# 2010 Miami Dolphins season

The 2010 season was the Miami Dolphins' 41st in the National Football League (NFL), their 45th overall and their third under head coach Tony Sparano. The Dolphins matched their 7–9 record from 2009, and placed in third in the AFC East.

## Offseason personnel moves
### Staff Changes

In September 2010, Bill Parcells, stepped down as Vice President of Football Operations, but remaining as a consultant. He was later criticised for not making the right choices to improve the team.
The Dolphins lost their first coach of the offseason—outside linebackers coach Jim Reid—on January 8, when Reid was named defensive coordinator and associated head coach under Mike London at the University of Virginia.
That same week, inside linebackers coach George Edwards was named defensive coordinator at the University of Florida under Urban Meyer and acting head coach Steve Addazio. He would later go on to fill the Buffalo Bills' defensive coordinator position. On January 11, the Dolphins fired defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni after the team finished 25th in the league in points allowed during the season. He was quickly replaced by former Denver Broncos defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan, less than 24 hours after resigning his post in Denver. Former New York Giants defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan was named linebackers coach to replace both Edwards and Reid.

### Players
#### Re-signings

* June 17 — Re-signed linebacker Tim Dobbins to a two-year extension.
* June 18 — Re-signed punter Brandon Fields to a two-year extension, and signed long snapper John Denney to a three-year extension.
* July 27 — Re-signed kicker Dan Carpenter to a three-year extension.
* August 6 – Re-signed tight end David Martin. Martin had missed the entire 2009 season with a knee injury, and was released from the team in December.
* August 16 – Re-signed defensive end/outside linebacker Ikaika Alama-Francis to a one-year extension.

#### Signings

* March 5 – Signed linebacker Karlos Dansby (Arizona Cardinals).
* March 17 – Signed guard Richie Incognito (Buffalo Bills).
* May 20 – Signed linebacker Zach Thomas to a one-day contract (Kansas City Chiefs).
* May 24 – Signed Offensive Lineman Cory Procter (Dallas Cowboys).
* July 25 – Signed defensive tackle Montavious Stanley (Jacksonville Jaguars).
* July 27 – Signed defensive end Marques Douglas (New York Jets).
* July 30 – Signed defensive end Charles Grant (New Orleans Saints).
* September 6 – Signed inside linebacker Bobby Carpenter (St. Louis Rams).
* September 8 – Signed running back/kick returner Clifton Smith (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
* September 21 – Signed tight end Jeron Mastrud from the practice squad.

#### Departures

* March 5 – Released linebackers Joey Porter, Akin Ayodele and safety Gibril Wilson.
* May 20 – Announced the retirement of linebacker Zach Thomas.
* May 27 – Terminated the contract of linebacker Reggie Torbor.
* July 15 – Announced the retirement of defensive tackle Jason Ferguson.
* September 4 – Released quarterback Pat White, guard Donald Thomas, tight end David Martin and wide receiver Patrick Turner among final roster cuts.
* September 5 – Released defensive ends Marques Douglas and Charles Grant.
* September 6 – Terminated the contract of outside linebacker Charlie Anderson.
* September 8 – Terminated the contract of center Jake Grove.

#### Trades

* April 14 – Traded a 2nd round selection in the 2010 NFL draft (43rd overall, traded to Baltimore – Sergio Kindle) and the 2011 NFL draft for Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
* April 16 – Traded wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr. to the San Francisco 49ers for a fifth round selection in the 2010 NFL draft (145th overall – Nolan Carroll).
* April 22 – Traded the 12th overall selection (Ryan Mathews), a 4th round selection (110th overall, Darrell Stuckey), and a 6th round selection (173rd overall, traded to San Francisco – Anthony Dixon) in the 2010 NFL draft to the San Diego Chargers for the 28th overall selection (Jared Odrick), a 2nd round selection (40th overall, Koa Misi), a 4th round selection (126th overall, traded to Dallas – Akwasi Owusu-Ansah) and linebacker Tim Dobbins.
* May 24 – Traded guard Justin Smiley to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 7th round selection in the 2011 NFL draft.
* August 25 – Traded wide receiver Greg Camarillo to the Minnesota Vikings for cornerback Benny Sapp.
* September 3 – Acquired offensive tackle Pat McQuistan from the Dallas Cowboys for a conditional 7th-round draft choice in the 2011 NFL draft.

