The Dolphins have hired 50-year old Joe Philbin as their new head coach.  It will be his first go around as an NFL head coach.  Philbin spent 9 years with the Packers as an assistant coach.  During his last four years, Philbin helped develop Aaron Rodgers into the QB that he is now.  The Packers averaged 97.4 yards rushing (3.9 ypc), 307.8 yards passing (122.6 QB Rating) and 35.0 points per game last year.  The Dolphins already have a decent defense and they have solid skilled players on offense, with the exception of a big time QB.  If the Dolphins’ get improved play under center, they could start to take off in 2012.  I like the choice of Philbin as the Dolphins’ new head coach.

The Miami Dolphins have to be pretty happy with their 2011 rookie class.  Five of the six players they picked helped them last year.  Here is a look at what the Dolphins’ rookies did in 2011:

22-year old center Mike Pouncey was the Dolphins’ first round pick in 2011.  He stepped right into the starting lineup from Day #1 for the Fins.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Dolphins last year.  Pouncey is going  to be a starter for the Dolphins for a long, long time.

24-year old RB Daniel Thomas was picked in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.  He played in 13 games for the Dolphins last year and he carried the ball 165 times for 581 yards (3.5 ypc) without any TD runs.  Thomas also caught 12 passes for 72 yards (6.0 avg) last year.  We will likely be Reggie Bush’s primary backup once again in 2012.

25-year old WR Edmond “Clyde” Gates was picked in the 4th round.  He played in 15 games for the Dolphins last year but he only caught 2 passes for 19 yards (9.5 avg).  Gates did help out a lot on special teams for the Fins last year as he returned 34 kickoffs for 843 yards (24.8 avg) and 3 punts for 32 yards (10.7 avg).

22-year old FB/TE Charles Clay was picked in the sixth round by the Fins.  He played 14 games for the Dolphins last year and he caught 16 passes for 233 yards (14.6 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Clay will likely get more P.T. at TE going forward.

23-year old DT Frank Kearse was a 7th round pick last April.  He was cut but the Fins before the 2011 season started.  Kearse was then picked up by the Carolina Panthers.  He played in 6 games for the Panthers last year and he had 10 tackles, 1 pass defensed and 1/2 a sack.

25-year old CB Jimmy Wilson was also picked in the 7th round of the 2011 NFL Draft.  He played in 15 games for the Dolphins last year and he had 17 tackles, 5 passes defensed, 1 interception and 2 forced fumbles.  This was an outstanding pick for the Fins as Wilson really helped out in the secondary and on special teams last year.

GRADE FOR 2011:  B+

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  A

27-year old QB Matt Moore made a statement after replacing Chad Henne when he went down to injury.  The Dolphins were 6-6 in Moore’s 12 starts at QB this year.  Moore played in 13 games (12 starts) for the Dolphins last year and he completed 210 of 347 passes (60.5%) for 2,497 yards with 16 TD passes and 9 INTs (87.1 QB Rating).  Moore also carried the ball 32 times for 65 yards (2.0 ypc) with 2 TD runs last year.  Moore has now played in 35 games (25 starts) in his NFL career so far and he has completed 437 of 739 passes (59.1%) for 5,137 yards with 32 TD passes and 26 INTs (80.1 QB Rating).  Moore also has carried the ball 52 times for 92 yards (1.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Moore is now 13-12 (52%) as a starting QB in his NFL career.

26-year old QB Chad Henne has likely run out of time with the Miami Dolphins.  The Dolphins were 0-4 in games started by Henne before an injury ended his season.  Henne played in 4 games (all starts) for the Dolphins last year and he completed 64 of 112 passes (57.1%) for 868 yards with 4 TD passes and 4 INTs (79.0 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 15 times for 112 yards (7.5 ypc) with 1 TD run last year.  Henne has now played in 36 games (31 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 646 of 1,065 passes (60.7%) for 7,114 yards with 31 TD passes and 37 INTs (75.7 QB Rating.  He has also carried the ball 66 times for 196 yards (3.0 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Henne has a 13-18 (41.9%) career record as the Dolphins’ starting QB.

