AFC EAST
New England Patriots
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
New York Jets
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Pittsburgh Steelers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
Miami Dolphins
	   Home: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Oakland Raiders, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
Buffalo Bills
	   Home: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks
	   Away: Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers
AFC NORTH
Baltimore Ravens
	   Home: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
Cincinnati Bengals
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
Cleveland Browns
	   Home: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins
	   Away: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants
AFC SOUTH
Houston Texans
	   Home: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
Tennessee Titans
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Jacksonville Jaguars
	   Home: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
	   Away: Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts
	   Home: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings
	   Away: Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions
AFC WEST
Denver Broncos
	   Home: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
San Diego Chargers
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oakland Raiders
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
Kansas City Chiefs
	   Home: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Indianapolis Colts, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers
	   Away: Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   -- -- -- =
NFC EAST
New York Giants
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Philadelphia Eagles
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Detroit Lions, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
Dallas Cowboys
	   Home: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
	   Away: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
Washington Redskins
	   Home: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals
	   Away: Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Atlanta Falcons, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Chicago Bears
	   Home: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
	   Away: Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
Minnesota Vikings
	   Home: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans
	   Away: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts
NFC SOUTH
New Orleans Saints
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Green Bay Packers, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
	   Home: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Carolina Panthers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	   Home: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers
	   Away: Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders
NFC WEST
San Francisco 49ers
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Arizona Cardinals
	   Home: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
	   Away: St. Louis Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, New York Jets
Seattle Seahawks
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins
St. Louis Rams
	   Home: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, New York Jets
	   Away: Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins

All I can say about the firing of Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano—as detailed in latest article by AP Sports Writer Steven Wine—is, what took so long?

Well, truthfully there are plenty of other things I can say, and will—such as Hallelujah, Merry Christmas, Thank Heavens. However, the fact remains this day was long, long overdue. As I’ve stated over and over for the past two years, Sparano simply wasn’t ever going to get the Dolphins over the hump and into a Super Bowl. The chances he’d actually guide Miami to a title? Nil.

I guess team owner Stephen Ross finally figured that out after the 26-10 beating the Miami squad took at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 11 at Sun Life Stadium. It’s just a shame it took him so long.

Apparently the firing of Todd Haley by the Kansas City Chiefs was the catalyst for the decision, too, although Ross would probably deny that. However, there’s no denying Ross began to feel the pressure mounting that the coaches atop his list of potential candidates to replace Sparano might slip through his fingers if he waited much longer. As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald puts it in his latest article, Ross may claim he’d become convinced the speculation about Sparano’s job security was becoming too much of a distraction, and that’s why he finally gave Tony the boot, but in the end, getting a jump on the team’s search for a new coach had to have played a big part in his decision.

Who is atop the list of coaches Ross will consider to replace Sparano is a source of intense speculation among those in the media. The obvious names being mentioned are former Baltimore Ravens coach Brian Billick, former Pittsburgh Steelers head honcho Bill Cowher, former Tennessee Titans skipper Jeff Fisher, and former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers leader Jon Gruden. However, it’s not certain those coaches actually are atop Ross’ list.

“I’d like to find a young Don Shula if that’s possible,” Ross said in the news conference announcing Sparano’s firing. “We are open to everything. We will look at everybody, interview them, and try to find the person we think will be the best fit.”

Considering general manager Jeff Ireland was retained by Ross—something I found as perplexing as the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero did in his latest piece—I’m guessing some of those names mentioned above will have little interest in joining the Dolphins organization. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald may believe—as he states in his latest article—Ross would prefer hiring a star head coach, but even if that’s so he isn’t likely to get one to come to Miami now that Ireland remains.

I can’t for the life of me see someone like Cowher coming to Miami and not demanding to be able to make his own personnel decisions. The idea he would be comfortable with Ireland being his boss is, frankly, ludicrous. Cowher is a far better football mind than Ireland could ever hope to be. Where Cowher is a football genius, Ireland is a clown, and when you’re courting someone like Cowher, you don’t do it by demanding he work under a bozo he couldn’t possibly respect.

While I won’t claim it’s absolute, I’d say the same could be said for the other three names on that list. I would think Billick, Fisher, and Gruden would all want control of the team (meaning Ireland gone) if they were going to come in and take over and try to clean up the Dolphins mess. At the very least they’d want to consult with Ross about who to hire for the general manager position if they didn’t want the added responsibilities of the job. But to think they’d want to come in and work under Ireland? Not a chance in my view.

And with good reason. Ireland himself pretty much spelled out why not one of those coaches should trust him to be their boss in his remarks during the news conference; although I don’t think he intended it that way.

