2011 Miami Dolphins season
Encyclopedia
The 2011
Miami Dolphins
season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League
, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano
. The Dolphins made their first round selection with the 15th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft
on Florida
offensive lineman Mike Pouncey
.
, a left tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers who won the 2010 Outland Trophy
as the nation's top collegiate interior lineman, and was a Consensus All-American. Charles Davis of NFL.com predicted they would draft Mark Ingram, Jr.
from the University of Alabama.
joins the team as offensive coordinator
. Karl Dorrell
moves to quarter backs coach from wide receivers coach. Jeff Nixon
added as the running backs coach. Steve Bush
moves to wide receivers coach from offensive quality control. Ike Hilliard
added as an assistant wide receivers coach. Dan Campbell
moves to tight ends coach from intern. Bryan Cox
is added as a defensive pass rush coach.
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
Head coach Tony Sparano
decided that the special teams captain would be selected on week to week basis.
* Indicates that the TV broadcast was delayed due to insufficient ticket sales.
LEGEND:
in the first game of Monday Night Football
's doubleheader. Miami delivered the game's opening splash with a 9-yard touchdown run from quarterback Chad Henne
. The Patriots answered with running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
getting a 4-yard touchdown run. New England took the lead in the second quarter as quarterback Tom Brady
completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski
.
The Dolphins struck back in the third quarter as Henne found wide receiver Brian Hartline
on a 10-yard touchdown pass, but New England came right back with Brady completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker
. Miami replied with a 20-yard field goal from kicker Dan Carpenter
, but the Patriots came right back with Brady completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
. New England added onto their in the fourth quarter as kicker Stephen Gostkowski
got a 20-yard field goal, followed by Brady completing a 99-yard touchdown pass to Welker. The Dolphins would close out the game with Henne finding running back Reggie Bush
on a 2-yard touchdown pass.
With the loss, Miami began their season at 0-1.
. Miami trailed early in the first quarter as Bills kicker Dave Rayner
made a 30-yard field goal, yet the Dolphins immediately answered with quaterback Matt Moore
finding tight end Anthony Fasano
on a 1-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 5-yard touchdown run from running back Reggie Bush
. Miami would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Moore connecting with fullback Charles Clay
on a 12-yard touchdown pass, followed by wide receiver Davone Bess
on a 4-yard touchdown pass. Buffalo would close out the half with Rayner booting a 56-yard field goal.
The Dolphins continued their dominating day in the third quarter with running back Lex Hilliard
recovering a blocked punt in the endzone for a touchdown (the team's first TD off of a blocked punt since 1990). The Bills tried to rally as linebacker Kelvin Sheppard
tackled rookie running back Daniel Thomas
in the endzone for a safety, but Miami's lead proved to be too much to overcome.
With the win, the Dolphins improved to 3-7.
This game also marked the first time since 1990 that Miami allowed 10 points or fewer in three-straight games.
They have now become the 3rd team in NFL History to win 3 straight after starting season at least 0-7 ('78 Cardinals & '86 Colts).
Coming off their win over the Bills, the Dolphins flew to Cowboys Stadium for a Week 12 interconference duel with the Dallas Cowboys
on Thanksgiving. Miami delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Shayne Graham
, but the Cowboys answered in the second quarter with kicker Dan Bailey
getting a 32-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Tony Romo
completing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Laurent Robinson
. The Dolphins would close out the half with a 28-yard field goal from Graham.
Miami would regain the lead in the third quarter with a 27-yard field goal from Graham, followed by quarterback Matt Moore
fiding wide receiver Brandon Marshall
on a 35-yard field goal. Dallas struck back in the fourth quarter with Romo completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Robinson. The Dolphins would reply with a 23-yard field goal from Graham, but the Cowboys got the last laugh with Bailey nailing the game-winning 28-yard field goal.
With the loss, Miami fell to 3-8.
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano
Tony Sparano
Anthony "Tony" Sparano III is an American Football head coach of the Miami Dolphins. At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night...
