Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 6:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, 2011

Posted: 6:03 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, 2011

DAVIE — The Dolphins could set a franchise record Sunday against the New York Jets, but it’s not one that would make them proud.

After allowing five sacks Saturday at New England, the Dolphins have given up 51 this year, just two shy of the team record set in 1969. The Dolphins allowed 52 sacks in 1968 and 2004.

The offensive line will get a break in the season finale in that the Jets have a mediocre pass rush. New York’s 34 sacks this season are 17th in the NFL.

The 51 sacks allowed by Miami are third-most in the NFL this year. The Dolphins have allowed four or more sacks in eight games (all defeats) and yielded a franchise-record nine to Philadelphia on Dec. 11.

Veteran right tackle Marc Colombo has allowed nine sacks this year, tied for fifth-most in the league among 76 offensive tackles. Left tackle Jake Long has, surprisingly, allowed five.

But interim coach Todd Bowles said everyone – from the linemen to the running backs to the receivers to quarterbacks Matt Moore and Chad Henne – is responsible.

“It’s never just one person involved,” Bowles said Monday. “There were a couple of them (Saturday) where Matt held the ball a little bit. Couple of them they got good pressure. Couple of them nobody was open. It kind of mixes in.”

Long left Saturday’s game in the first quarter, reportedly because of a torn right biceps.

Bowles said he has been “hearing rumors” about Long’s diagnosis (first reported by ESPN) but wouldn’t discuss details.

Bowles said “we won’t know anything until Wednesday,” when the Dolphins return to the practice field and are required to release an injury report.

While some players have played through a torn biceps, Long likely will sit out and be replaced by John Jerry.

The Dolphins are 5-2 when they allow three or fewer sacks, and figure to try to upgrade the right tackle and right guard spots in the off-season, when Colombo and Vernon Carey become free agents.

Meanwhile, Bowles said, the Dolphins won’t hesitate to pass even if it means pressure on Moore.

“You’ve got to throw the ball in this league,” Bowles said. “You just can’t win with running the football.

“We’re not worried about the sack record. We’re worried about protecting the quarterback.”

No word on Fasano, Davis: Tight end Anthony Fasano, who missed Saturday’s game, was not allowed to speak with the media because he still has not cleared all of his concussion tests. He was hurt Dec. 18 at Buffalo.

Bowles also had no update on cornerback Vontae Davis, who left Saturday’s game because of an elbow injury.

Bowles said the Dolphins won’t be extra-cautious about who plays in the finale.

“Everybody that’s healthy, and we can win with, we’re going to play with,” he said.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 6:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, 2011

Posted: 6:03 p.m. Monday, Dec. 26, 2011

DAVIE — The Dolphins could set a franchise record Sunday against the New York Jets, but it’s not one that would make them proud.

After allowing five sacks Saturday at New England, the Dolphins have given up 51 this year, just two shy of the team record set in 1969. The Dolphins allowed 52 sacks in 1968 and 2004.

The offensive line will get a break in the season finale in that the Jets have a mediocre pass rush. New York’s 34 sacks this season are 17th in the NFL.

The 51 sacks allowed by Miami are third-most in the NFL this year. The Dolphins have allowed four or more sacks in eight games (all defeats) and yielded a franchise-record nine to Philadelphia on Dec. 11.

Veteran right tackle Marc Colombo has allowed nine sacks this year, tied for fifth-most in the league among 76 offensive tackles. Left tackle Jake Long has, surprisingly, allowed five.

But interim coach Todd Bowles said everyone – from the linemen to the running backs to the receivers to quarterbacks Matt Moore and Chad Henne – is responsible.

“It’s never just one person involved,” Bowles said Monday. “There were a couple of them (Saturday) where Matt held the ball a little bit. Couple of them they got good pressure. Couple of them nobody was open. It kind of mixes in.”

Long left Saturday’s game in the first quarter, reportedly because of a torn right biceps.

Bowles said he has been “hearing rumors” about Long’s diagnosis (first reported by ESPN) but wouldn’t discuss details.

Bowles said “we won’t know anything until Wednesday,” when the Dolphins return to the practice field and are required to release an injury report.

While some players have played through a torn biceps, Long likely will sit out and be replaced by John Jerry.

The Dolphins are 5-2 when they allow three or fewer sacks, and figure to try to upgrade the right tackle and right guard spots in the off-season, when Colombo and Vernon Carey become free agents.