“We all feel responsibility for what happened. This is a game of winning. When you don’t win, you feel responsibility for that. I’ve got responsibility in it, Mr. Ross has responsibility in it, our players have responsibility. Ultimately, Tony had the ultimate responsibility in it.”

Ireland may believe he’s dodged the bullet of responsibility by adding that final caveat regarding Sparano, but the truth remains Ireland is equally responsible for the failures of the Dolphins. While I’ll agree with Ross that Miami’s “record is not indicative of what the team is capable of,” and that speaks volumes about the lousy coaching of Sparano, the fact remains that many of the personnel decisions of Ireland were just as pathetic. I mean, do I have to remind anyone that the club has been laughingly referred to as the Miami Cowboys because of the numerous former members of Dallas Ireland’s brought in?

Yes, Sparano signed off on those move I’m sure, but it was Ireland who made the decision to bring in players like Marc Colombo; a bust if there ever was one. I don’t think someone like Cowher or Gruden, or even Fisher or Billick, is going to stand for such limited ability at evaluating talent. If they don’t want to take over the reins of the general manager position themselves, they’re going to want someone they can trust to do the job for them. That’s because when it all boils down to it, when you’re talking about a superstar head coach like Cowher, the general manager actually works for him, not the other way around.

This is precisely why I think Ross is going to push for someone like Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano, or New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael Jr. There’s even an outside shot—because of his strong ties to Miami—Ross and Ireland might go after Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, who was the tight ends coach and offensive coordinator at the University of Miami during the Hurricanes glory days of a decade ago.

Whatever route they take, though, I believe the Dolphins will likely have a much better shot at doing something than they would have ever had under Sparano. While I’d hoped (and still do) Ross would have gotten rid of Ireland as well, in the end the proper coach might be enough to turn the franchise around. No matter what happens in the future, there’s no doubt about what just happened now.

On Monday, Dec. 12 Christmas came early for Miami fans all across the country. Peace on earth, and good will toward men.

Hut, hut, hike!

More from Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Dolphins Disappointingly Lose 26-10 to Eagles in Vick’s Return

Thank God Miami Dolphins Are No Longer Run by ‘Nick Satan’

Miami Owner Stephen Ross Likely Never to Be on Dolphins’ Walk of Fame

Bringing Sparano Back Next Year Because of Win Over Raiders is Insane

A Dolphins Loss to the Oakland Raiders Could Help Miami

All stats and information taken from personal notes and verified at Pro-Football-Reference.com, NFL.com, and Yahoo! Sports.

Read more by Daniel Barber aka Hotnuke at TFS Sports.

*Daniel Barber has been a fan of all Miami teams since he was a child or since their inception having been born right above Miami.

Sources:

Pro-Football-Reference.com

NFL.com

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

After meticulous study, I have determined that Sunday will be the weirdest home game in the Dolphins’ 46-year history. Call it, “The Messiah vs. The Mess.”

The Messiah of course is Tim Tebow, god of Gainesville, savior of Denver. A pilgrimage of acolytes has flocked to Miami to worship him — I’m not sure about the lower-case “h” in “him” — as the Dolphins insanely honor the 2008 Gators national-championship team thereby encouraging local fans to root for the opposing team’s quarterback.

The Mess is the Dolphins, winless, losers of six consecutive home games, coach under fire, and in such an unholy fix that many of the club’s own exasperated fans are now cheering against the team, seeing a greater good in continued losing, a No. 1 overall draft pick and Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.

Luck is supposed to be the best passer coming out of college since Peyton Manning, by the way, although there are some doubts whether he can turn Gatorade into wine like Tebow.

In summary, the home crowd might be cheering for a loss, might be cheering for the other quarterback and might be booing the halftime celebration.

All in all, Sunday could not get any stranger.

Wait. Check that.

The Dolphins could actually win.

• Coaches Jim Harbaugh of the Niners and Jim Schwartz of the Lions nearly came to blows last week when Harbaugh celebrated a win with a too-enthusiastic handshake. Looking for bright spots, Dolfans? Tony Sparano has not been in a position to hurt an opposing coach with a celebratory handshake.

• In the news this week, an unpopular leader was captured by his own angry people in an ugly mob-scene takeover. Moammar Gadhafi in Libya? Well, him, too, now that you mention it. But I meant Sparano by Dolfans, should he lose Sunday.

• The Florida Panthers had lost consecutive shutouts entering Saturday’s game here against the Islanders. Well, that’s what they get for borrowing Dolphins offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

• The Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers play Sunday in London. Let’s tell the Brits it’s an exciting matchup between great teams. They won’t know any better.