. The Dolphins made their first round selection with the 15th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft
2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
on Florida
Florida Gators football
The Florida Gators football team represents the University of Florida in the sport of American football. The Florida Gators compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletics Association and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference...
offensive lineman Mike Pouncey
Mike Pouncey
James Michael "Mike" Pouncey is an American football center for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for Florida....
.
2011 NFL draft
DraftKing.com, NFLMocks.com, and The Palm Beach Post predicted that the Dolphins would use their first round pick to choose Gabe CarimiGabe Carimi
Gabe Carimi , nicknamed "The Bear Jew", is an American football offensive tackle for the Chicago Bears.Carimi had 49 starts at left tackle in his four-year Wisconsin Badgers college career, which culminated at the 2011 Rose Bowl. He was awarded the 2010 Outland Trophy, as the nation's top...
, a left tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers who won the 2010 Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
as the nation's top collegiate interior lineman, and was a Consensus All-American. Charles Davis of NFL.com predicted they would draft Mark Ingram, Jr.
Mark Ingram, Jr.
Mark Ingram, Jr. is a running back for the New Orleans Saints. Ingram is the son of former NFL wide receiver Mark Ingram, Sr....
from the University of Alabama.
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Height | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Mike Pouncey Mike Pouncey James Michael "Mike" Pouncey is an American football center for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for Florida.... |
C Center (American football) Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense... /G Guard (American football) In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team.... |
Florida 2010 Florida Gators football team The 2010 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2010 college football season... |
6'5" | 303 | |
| 2 | 62 | Daniel Thomas Daniel Thomas (American football) Daniel Thomas is a running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats football team.-High school:... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
Kansas State 2010 Kansas State Wildcats football team The 2010 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, in Manhattan, Kansas as they have done since 1968. It was the 115th season in school history... |
6' | 230 | |
| 4 | 111 | Edmond Gates Edmond Gates Edmond "Clyde" Gates is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. Gates was drafted by the Dolphins as the 111th overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft.-Early years:... |
WR Wide receiver A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible... |
Abilene Christian | 6'1" | 192 | |
| 6 | 174 | Charles Clay Charles Clay (American football) Charles Clay is an American football fullback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tulsa.Clay was an ultra productive pass catching fullback in Tulsa's spread offense... |
FB/TE Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... |
Tulsa 2010 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team The 2010 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represents the University of Tulsa in the 2010 college football season. The Golden Hurricane, led by fourth-year head coach Todd Graham, were members of Conference USA in the West Division and played their home games at Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman... |
6'3" | 235 | |
| 7 | 231 | Frank Kearse Frank Kearse Frank Kearse is an American football nose tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama A&M.... |
DT | Alabama A&M Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, also known as Alabama A&M University or AAMU, is a public, historically black university, Land-grant university located in Normal, Madison County, Alabama.... |
6'4" | 315 | |
| 7 | 235 | Jimmy Wilson Jimmy Wilson (American football) Jimmy Wilson is an American football cornerback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Montana. He started the preseason with #35 and picked up #25 with the departure of... |
CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
Montana Montana Grizzlies football The Montana Grizzlies football program represents the University of Montana in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision of college football. The Grizzlies have competed in the Big Sky Conference, where it is a founding member, since 1963... |
5'11" | 185 |
Personnel changes
Brian DabollBrian Daboll
Brian Daboll is the current American football offensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.-Early years:...
joins the team as offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
. Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell
Karl Dorrell is a football coach, currently an assistant coach with the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He was previously the head coach of the UCLA Bruins, the first African American head football coach in the school's history...
moves to quarter backs coach from wide receivers coach. Jeff Nixon
Jeff Nixon
Jeffry Allen Nixon is a former professional American football player for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. Born in Germany, Nixon spent his high school days in Virginia, attending Gar-Field Senior High School...
added as the running backs coach. Steve Bush
Steve Bush
Steve Bush is a former tight end and fullback in the NFL. He went to Arizona State University....
moves to wide receivers coach from offensive quality control. Ike Hilliard
Ike Hilliard
Isaac Jason "Ike" Hilliard is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver for twelve seasons in the National Football League during the 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for...
added as an assistant wide receivers coach. Dan Campbell
Dan Campbell
Daniel Allen Campbell is a former American football tight end and currently a tight ends coach for the Miami Dolphins. He played tight end for four teams in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at...
moves to tight ends coach from intern. Bryan Cox
Bryan Cox
Bryan Keith Cox is a former American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the NFL from 1991 through 2002. He was a member of the New England Patriots club that won Super Bowl XXXVI...
is added as a defensive pass rush coach.
