Dolphins QB Matt Moore vs. the football

• Winner: Dallas.

After Thursday’s game, Moore has fumbled nine times this season and lost three since taking over for Chad Henne. Moore also has a habit of losing the football deep in the Dolphins end as he did Thursday when he missed a shotgun snap from the Dolphins 24 and Dallas star DeMarcus Ware recovered it on the 5. Cheap touchdown for Dallas. Moore’s first fumbled snap, on third-and-11 from the Dallas 37, took away any opportunity to get into field-goal range. All possible points missed count as costly in a one-point loss.

Cowboys receivers vs. Dolphins cornerbacks

•  Winner: Draw.

Dallas wide receiver Laurent Robinson came up with seven catches for 79 yards and both Cowboys touchdowns. But Dez Bryant caught only three for 35 yards, less of a factor than at least two Dolphins wide receivers. And the Dolphins’ third-year cornerback pair, Vontae Davis and Sean Smith, each came up with interceptions in the first quarter. Smith’s diving pickoff almost took the ball from Robinson’s hands. It’s not their fault the Dolphins offense didn’t score enough point.

Cowboys red zone offensevs. Dallas red zone defense

•  Winner: Dallas.

After 11 touchdowns in their last 14 red zone trips, the Dolphins went zero for four Thursday. Two failures seemed square at Matt Moore’s feet or, rather, in his hands – his throwaway on third and 3 from the Dallas 8, when he seemed to have a lane to at least make a running try for the first down, and the third and 4 from the Dallas 9 when he fired wide of an open Charles Clay. Converting either third down gives the Dolphins a first and goal. Then again, they failed at first and goal from the Dallas 3.

Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said that kicker Dan Carpenter “experienced soreness” in his groin muscle Thursday evening, prompting the team to workout possible replacements Friday.

“There’s no five-alarm fire yet,” Sparano said.

But there was smoke in Davie. Kickers worked out around 2 p.m. inside the Dolphins practice bubble. The NFL Network reported that veteran kickers Jeff Reed, Shayne Graham and Rhys Lloyd were in attendance.

Carpenter is 18 of 22 on field-goal attempts this season and 14 of 14 on point-after attempts.

Officially, Carpenter was listed as questionable (right groin) for Sunday’s game on the Dolphins’ Friday injury report.

Amid the Miami Dolphins [team stats]’ 0-2 start, players already are answering questions about their confidence level in coach Tony Sparano and his staff.

At least one player, veteran linebacker Karlos Dansby didn’t hesitate when asked on Thursday whether the team still had full confidence in the Dolphins’ staff.

“Without a doubt, man,” Dansby said. “These guys (are) awesome. There’s too much experience in this building not to have confidence in how the coaches have been coaching right now. There’s too much experience in the building, man. We’ve just got to soak it up, got to be sponges.”

Dansby said the veteran members of the Dolphins need to do a better job leading the younger players.

He threw his support behind Sparano, who is already facing scrutiny given the Dolphins 0-2 start. If the struggles continue, speculation is likely to persist about Sparano’s future. Dansby said he and the team supported Sparano “100 percent.”

“One-hundred percent,” Dansby said. “Without a doubt. Coach Sparano — he’s our coach, he’s our leader. And without a leader, man … without a head, you’re dead.”

Taylor disappointed private meeting becomes public

Veteran LB Jason Taylor expressed disappointment on Thursday that knowledge of Miami Dolphins’ players-only meeting that he led became public. Taylor led the meeting after the Dolphins’ 23-13 defeat against the Houston Texans [team stats] on Sunday.

“It’s a little disturbing that what was talked about in the locker room to begin with was talked about outside of the locker room,” Taylor said. “That’s a little disappointing to me. There was no media in there, so it shouldn’t have been public.”

Taylor said the meeting among players “should have been a very private moment.” After the loss against the Texans, Taylor said he doubted whether some of his teammates possessed the confidence necessary to win.

“That’s not blaming our performance on anything else besides us not making plays on the field,” Taylor said. “Coach Sparano is not going to miss a tackle … it’s all us. It’s as simple as that.”