• Three players for No. 1 LSU were suspended from Saturday’s Auburn game after testing positive for synthetic marijuana. Somewhere, the inventor of fake pot is overcome by a sense of abject failure.

• With college basketball just a few weeks away, Miami’s men are rated a respectable fifth in the Atlantic Coast Conference and the UM women are a national power. This is me, pretending we’re a college hoops town.

• Sad news, folks. The Lingerie Football League, in which young women compete in bra and panties, has begun its 12-team season with the Miami Caliente nowhere to be found. Wouldn’t you think a major local sports franchise folding would have been a bigger story!?

• In other LFL news, the league has invited Michael Jackson’s daughter, Paris, 13, to lead an initiative to develop interest in an LFL youth league. Seriously. The idea has been enthusiastically endorsed by the American Association of Creepy Pedophiles.

• The Heat’s LeBron James and Dwyane Wade finished 1-3 in ESPN.com’s overall ranking of NBA players. Hey wouldn’t it be great if there were some sort of a league that allowed us to watch them play?

The Miami Dolphins not too long ago were a team that couldn’t pass for much, but one that was competitive on the strength of its running game, its defense and its ability to avoid self-inflicted wounds. Three games into the preseason, maybe the opposite is becoming true for these Dolphins.

Quarterback Chad Henne and the Dolphins’ passing offense produced gaudy numbers in the first half here at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But the Dolphins’ sloppiness, and defensive lapses at inopportune times, fueled a 17-13 Buccaneers victory.

Rudy Carpenter, the Buccaneers third-string quarterback, engineered the game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter. He completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Overbay with 3:11 to play.

Henne, who played into the third quarter along with the Dolphins’ other starters, completed 10 of his 12 attempts in the first half for 175 yards. The most memorable moment came on his team’s first offensive series, when Henne threw a 60-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall.

Marshall beat single coverage to make the play near the right sideline. He stiff-armed a defender on his way to the end zone. Henne’s strong performance followed another one against the Carolina Panthers last week, when he completed 15-of-24 attempts for 194 yards.

“I thought he threw the ball well,” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said of Henne at halftime. “They are trying to pressure him out there a bunch – he got rid of the ball a few times. We have to do a better job of protecting the quarterback on some of those early downs.”

Outside of the touchdown pass to Marshall, the highlights were few.

The Dolphins didn’t score a touchdown on their only trip into the red zone during the first half, instead settling for a 29-yard field goal from Dan Carpenter. On other drives, penalties stalled the Dolphins before they even began to move.

At one point in the first half, penalties forced the Dolphins backwards on three consecutive drives before they ever had a chance to move forward. There was a hold on a punt return, then an offensive holding and then an illegal formation penalty. The Dolphins finished with 11 penalties for 76 yards.

Late in the first half, the Dolphins had a chance to take either a 17-3 or a 13-3 lead. Henne had found Marshall and he was off in the open field, making defenders miss. But after gaining 30 yards – most of them coming after the catch – Marshall fumbled. Buccaneers cornerback E.J. Biggers caught Marshall from behind and knocked the ball loose.

Tampa Bay recovered on its own 46 and moved with ease during a 54-yard scoring drive that culminated in Earnest Graham’s 2-yard touchdown. To that point, the Dolphins’ defense had frustrated quarterback Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers offense. Still, the teams entered halftime tied at 10.

In addition to the penalties, the defensive breakdown at the end of the first half and the lost opportunities on offense, the Dolphins’ running game provided more cause for concern. Miami gained two yards on nine carries in the first half, with rookie Daniel Thomas leading team with three yards rushing.

The running game’s struggles could be traced to the offensive line, which struggled to open holes and also had issues providing Henne adequate time to throw downfield. Henne often compensated with quick, short passes down the middle – but the running backs, including Reggie Bush, rarely had a chance.

Reserves for both teams entered early in the third quarter and played the rest of the way. The Dolphins’ newly-signed running back Larry Johnson gained two yards on his first carry of the preseason early in the fourth quarter. He finished with 7 yards, an underwhelming total in an underwhelming overall performance for the Dolphins.

Although it should not be taken as an indication of potential labor peace, the NFL still moved forward Tuesday with its announcement of the 2011 preseason schedule. At this point, it should be treated as a tentative plan.

The Dolphins’ slate of games includes some familiar preseason opponents, including the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers in Sun Life Stadium and the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road.

Exact dates and times will be announced at a later date, but the Dolphins did release approximate dates: Atlanta will be the first opponent (Aug. 12-15), Carolina is second (Aug. 19-22), the Bucs are third (Aug. 26-29) and the Cowboys will serve as the fourth and final opponent (Sept. 1 or 2).

The regular-season dates also will be announced at a later date.