Re-signings
- March 4 — Re-signed guard Richie IncognitoRichie IncognitoRichard Dominick Incognito, Jr. Richard Dominick Incognito, Jr. Richard Dominick Incognito, Jr. (born July 5, 1983 in Englewood, New Jersey is an American football guard for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the third round of the 2005 NFL...
three years - July 30 — Re-signed defensive tackle Tony McDanielTony McDaniel-External links:**...
two years - August 5 — Re-signed offensive tackle Nate GarnerNate GarnerNate Garner is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arkansas.-External links:**...
, running back Lex HilliardLex HilliardHilliard returned to the field as a fifth-year senior in 2007, appearing in 11 games for the Grizzlies. He rushed for 1,132 yards and 16 touchdowns on his way to second-team All-Big Sky honors. He topped the 100-yard rushing plateau seven times during the season....
, tackle Lydon MurthaLydon MurthaLydon J. Murtha is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, running back Kory SheetsKory SheetsKory Gerren Sheets is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
Signings
- July 26 — Signed quarter back Pat DevlinPat Devlin (American football)Patrick Ryan "Pat" Devlin is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He started at quarterback for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens of the University of Delaware...
- July 29 — Signed linebacker Kevin BurnettKevin BurnettKevin Bradley Burnett is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Tennessee....
- July 30 — Signed linebacker Jason TrusnikJason TrusnikJason Trusnik is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Ohio Northern....
, quarter back Matt MooreMatt Moore (American football)Matthew Erickson Moore is an American Football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He played college football at UCLA and Oregon State... - July 31 — Signed defensive tackle Ronald FieldsRonald FieldsRonald Fields is an American football nose tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
- August 1 — Signed offensive tackle Marc ColomboMarc ColomboMarc Edward Colombo is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was originally selected in the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears. He played college football for Boston College...
- August 2 — Signed linebacker Jason TaylorJason Taylor (American football)Jason Paul Taylor is an American football linebacker who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft...
- August 5 — Signed quarter back Kevin O'ConnellKevin O'Connell (American football)Kevin William O'Connell is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- August 6 — Signed offensive tackle Ray WillisRay WillisRay Willis is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 4th round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
- August 9 — Signed linebacker David NixonDavid Nixon (American football)David Nixon is an American football linebacker who is currently a member of the St. Louis Rams. He was undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft to the Oakland Raiders...
, defensive back K.J. GerardK. J. GerardK. J. Gerard is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Northern Arizona.... - August 15 — Signed wide receiver John MatthewsJohn Matthews (American football)John Matthews is an American football wide receiver of the National Football League who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
, linebacker Marvin MitchellMarvin MitchellMarvin Mitchell is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft... - August 22 — Signed guard Tyler Donohue
- August 23 — Signed running back Larry Johnson
- August 29 — Signed safety Gerald AlexanderGerald AlexanderGerald Alexander is an American football safety who plays for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was selected from Boise State in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft as the 61st overall selection.-Early years:...
- September 4 — Signed tight end Will YeatmanWill YeatmanWilliam Yeatman is an American football tight end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Maryland. Yeatman was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent on July 27, 2011...
- September 5 — Signed tight end Dante RosarioDante RosarioDante Santiago Rosario is an American football tight end who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
and center/guard Ryan CookRyan Cook (American football)Ryan Cook is an American football offensive guard for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft... - September 8 — Signed running back Larry Johnson
- September 14 — Signed corner back Will Allen
- September 20 — Signed defensive lineman Igor OlshanskyIgor OlshanskyIgor Olshansky is a Ukrainian-born American football defensive end free agent in National Football League. He last played for the Miami Dolphins....
and corner back Nate Jones - September 28 — Signed running back Steve SlatonSteve SlatonSteve Slaton is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- October 6 — Signed quarterback Sage RosenfelsSage RosenfelsSage Rosenfels is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Iowa State before he was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played with the Miami Dolphins from 2002–2005, the Houston Texans from...