Henne, Marshall bonding?

Good friends usually share their toys, and it appears that happened Thursday inside the Miami Dolphins locker room.

Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall received a box of action figures of himself the NFL produced to sell and decided to place one inside Chad Henne’s locker stall.

Marshall, who is the third most targeted receiver in the NFL, wants to make sure he’s at the forefront of his quarterback’s mind.

“So every time you go to your locker, you remember to throw to me,” Marshall said, joking.

The Miami Dolphins addressed one of their most important needs on Thursday when they acquired Reggie Bush, the former Heisman Trophy-winning running back, from the New Orleans Saints. The day ended, though, without the Dolphins having addressed another key area of concern: quarterback.

The acquisition of Bush and the continued — and, apparently, stalled — pursuit of Denver quarterback Kyle Orton were the two main storylines that surrounded the Dolphins on what was technically their first day of preseason training camp. The team’s first practice will be Friday in Davie at 11 a.m.

By the time many of their fans had woken up on Thursday, the Dolphins had already laid in place the foundation of the trade that will send Bush from New Orleans to South Florida. The trade had been contingent on Bush accepting terms of a new contract with Miami.

He reportedly agreed on a two-year deal worth $9.7 million. In acquiring Bush, ESPN reported the Dolphins sent cornerback Jonathan Amaya to New Orleans. The network also reported the deal involved an undisclosed number of draft picks.

Bush isn’t expected to start practicing with the Dolphins until Aug. 4, given the post-lockout timeline the NFL implemented. He isn’t expected to sign his new contract until Friday at 6 p.m.

Though he has been prone to injuries throughout his career, Bush fits the mold of the kind of versatile, fast running back that general manager Jeff Ireland hinted at adding throughout the offseason. He has been one of the most effective pass-catching backs during his five NFL seasons, and he also played a key role on special teams during his time in New Orleans.

“Change is never easy but I look forward to building something special in Miami and can’t wait to embark on this new journey,” Bush wrote on Twitter. “Here we go …”

Bush joins a Miami backfield that will include Daniel Thomas, the power back from Kansas State whom the Dolphins selected in the second round of the draft in April. Bush’s arrival also makes it more unlikely that either Ronnie Brown or Ricky Williams, both free agents, return to the Dolphins.

Though Thursday started at a frenetic pace with the Bush news, the Dolphins’ other primary pursuit — that of Orton — apparently fizzled. At least for now.

On Wednesday night, Ireland appeared to be close to a deal that would have sent Orton from Denver to Miami. A source said then that Orton sat atop Ireland’s wish list of quarterbacks. But another source said Orton, who is owed nearly $9 million in 2011, sought multiyear contract for more than $6 million a year.

Orton, according to the Denver Post, reported for practice with the Broncos on Thursday. With the Orton talk fading, few would be surprised to see the Dolphins turn their interest to Vince Young, released on Thursday night by the Titans.
Barring the unforeseen, it appears that Chad Henne will begin practice today as the Dolphins’ unquestioned starting quarterback.

Another quarterback expected to practice today is Pat Devlin, the former Delaware standout who was considered to be the top undrafted quarterback available. The Dolphins officially announced on Thursday that Devlin and 10 others had agreed to terms as undrafted rookie free agents.

Draftees Charles Clay, Frank Kearse and Jimmy Wilson — the Dolphins’ final three selections in the draft — also signed their contracts. Both Mike Pouncey, a center who was the team’s first-round pick, and Thomas had yet to sign their contracts as of Thursday night.

According to a source, the Dolphins have a four-year budget of $21,651,124 to work with for all six rookies. The rookie budget is determined by the NFL under terms of the new collective bargaining agreement. The Dolphins can only pay the six draftees $3,935,568 in salary and bonuses for 2011.

Clay, an H-back the Dolphins selected in the sixth round, sounded less concerned about the finances of his deal and more excited about the chance to practice on his way to sign his deal.

“I’m excited to finally get back in the swing of things,” he said. “I haven’t had a chance to play football in a while. It’s a dream come true.”

abcarter@tribune.com. Staff writer Omar Kelly contributed to this report.