#### 2010 NFL Draft

After finishing the 2009 season with a record of 7–9, the Dolphins were slotted for the 12th overall pick in the draft. However, on draft day, they ended up trading down with San Diego for the No.28 pick.
| Draft | Draft | Name | Position | College | Height | Weight |
| Rnd | Pick | Name | Position | College | Height | Weight |
| 1 | 28 | Jared Odrick | DE | Penn State | 6'5" | 296 |
| 2 | 40 | Koa Misi | OLB | Utah | 6'3" | 251 |
| 3 | 73 | John Jerry | G | Ole Miss | 6'5" | 328 |
| 4 | 119 | A. J. Edds | ILB | Iowa | 6'4" | 246 |
| 5 | 145 | Nolan Carroll | CB | Maryland | 5'11" | 204 |
| 5 | 163 | Reshad Jones | FS | Georgia | 6'1" | 214 |
| 7 | 212 | Chris McCoy | OLB | Middle Tennessee | 6'3" | 251 |
| 7 | 252 | Austin Spitler | ILB | Ohio State | 6'3" | 234 |
Notes
* Miami traded their 2010 first-round pick (12th overall), a fourth-round selection (110th overall), and a sixth-round selection it acquired from Kansas City (173rd overall) to San Diego for a first-round selection (28th overall), a second-round selection it acquired from Seattle (40th overall), a fourth-round selection (126th overall), and linebacker Tim Dobbins.
* Miami traded their second-round pick (43rd overall) and its 2011 second-round selection to Denver for wide receiver Brandon Marshall.
* Miami traded their fifth-round pick (142nd overall) to Kansas City for quarterback Tyler Thigpen.
* San Francisco traded their fifth-round pick (145th overall) to Miami for wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr.
* Kansas City traded their sixth-round pick (173rd overall) to Miami for offensive linemen Andy Alleman and Ikechuku Ndukwe.
* Washington traded their sixth-round pick (174th overall) and a 2009 second-round selection (44th overall) to Miami for defensive end Jason Taylor.
* Kansas City traded their seventh-round pick (212nd) to Miami for a 2009 seventh-round selection (237th overall).
* Seventh-round pick (252nd overall) is a compensatory pick.
* Washington traded their fifth-round pick (163rd overall) to Miami for a sixth-round selection (174th overall) and a seventh-round selection (219th overall).

## Staff

Team Captains
Yeremiah Bell, Patrick Cobbs, Karlos Dansby, and Jake Long.

## Schedule
### Preseason

The Dolphins preseason schedule was announced on March 31, 2010.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
| 1 | August 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 10–7 | 1–0 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 21 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | W 27–26 | 2–0 | EverBank Field | Recap |
| 3 | August 27 | Atlanta Falcons | L 6–16 | 2–1 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | September 2 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 25–27 | 2–2 | Cowboys Stadium | Recap |

### Regular season

The 2010 regular season schedule was announced on April 20, 2010.
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game site | NFL.com recap |
| 1 | September 12 | at Buffalo Bills | W 15–10 | 1–0 | Ralph Wilson Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 14–10 | 2–0 | Mall of America Field | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | New York Jets | L 23–31 | 2–1 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 4 | New England Patriots | L 14–41 | 2–2 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 5 | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye | Bye |
| 6 | October 17 | at Green Bay Packers | W 23–20 (OT) | 3–2 | Lambeau Field | Recap |
| 7 | October 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 22–23 | 3–3 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | October 31 | at Cincinnati Bengals | W 22–14 | 4–3 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 7 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 10–26 | 4–4 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 14 | Tennessee Titans | W 29–17 | 5–4 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 18 | Chicago Bears | L 0–16 | 5–5 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | November 28 | at Oakland Raiders | W 33–17 | 6–5 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | Recap |
| 13 | December 5 | Cleveland Browns | L 10–13 | 6–6 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 12 | at New York Jets | W 10–6 | 7–6 | New Meadowlands Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 19 | Buffalo Bills | L 14–17 | 7–7 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | Detroit Lions | L 27–34 | 7–8 | Sun Life Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 2 | at New England Patriots | L 7–38 | 7–9 | Gillette Stadium | Recap |

## Standings

AFC East :
| viewtalkedit | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK |
| $^{(1)}$ New England Patriots | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 5–1 | 10–2 | 518 | 313 | W8 |
| $^{(6)}$ New York Jets | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | 367 | 304 | W1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | 275 | 332 | L3 |
| Buffalo Bills | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 283 | 425 | L2 |

### Conference

AFC
viewtalkedit :
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
| Division winners ||||||||||||
| 1 | New England Patriots | East | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 5–1 | 10–2 | .504 | .504 | W8 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 5–1 | 9–3 | .500 | .417 | W2 |
| 3 | Indianapolis Colts | South | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .473 | .425 | W4 |
| 4 | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2–4 | 6–6 | .414 | .381 | L1 |
| Wild cards ||||||||||||
| 5 | Baltimore Ravens | North | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .484 | .422 | W4 |
| 6 | New York Jets | East | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 4–2 | 9–3 | .492 | .409 | W1 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason ||||||||||||
| 7 | San Diego Chargers | West | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .457 | .410 | W1 |
| 8 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .453 | .383 | L3 |
| 9 | Oakland Raiders | West | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 6–0 | 6–6 | .469 | .469 | W1 |
| 10 | Miami Dolphins | East | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–4 | 5–7 | .539 | .438 | L3 |
| 11 | Houston Texans | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .523 | .500 | W1 |
| 12 | Tennessee Titans | South | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .508 | .500 | L2 |
| 13 | Cleveland Browns | North | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .570 | .475 | L4 |
| 14 | Denver Broncos | West | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .516 | .453 | L1 |
| 15 | Buffalo Bills | East | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .578 | .344 | L2 |
| 16 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–4 | 3–9 | .582 | .438 | L1 |
| Tiebreakers ||||||||||||
| 1 2 Pittsburgh clinched the AFC North title instead of Baltimore based on division record (5–1 to Baltimore's 4–2). 1 2 Indianapolis clinched the AFC No. 3 seed instead of Kansas City based on a head-to-head victory. 1 2 Jacksonville finished ahead of Oakland based on head-to-head victory. 1 2 Houston finished ahead of Tennessee in the AFC South based on division record (3–3 to Tennessee's 2–4). 1 2 3 Denver finished ahead of Buffalo and Cincinnati based on strength of victory. 1 2 Buffalo finished ahead of Cincinnati based on head-to-head victory. ↑ When breaking ties for three or more teams under the NFL's rules, they are first broken within divisions, then comparing only the highest ranked remaining team from each division. ||||||||||||