Departures
- July 29 — UFA quarter back Tyler ThigpenTyler ThigpenTyler "Dirty Pigpen" Thigpen is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League . Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings.Tyler Thigpen was the first quarterback to play for...
, UFA quarter back Chad PenningtonChad PenningtonJames Chadwick "Chad" Pennington is an American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for ten years. He is currently a football analyst with FOX Sports though he plans to return to playing after recovering from an injury... - August 2 — UFA running back Ronnie BrownRonnie BrownRonnie G. Brown, Jr. is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers...
, Released linebacker Channing CrowderChanning CrowderRandolph Channing Crowder, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League . He played college football for the University of Florida, and was recognized as an All-American... - August 3 — Terminated the contract of linebacker Tim DobbinsTim DobbinsTimothy L. Dobbins , an American football linebacker, signed with the Houston Texans of the National Football League in August 2011. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft as an inside linebacker for their 3/4 scheme...
- August 8 — UFA running back Ricky WilliamsRicky WilliamsErrick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
- August 15 — Waived wide receiver Brooks FosterBrooks FosterFoster broke Eddie Royal's record for most bench press reps ever for a wide receiver at the NFL combine.-St. Louis Rams:On April 26, 2009, Foster was drafted in the fifth round by the St. Louis Rams. Unfortunately, his rookie season would be cut short after injuring his ankle against the New York...
- August 23 — Waived running back Kory SheetsKory SheetsKory Gerren Sheets is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the San Francisco 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
- August 26 — Waived corner back K.J. Gerard, defensive tackle Johnny Jones, corner back Jose PerezJose Perez (American football)Jose Perez Jr. is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. He played college football at San Diego State University . He was selected by the New York Yankees in the seventh round of the 2003 Major League Baseball Draft.-Early years:Although he was born in North Carolina, he grew up in...
- August 27 — Waived/Injured linebacker Mike RiveraMike Rivera (American football)Mike Rivera is an American football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He played college football at Kansas.- Chicago Bears :...
- August 30 — Waived tackle Tyler Donahue
- September 2 — Waived tight end Dedrick EppsDedrick EppsDedrick Epps is an American football tight end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the seventh round, 253rd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft...
and wide receiver John MatthewsJohn Matthews (American football)John Matthews is an American football wide receiver of the National Football League who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
. Terminated contract of safety Gerald AlexanderGerald AlexanderGerald Alexander is an American football safety who plays for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was selected from Boise State in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft as the 61st overall selection.-Early years:...
. - September 3 — Waived quarterback Kevin O'ConnellKevin O'Connell (American football)Kevin William O'Connell is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
, safety Mark RestelliMark RestelliMark Restelli is a professional Canadian football linebacker for the Edmonton Eskimos. He was signed by the Eskimos as a street free agent in 2009 and played until he was signed by the Dolphins in 2011. On September 4, 2011 he was released by the Dolphins during their final roster cuts...
, cornerback Vincent Agnew, tight end Brett BrackettBrett BrackettBrett Brackett is an American football tight end who is currently a practice squad member for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
, wide receiver Patrick CarterPatrick Carter (American football)Patrick Richard Carter is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Louisville....
, guard Garrett ChisolmGarrett ChisolmGarrett Chisolm is an American football offensive guard. He played college football as an offensive lineman for the South Carolina Gamecocks. As a senior, the former walk-on was selected as a second-team All-SEC player, was a semi-finalist for the William V...
, quarterback Pat DevlinPat Devlin (American football)Patrick Ryan "Pat" Devlin is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He started at quarterback for the Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens of the University of Delaware...
