by By Mike Triplett, Staff writer , Times-Picayune

Miller and Coach Sean Payton said they won't know the full severity until he has an MRI exam today. Miller added he's a "fast healer." But the body language of Miller and his teammates indicated he's preparing for the worst.

A severed tendon would end Miller's season and possibly jeopardize the 32-year-old's career.

"I've got good strength now, so hopefully it's not as bad as it could be," said Miller, who said he felt like he was kicked in the back of the heel until he realized there was nobody around him on the field.

Miller was visibly upset on the sideline before being carted off to the locker room, and several teammates came over to console him, including quarterback Drew Brees and tight end Jeremy Shockey.

After the game, teammates gushed with praise for Miller. Linebacker Scott Fujita called him "one of my favorite teammates of all time."

If Miller is out for a substantial period, it would put a big dent in the Saints' depth at tight end. They already lost veteran Dan Campbell to a season-ending knee injury during training camp. And veteran Darnell Dinkins has missed much of the preseason with ankle and foot injuries, leaving Shockey and Buck Ortega as the only experienced options.

Miller has been with the Saints since 2006, serving as a reliable fill-in when the veterans ahead of him on the depth chart have gone down with injuries. Miller said a minor knee injury that held him out for about two weeks earlier this training camp was the most significant setback of his 10-year career.

In 43 games with the Saints , including the playoffs, Miller has 94 receptions for 1,131 yards and three touchdowns.

HARPER'S HEROICS: Preseason sensation Rod Harper struggled for three quarters Thursday night, jeopardizing his roster status. But then he made an impressive closing argument in the fourth quarter.

Harper returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown, his second in three weeks. He made a quick move to shake the first defender after a low line-drive punt and took off from there.

The first-year receiver, whom the Saints plucked out of the af2 arena Football league, also made two nice catches on a late fourth-quarter drive that ended with a punt.

"I felt like I made some plays (in the preseason). Obviously the two returns were pretty good, but really at the end of camp you never feel like you made enough plays," said Harper, who lamented the fact that he struggled on offense early in Thursday's game. "Hopefully in their eyes, I made enough of them."

Earlier in the game, Harper had dropped one pass and didn't catch up to another, and he failed to generate much of anything on his other six punt returns/fair catches. But Payton made a reference earlier this week to a kickoff returner who secured a job in the final preseason game with the New York Giants in 1999 -- Bashir Levingston, who returned a kickoff 45 yards for a touchdown.

BUBBLE WATCH: Among some other players teetering on the roster brink as the Saints approach Saturday's cut-down deadline:

-- If tailback Lynell Hamilton was still on the bubble, he appeared to burst through it with authority Thursday night. He gained 122 yards from scrimmage, including gains of 43 yards and 20 yards on screen passes, before calling it a night at halftime.

-- Rookie tailbacks P.J. Hill and Herb Donaldson gave pedestrian performances, running for 15 yards and 24 yards.

-- Kickoff returner Courtney Roby also appeared to solidify a roster spot with three returns for 71 yards. He had a 42-yard return that was called back because of a holding penalty against backup offensive lineman Nate Bennett.

-- Undrafted rookie linebacker Jonathan Casillas made a sensational play in the fourth quarter. With the Dolphins backed up near their own goal line, Casillas anticipated a one-step drop by quarterback Pat White and jumped up to deflect the pass.

-- Third-string quarterback Joey Harrington was sacked eight times, but mostly because he was playing behind a third-string offensive line. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 115 yards. But his evaluation was probably complete before Thursday's final audition.

-- Second-year defensive tackle DeMario Pressley stuffed runner Patrick Cobbs for a 1-yard loss in the fourth quarter.

-- Receiver Adrian Arrington caught a pass for 36 yards in the fourth quarter, but it was nullified by tackle Michael Brown's holding penalty. Arrington didn't catch another pass.

KICKING HIGHS, LOWS: Rookie punter Thomas Morstead had his best performance to date. He averaged 47.6 yards on seven punts, including a long of 63 yards. When his punts weren't long, they were high with an impressive hang time. As a result, the Dolphins didn't return a single punt.

"I thought he punted extremely well tonight," Payton said. "He looked outstanding. That was probably one of the bigger pluses coming out of the evening."

Morstead also kicked off once in the second half, something he said he's never done before, even in college.

"That was one of the biggest adrenaline rushes I've ever had, because I've never done that," said Morstead, whose line drive kick reached the goal line but didn't have much air under it.

Kicker John Carney missed a 34-yard field-goal attempt, wide right, before halftime. He made the kick on his first attempt, but the Dolphins called a timeout before the ball was snapped. Payton said Carney took the blame for missing the kick, but that he felt Carney has been performing consistently well in recent practices. Carney also attempted one kickoff to start the second half, and it landed at the 10-yard line.

ROSTER NOTES: The Saints rested several starters due to both injuries and precaution. These players did not play Thursday: Quarterback Drew Brees, tailbacks Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, receiver Marques Colston, tight ends Jeremy Shockey and Darnell Dinkins, left tackle Jammal Brown, defensive end Charles Grant, safeties Usama Young and Chip Vaughn and kicker Garrett Hartley.

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