30-year old J.P. Losman was the Dolphins’ #2 QB during Matt Moore’s 12 starts last year.  He played in 2 games (0 starts) for the Dolphins last year and he completed 6 of 10 passes (60%) for 60 yards with 0 TD passes and 0 INTs (77.1 QB Rating).  Losman also carried the ball 2 times for 1 yard (0.5 ypc) last year.  Losman has now played in 45 games (33 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 564 of 962 passes (59.2%) for 6,271 yards with 33 TD passes and 34 INTs (75.6 QB Rating).  Losman has also carried the ball 105 times for 490 yards (4.7 ypc) with 3 TD carries so far in his NFL career.  Losman is 10-23 (30.3%) as a starting QB in the NFL.

The Dolphins made the big plays needed to ruin the Jets season yesterday, and that has to feel good.  Matt Moore didn’t have his best game as he completed 22 of 32 passes for only 135 yards with 1 TD pass and 2 INTs.  Steve Slaton led the way on the ground for the Dolphins in this game with 55 yards rushing on 11 carries (5.0 ypc).  Daniel Thomas pitched in with 28 yards rushing on 12 carries (2.3 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 12 yards (6.0 avg) in this game.  WR Brandon Marshall (5 rec, 50 yards), WR Davone Bess (6 rec, 45 yards) and TE Anthony Fasano (4 rec, 11 yards) led the way in the passing game for the Dolphins.  The Dolphins finished up with 82 yards rushing on 26 carries (3.2 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 32 passes (68.8%) for 128 yards as they had possession of the ball for 31:07.

The defense gave up a lot of yards but they also made their fair share of big plays to help alter the outcome of this game.  LB Kevin Burnett had 14 tackles to lead the way for the Dolphins on D yesterday.  CB Sean Smith (6 tackles), safety Reshad Jones (6 tackles) and LB Marvin Mitchell (5 tackles and 1 pass defensed) also had solid games for the Fins yesterday.  DE Randy Starks had a huge impact in this game as he finished up with 2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 tackle for a loss, 2 passes defensed, 1 QB hit and 2 interceptions.  The Jets finished up with 129 yards rushing on 27 carries (4.8 ypc) and they also completed 22 of 33 passes (66.7%) for 245 yards.  The Dolphins finish the 2011 season with a 6-10 record.

The Dolphins have won five of their last 8 games, so they are feeling pretty good about themselves right now.  The Jets have lost two games in a row by a combined score of 74-33!  The Jets can still get into the playoffs with a win and some help.  This would be a cherry on top of a disappointing season if the Dolphins could knock the rival Jets out of the playoffs this Sunday.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Dolphins have the ball:  The Dolphins are going to come out feeding the ball to Reggie Bush against a Jets’ D that is giving up 113.0 yards rushing per game and 4.0 yards per carry so far this year.  If the Dolphins can get a good running game going, QB Matt Moore will have a much better chance against the stout secondary of the Jets.  WR Brandon Marshall will probably be locked up with CB Darrelle Revis.  This will likely cause Moore to attack the other side of the field and over the middle.  Davone Bess, Brian Hartline and Anthony Fasano will likely get a lot more passes thrown their ways than usual this Sunday.

When the Jets have the ball:  The Jets are likely going to come out trying to impose their will by running the ball with Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson against the Fins.  The Dolphins are only giving up 93.4 yards rushing per game and 3.6 yards per carry so far this year.  The Jets are likely to wind up throwing the ball more than they run it when it’s all said and done this Sunday.  Mark Sanchez will have to be aggressive with throws down the field to WRs Plaxico Burress, Santonio Holmes and TE Dustin Keller against a Fins’ D that is allowing 249.8 yards passing per game so far this year.