, linebacker Jonathan FreenyJonathan FreenyJonathan Freeny is an American football defensive lineman for the Chicago Rush. He played college football at Rutgers. http://www.miamidolphins.com/content/jonathan-freeny-External links:**...
, running back Nic Grigsby, tackle D.J. Jones, tackle Matt KopaMatt KopaMatthew Alexander "Matt" Kopa is an American football offensive tackle for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He played college football for Stanford where he changed positions from defensive to offensive lineman in 2007. Kopa was signed in 2010 by the San Francisco 49ers...
, wide receiver Phillip LivasPhillip LivasPhillip Livas is an American football wide receiver for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Louisiana Tech....
, cornerback Nate NessNate NessNate Ness is an American football cornerback and safety for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Arizona....
, linebacker David NixonDavid Nixon (American football)David Nixon is an American football linebacker who is currently a member of the St. Louis Rams. He was undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft to the Oakland Raiders...
, wide receiver Julius PruittJulius PruittJulius Pruitt is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Ouachita Baptist. He was waived by Miami Dolphins on September 3, 2011.-External links:*...
, linebacker Robert Rose, tight end Mickey ShulerMickey Shuler, Jr.Mickey Charles Shuler, Jr. is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He is the son of former New York Jets All-Pro tight end, Mickey Shuler.-Early years:...
, and linebacker Quinton SpearsQuinton SpearsQuinton Spears is an American football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Prairie View A&M. -External links:*...
. Terminated contracts with corner back Will Allen, nose tackle Ronald FieldsRonald FieldsRonald Fields is an American football nose tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, running back Larry Johnson, full back Lousaka PoliteLousaka PoliteLousaka Romon Polite is an American football fullback who is currently a free agent of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football at Pittsburgh.Polite has also played for the Chicago Bears...
, and tackle Ray WillisRay WillisRay Willis is an American football offensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 4th round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
. - September 4 — Waived defensive tackle Frank KearseFrank KearseFrank Kearse is an American football nose tackle for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Alabama A&M....
- September 5 — Released linebacker A.J. EddsA. J. EddsA. J. Edds is an American football linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
and terminated the contract of center Joe BergerJoe BergerJoseph David Berger is an American football center for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan Tech.... - September 8 — Waived guard Ray FeingaRay FeingaLeimoni "Ray" Feinga is an American football guard who is currently a member of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
- September 13 — Terminated the contract of corner back Benny SappBenny SappBenjamin Lee Sapp, II is an American football cornerback who is currently a member of the Minnesota Vikings. He was signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2004...
- September 20 — Terminated the contracts of running back Larry Johnson and tight end Dante RosarioDante RosarioDante Santiago Rosario is an American football tight end who is currently a member of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. - September 28 — Cut defensive end Ryan Baker
Trades
- July 29 — Traded reserve safety Jonathon AmayaJonathon AmayaJonathon Daniel Amaya is an American football safety for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2010...
and an exchange of undisclosed draft picks for running back Reggie BushReggie BushReginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
.
Team Captains
The team voted the following as their 2011 team captains.Offense
- Chad HenneChad HenneChad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
- Jake LongJake LongJake Edward Long is an American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Dolphins first overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan...
Defense
- Yeremiah BellYeremiah BellYeremiah Neavius Bell is an American football safety for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the sixth round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
- Karlos DansbyKarlos DansbyKarlos Montez Dansby is an American football linebacker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
Special Teams
Head coach Tony Sparano
Tony Sparano
Anthony "Tony" Sparano III is an American Football head coach of the Miami Dolphins. At age 17, Sparano had an incident which burnt his eyes, which is why he always wears his signature sunglasses even at night...
decided that the special teams captain would be selected on week to week basis.
