wanted to," Frerotte said. "Sage did a heck of a job for us."

LaDainian Tomlinson didn't practice again on Thursday due to bruised ribs but still plans to play in San Diego's home game against Miami on Sunday. Tomlinson plans to practice on Friday, when there will be less contact. "I was able to run, but that was about it," said Tomlinson, who came out of Sunday's 34-10 win over the Oakland Raiders with the injury, but then returned. "I just don't want to take a chance and be out there and have somebody bump into me and re-aggravate it," said Tomlinson, who also didn't practice on Wednesday. "It's on its way to healing and I don't want to slow the process down at all." The Chargers (8-4) have won five straight.