PREDICTION:  DOLPHINS 23, JETS 20

27-year old WR Brandon Marshall and 26-year old OT Jake Long have been selected to play in the Pro Bowl.  Marshall has played in all 15 games for the Dolphins so far this year and he has caught 77 passes for 1,177 yards (15.3 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  With the situation the Dolphins have had at QB this year, it makes the numbers he’s putting up that more impressive.  Jake Long played in 14 games (all starts) for the Dolphins this year.  He was elected as a starter but he’s going to miss the game due to a torn biceps muscle.

The Dolphins won’t have 26-year old OT Jake Long when they played against the Jets this weekend.  Long has torn his right biceps.  Long played in 14 games (all starts) for the Fins this year.  He has now played in 62 games (all starts) in his first four years in the NFL.  The Dolphins are going to miss Long as he is their best offensive lineman and he blocks on QB Matt Moore’s blind side.

Things were looking good for the Dolphins at halftime as they were winning 17-0, but the Patriots roared back in the second half to beat them.  Matt Moore was solid in this game as he completed 17 of 33 passes for 294 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT.  Reggie Bush led the way on the ground for the Dolphins in this game with 113 yards rushing on 22 carries (5.1 ypc) and he also caught 2 passes for 26 yards.  WR Brandon Marshall led the way in the passing game for the Fins with 7 grabs for 156 yards (22.3 avg) with 1 TD grab.  WR Brian Hartline (4 rec, 72 yards), WR Davone Bess (3 rec, 39 yards, TD) and FB Charles Clay (1 rec, 1 yard, TD grab) also pitched in for the Dolphins in the passing game.  The Dolphins finished up with 115 yards rushing on 27 carries (4.3 ypc) and they also completed 17 of 33 passes (51.5%) for 266 yards as they had possession of the ball for 29:04.

The defense was good in the first half and pretty bad in the second half last Saturday.  LB Karlos Dansby (13 tackles and 1 QB hit) and safety Yeremiah Bell (12 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss,1 sack and 1 QB hit) led the way for the Fins’ D in this game.  LB Kevin Burnett (9 tackles) and safety Tyrone Culver (8 tackles) also had solid games for the Dolphins.  The Patriots finished up with 119 yards rushing on 31 carries (3.8 ypc) and they also completed 27 of 46 passes (58.7%) for 281 yards in this game.  The Dolphins are now 5-10 on the season.

The Miami Dolphins won last weekend and they have now won 5 of their last 7 games.  The Patriots have won six games in a row now as they currently have the #1 seed in the AFC if the playoffs started today.  The Patriots beat the Dolphins 38-24 in Miami in the season opener, but the Dolphins are a vastly improved team since that game.  Here is a look at the matchups in this game:

When the Dolphins have the ball:  The Dolphins are going to run the ball a lot tomorrow.  Reggie Bush is proving that he can handle a heavy workload and he will be coming after the Patriots’ D tomorrow as they are giving up 117.6 yards rushing per game and 4.6 yards per carry.  Matt Moore has to be licking his chops looking at game tape of the Patriots’ secondary that is giving up 296.7 yards passing per game this year.  They are ballhawks, but if Moore has time to throw the ball….he’s going to have a good game.  Brandon Marshall could give the Patriots fits in this game.

When the Patriots have the ball:  The Patriots are going to pass, pass and pass some more tomorrow against the Dolphins.  The Dolphins need to get after Brady, because if he has time to throw the ball……they are in big, big trouble.  Brady will be attacking the middle of the field tomorrow, so the Fins’ safeties are going to have to step up.  Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are going to give the Fins’ DBs fits all game long.  The Patriots only run for show.

PREDICTION:  PATRIOTS 34, DOLPHINS 26

The Dolphins have placed 24-year old linebacker Koa Misi on the Injured Reserve List, ending his season due to a shoulder injury.  Misi played in 12 games for the Fins this year and he had 34 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 1 sack and 1 pass defensed.  He has now played in 28 games in his first two years with the Dolphins and he has 75 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 tackles for a loss, 2 fumble recoveries and 3 passes defensed.  The Dolphins should be able to cover for Misi the rest of this year as they are playing well on defense right now.