Schedule
The Dolphins' preseason schedule was announced on April 12, 2011.| Week | | Date | | Kickoff | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | August 12 | 7:30 p.m. EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
at Atlanta Falcons 2011 Atlanta Falcons season The 2011 Atlanta Falcons season will be the franchise's 46th season in the National Football League and the fourth under head coach Mike Smith. After a disappointing loss to the Green Bay Packers in the divisional round of the playoffs, the Falcons will attempt to defend its NFC South division... |
W 28–23 | 1–0 | Georgia Dome Georgia Dome The Georgia Dome is a domed stadium located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, between downtown to the east and Vine City to the west. It is primarily the home stadium for the NFL Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA Division I FCS Georgia State Panthers football team. It is owned and operated by the... |
WFOR WFOR-TV WFOR-TV, virtual channel 4.1 , is the CBS owned-and-operated station in Miami, Florida. WFOR shares its TV studio facilities with sister station WBFS-TV in Doral, near Miami International Airport, and its transmitter is located in Miramar.WFOR-TV also previously had two translator stations in the... |
Recap |
| 2 | August 19 | 7:30 p.m. EDT | Carolina Panthers 2011 Carolina Panthers season The 2011 Carolina Panthers season will be the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the first season for Ron Rivera as the head coach. In Week 16 of the 2010 season, the team clinched the NFL's worst record of the year and was given the #1 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, with... |
W 20–10 | 2–0 | Sun Life Stadium | WFOR | Recap |
| 3 | August 27 | 7:30 p.m. EDT | at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season will be the club's 36th season as a franchise in the NFL. The team will compete in the NFC South. Both of their preseason home games, and seven of their regular season home games will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida... |
L 13–17 | 2–1 | Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events... |
WFOR | Recap |
| 4 | September 1 | 7:30 p.m. EDT | Dallas Cowboys 2011 Dallas Cowboys season The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season will be the Cowboys' 52nd season in the NFL, the third season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the first full season under head coach Jason Garrett, who served as the interim head coach for the team's final eight games in 2010... |
W 17–3 | 3–1 | Sun Life Stadium | WFOR |
Recap |
Schedule
| Week | | Date | | Kickoff | | Opponent | | Results | | Game site | | TV | | NFL.com recap |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final score | Team record | |||||||
| 1 | September 12 | 7:00 p.m. EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
New England Patriots 2011 New England Patriots season The 2011 New England Patriots season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League and 52nd season overall.The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft, the wife of owner Robert Kraft, who died on July 20, 2011 after a long fight against cancer... |
L 24–38 | 0–1 | Sun Life Stadium | ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Recap |
| 2 | September 18 | 4:15 p.m. EDT | Houston Texans 2011 Houston Texans season The 2011 Houston Texans season will be the team's 10th season in the National Football League . The Texans have improved on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to earn the franchise's first playoff berth... |
L 13–23 | 0–2 | Sun Life Stadium | CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 3 | September 25 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | at Cleveland Browns 2011 Cleveland Browns season The 2011 Cleveland Browns season will be the team's 65th season as a professional sports franchise and its 61st season as a member of the National Football League . The team will attempt to improve on its 2010 season, where it finished with a record of 5–11 and placed third in the AFC North... |
L 16–17 | 0–3 | Cleveland Browns Stadium Cleveland Browns Stadium -See also:* List of current National Football League stadiums* Chronology of home stadiums for current National Football League teams* List of American football stadiums by capacity* List of U.S. stadiums by capacity* List of North American stadiums by capacity... |
CBS | Recap |
| 4 | October 2 | 4:15 p.m. EDT | at San Diego Chargers 2011 San Diego Chargers season The 2011 San Diego Chargers season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The team hopes to improve on its 9–7 record from 2010, in which the team missed the playoffs. For Norv Turner, this will be his fifth season as the head coach of the... |
L 16–26 | 0–4 | Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area.... |
CBS | Recap |
| 5 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
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| 6 | October 17 | 8:30 p.m. EDT | at New York Jets 2011 New York Jets season The 2011 New York Jets season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd season overall and the team's second season at MetLife Stadium... |
L 6–24 | 0–5 | MetLife Stadium | ESPN | Recap |
| 7 | October 23 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | Denver Broncos 2011 Denver Broncos season The Denver Broncos season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. It also marks the first season under new head coach John Fox, as well as the first with John Elway as the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations... |
L 15–18 (OT) | 0–6 | Sun Life Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 8 | October 30 | 1:00 p.m. EDT | at New York Giants 2011 New York Giants season The 2011 New York Giants season is the 87th season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished with a 10–6 record in 2010 however they missed the playoffs... |