Meanwhile, Bowles said, the Dolphins won’t hesitate to pass even if it means pressure on Moore.

“You’ve got to throw the ball in this league,” Bowles said. “You just can’t win with running the football.

“We’re not worried about the sack record. We’re worried about protecting the quarterback.”

No word on Fasano, Davis: Tight end Anthony Fasano, who missed Saturday’s game, was not allowed to speak with the media because he still has not cleared all of his concussion tests. He was hurt Dec. 18 at Buffalo.

Bowles also had no update on cornerback Vontae Davis, who left Saturday’s game because of an elbow injury.

Bowles said the Dolphins won’t be extra-cautious about who plays in the finale.

“Everybody that’s healthy, and we can win with, we’re going to play with,” he said.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The Dolphins didn’t get embarrassed in Saturday’s 27-24 loss to New England the way they did back in Week 1. They didn’t give up 622 yards of total offense, 517 passing yards to Tom Brady or any 99-yard touchdowns, instead playing the AFC-leading Patriots down to the final gun.

But that doesn’t make Saturday’s defeat any easier to take.

“A loss is a loss is a loss, always,” receiver Brian Hartline said. “We’re never proud about losing.”

The Dolphins (5-10) have come a long way since that early September beat-down by the Patriots and the subsequent seven-game losing streak. They have won five of their last eight games, developed a top-five defense and found their groove on offense behind Matt Moore, Reggie Bush and Brandon Marshall.

And they almost pulled off an upset at Gillette Stadium, taking a 17-0 lead into halftime before wilting in the second half.

Left guard Richie Incognito said he’s proud of the way his teammates didn’t give up on the season after the 0-7 start.

He is also proud of his teammates for continuing to fight when they trailed 27-17 late in the fourth quarter Sunday. Moore led an 80-yard touchdown drive to bring the Dolphins within three points.

“Just speaks to the character of the men in this room,” Incognito said. “We don’t quit, we just fight.

“We’ve come a long way, we found an identity offensively, and we came up here and gave a hard-fought battle.”

Saturday’s game was a good measuring stick for the progress the Dolphins have made over the past 15 weeks – and the last two years.

The Patriots won both games in 2010 by a combined score of 79-21.

But many players couldn’t focus on any of the positives after the game. The Dolphins reached double-digit losses for the first time since 2007 and only the fifth time since 1970.

“In my mind, I’m like (forget) the measuring stick,” said cornerback Will Allen, who had three tackles. “I’m out here trying to win ballgames. I’m not measuring anything.”

As good as the Dolphins were in the first half, grabbing a 17-0 lead on two Moore touchdown passes while sacking Tom Brady four times and holding him to 87 yards passing, they were equally as bad in the second half.

Moore fumbled a snap and threw an interception in the third quarter, the Dolphins gained just 126 total yards in the half and Brady threw for 217 yards while leading the Patriots to 27 consecutive points.

“Played well,” Bush said, “just not for four quarters.”

Marshall, who had seven catches for 156 yards and a team-high sixth touchdown catch of the season, chalked up the loss to “immaturity, stupid mistakes, lack of execution.”

“You can’t do that against a Patriot team like that,” Marshall said. “It’s frustrating, but the whole season is frustrating.”

Still, the Dolphins looked nothing Saturday like the team that lost 38-24 to the Patriots in Week 1.

Moore, who sat on the bench that game in favor of Chad Henne, has thrown for 14 touchdowns with only three interceptions in the past eight games.

Marshall has developed into a bigger touchdown threat, with four in the last five games, and his 1,177 receiving yards this season are the fifth most in Dolphins history.

Bush, too, has been a revelation, cracking the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career.

Saturday’s game (113 yards) was his fourth straight 100-yard game, and he carried the ball 20-plus times for the third time in four games. In fact, Bush and Marshall became the first receiver-running back duo in team history to each crack the 1,000-yard mark.

Marshall reflected on the frustrating season and said he’s trying to “embrace the journey.”

“It’s unfortunate for the amount of work that we put in, it’s unfortunate to the fans, but that’s life,” he said.

“The journey was rough this year, (but) if you focus too much on the destination, you’ll be disappointed.

“You’ve got to embrace the journey and grow, and that’s what this year was about, was growing and building off of it.”