L 17–20 | 0–7 | MetLife Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 9 | November 6 | 1:00 p.m. EST | at Kansas City Chiefs 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West... |
W 31–3 | 1–7 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
CBS | Recap |
| 10 | November 13 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Washington Redskins 2011 Washington Redskins season The 2011 Washington Redskins season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League and their 74th representing the District of Columbia . Their home games will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland for the 15th consecutive year. Washington will play in the Eastern... |
W 20–9 | 2–7 | Sun Life Stadium | Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 11 | November 20 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Buffalo Bills 2011 Buffalo Bills season The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is... |
W 35–8 | 3–7 | Sun Life Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 12 | November 24 Thanksgiving Classic The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving... |
4:15 p.m. EST | at Dallas Cowboys 2011 Dallas Cowboys season The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season will be the Cowboys' 52nd season in the NFL, the third season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the first full season under head coach Jason Garrett, who served as the interim head coach for the team's final eight games in 2010... |
L 19–20 | 3–8 | Cowboys Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 13 | December 4 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Oakland Raiders 2011 Oakland Raiders season The 2011 Oakland Raiders season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. 2011 also marks the final season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011... |
Sun Life Stadium | CBS | |||
| 14 | December 11 | 1:00 p.m. EST | Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League . The Eagles will play all of their home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Personnel changes:... |
Sun Life Stadium | Fox | |||
| 15 | December 18 | 1:00 p.m. EST * | at Buffalo Bills | Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
CBS | |||
| 16 | December 24 | 1:00 p.m. EST | at New England Patriots | Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
CBS | |||
| 17 | January 1 | 1:00 p.m. EST * | New York Jets | Sun Life Stadium | CBS | |||
LEGEND:
- The game was simulcast locally on WBFS-TVWBFS-TVWBFS-TV is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for South Florida that is licensed to Miami. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 32 from a transmitter in Miramar. Owned by the CBS Corporation, the station is sister to CBS affiliate WFOR-TV and the two share...
. - Indicates that the game time is subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling.
Week 1: vs. New England Patriots
The Dolphins began their 2011 campaign at home, for a Week 1 AFC East duel with the New England PatriotsNew England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
in the first game of Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
's doubleheader. Miami delivered the game's opening splash with a 9-yard touchdown run from quarterback Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
. The Patriots answered with running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football his freshman and sophomore seasons at Indiana University, Green-Ellis...
getting a 4-yard touchdown run. New England took the lead in the second quarter as quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
.
The Dolphins struck back in the third quarter as Henne found wide receiver Brian Hartline
Brian Hartline
Brian Hartline is an American Football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He is the brother of Mike Hartline, a 4th string quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts....
on a 10-yard touchdown pass, but New England came right back with Brady completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
. Miami replied with a 20-yard field goal from kicker Dan Carpenter
Dan Carpenter
Daniel Roy Carpenter is an American football placekicker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
, but the Patriots came right back with Brady completing a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
. New England added onto their in the fourth quarter as kicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
got a 20-yard field goal, followed by Brady completing a 99-yard touchdown pass to Welker. The Dolphins would close out the game with Henne finding running back Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
on a 2-yard touchdown pass.
With the loss, Miami began their season at 0-1.
Week 2: vs. Houston Texans
Week 3: at Cleveland Browns
Week 4: at San Diego Chargers
Week 6: at New York Jets
Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 8: at New York Giants
Week 9: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 10: vs. Washington Redskins
Week 11: vs. Buffalo Bills
Coming off their win over the Redskins, the Dolphins stayed at home for a Week 11 AFC East showdown with the Buffalo BillsBuffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Miami trailed early in the first quarter as Bills kicker Dave Rayner
Dave Rayner
David Michael "Dave" Rayner is an American football placekicker who currently plays for the Buffalo Bills. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
made a 30-yard field goal, yet the Dolphins immediately answered with quaterback Matt Moore
Matt Moore (American football)
Matthew Erickson Moore is an American Football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He played college football at UCLA and Oregon State...
finding tight end Anthony Fasano
Anthony Fasano
Anthony Joseph Fasano is an American football tight end for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Notre Dame...
on a 1-yard touchdown pass, followed by a 5-yard touchdown run from running back Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. Miami would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Moore connecting with fullback Charles Clay
Charles Clay
Charles Clay was an English surgeon, called the "Father of Ovariotomy".He was born in Bredbury, near Stockport, Cheshire, and died in Poulton-le-Fylde, near Blackpool, Lancashire....
on a 12-yard touchdown pass, followed by wide receiver Davone Bess
Davone Bess
Davone Atrayo Bess is an American football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008...
on a 4-yard touchdown pass. Buffalo would close out the half with Rayner booting a 56-yard field goal.
The Dolphins continued their dominating day in the third quarter with running back Lex Hilliard
Lex Hilliard
Hilliard returned to the field as a fifth-year senior in 2007, appearing in 11 games for the Grizzlies. He rushed for 1,132 yards and 16 touchdowns on his way to second-team All-Big Sky honors. He topped the 100-yard rushing plateau seven times during the season....
recovering a blocked punt in the endzone for a touchdown (the team's first TD off of a blocked punt since 1990). The Bills tried to rally as linebacker Kelvin Sheppard
Kelvin Sheppard
Kelvin Anthony Sheppard is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills. The Buffalo Bills drafted him with the 68th pick in the 3rd round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU....
tackled rookie running back Daniel Thomas
Daniel Thomas (American football)
Daniel Thomas is a running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats football team.-High school:...
in the endzone for a safety, but Miami's lead proved to be too much to overcome.
With the win, the Dolphins improved to 3-7.
This game also marked the first time since 1990 that Miami allowed 10 points or fewer in three-straight games.
They have now become the 3rd team in NFL History to win 3 straight after starting season at least 0-7 ('78 Cardinals & '86 Colts).
Week 12: at Dallas Cowboys
Thanksgiving ClassicThanksgiving Classic
The National Football League's Thanksgiving Classic is a series of games played during the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. It has been a regular occurrence since the league's inception in 1920. Since 2006, three games are played every Thanksgiving...
Coming off their win over the Bills, the Dolphins flew to Cowboys Stadium for a Week 12 interconference duel with the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
on Thanksgiving. Miami delivered the game's opening punch in the first quarter with a 26-yard field goal from kicker Shayne Graham
Shayne Graham
Michael Shayne Graham is an American football placekicker. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2000, and most recently played with the New England Patriots...
, but the Cowboys answered in the second quarter with kicker Dan Bailey
Dan Bailey (American football)
Dan "Beetle" Bailey is an American football placekicker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
getting a 32-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
completing a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Laurent Robinson
Laurent Robinson
Laurent Robinson is an American football wide receiver who is currently a member of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Illinois State.He has also been a member of the St...
. The Dolphins would close out the half with a 28-yard field goal from Graham.
Miami would regain the lead in the third quarter with a 27-yard field goal from Graham, followed by quarterback Matt Moore
Matt Moore (American football)
Matthew Erickson Moore is an American Football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He played college football at UCLA and Oregon State...
fiding wide receiver Brandon Marshall
Brandon Marshall
-2006:Before the regular season even began, Marshall suffered a slight tear to his PCL in a pre-season game against the Detroit Lions. Although the injury sidelined him for a couple of weeks, he was able to return and play 15 games during the regular season. Marshall had a total of 20 catches, 309...
on a 35-yard field goal. Dallas struck back in the fourth quarter with Romo completing an 18-yard touchdown pass to Robinson. The Dolphins would reply with a 23-yard field goal from Graham, but the Cowboys got the last laugh with Bailey nailing the game-winning 28-yard field goal.
With the loss, Miami fell to 3-8.
Week 13: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 14: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 15: at Buffalo Bills
Week 16: at New England Patriots
Week 17: vs. New York Jets
- Gametime subject to change due to flexible scheduling.