## Game results
### Week 1: at Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 3 | 7 | 0 | 5 | 15 |
| Bills | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
* Date: September 12
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 62 °F (17 °C) (Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 69,295
* Referee: Clete Blakeman
* TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010091201/2010/REG1/dolphins@bills
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 32-yard field goal, Dolphins 3–0, Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:54.
Second quarter
MIA – Ronnie Brown 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 10–0, Drive: 11 plays, 65 yards, 5:09.
BUF – Rian Lindell 51-yard field goal, Dolphins 10–3, Drive: 8 plays, 27 yards, 4:04.
Third quarter
No scoring plays.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 32-yard field goal, Dolphins 13–3, Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:54.
BUF – Roscoe Parrish 31-yard reception from Trent Edwards (Rian Lindell kick), Dolphins 13–10, Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards, 4:19
MIA – Garrison Sanborn fumble out of bounds for Safety, Dolphins 15–10
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 21/34, 182 yards
BUF – Trent Edwards – 18/34, 139 yards, 1 TD
Top rushers
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 13 rushes, 65 yards, 1 TD
BUF – Fred Jackson – 4 rushes, 19 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 8 receptions, 53 yards
BUF – Stevie Johnson – 3 receptions, 40 yards
Top tacklers
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 6 tackles, 2 assists
BUF – Drayton Florence – 9 tackles, 1 assist :
The Miami Dolphins began their season at Ralph Wilson Stadium for an AFC East duel with the Buffalo Bills. In the first quarter, Miami struck first when kicker Dan Carpenter nailed a 32-yard field goal, which was increased in the second quarter when running back Ronnie Brown got a 1-yard TD run. The Bills replied when kicker Rian Lindell made a 51-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, Miami scored first with Carpenter hitting a 43-yard field goal. Then, the Bills replied with quarterback Trent Edwards making a 31-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Roscoe Parrish. The final score was made when long snapper Garrison Sanborn fumbled out of bounds for a safety.
With the win, the Dolphins began the season at 1–0.

### Week 2: at Minnesota Vikings

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
| Vikings | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 10 |
at Mall of America Field at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota
* Date: September 19
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: None (dome stadium)
* Game attendance: 63,846
* Referee: Mike Carey
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010091902/2010/REG2/dolphins@vikings
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Brian Hartline 5-yard pass form Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 7–0, Drive: 10 plays, 45 yards, 5:54.
Second quarter
Third quarter
MIA – Koa Misi fumble recovery in endzone (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 14–0,
MIN – Adrian Peterson 1-yard run (Ryan Longwell kick), Dolphins 14–7, Drive: 2 plays, 1 yards, 0:10.
Fourth quarter
MIN – Ryan Longwell 28-yard field goal, Dolphins 14–10, Drive: 13 plays, 78 yards, 6:49.
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 9/15, 114 yards, 1 touchdown
MIN – Brett Favre – 22/36, 225 yards, 3 interceptions
Top rushers
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 13 rushes, 80 yards
MIN – Adrian Peterson – 28 rushes, 145 yards, 1 touchdown
Top receivers
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 4 receptions, 71 yards
MIN – Visanthe Shiancoe – 6 receptions, 86 yards
Top tacklers
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 9 tackles, 3 assists
MIN – E.J. Henderson – 5 tackles, 2 assists, 1 forced fumble :
Hoping to increase their winning streak, the Dolphins flew to Mall of America Field at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for an interconference duel with the Vikings. In the first quarter, the Dolphins got the early lead as QB Chad Henne made a 5-yard TD pass to WR Brian Hartline. In the third quarter, the Dolphins increased their lead when LB Koa Misi recovered a fumble in the endzone for a touchdown, but Minnesota scored with RB Adrian Peterson completing a 1-yard TD run. The Vikings tried to fight back in the 4th quarter with kicker Ryan Longwell nailing a 28-yard field goal, but Miami's defense prevented anything else from happening, giving Miami a win. It was the Dolphins' first road win over the Vikings since 1979.
With the win, Miami improved to 2–0.

### Week 3: vs. New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Jets | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 31 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 23 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: September 26
* Game time: 8:20 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 83 °F (28 °C) (Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 70,481
* Referee: Jerome Boger
* TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Andrea Kremer
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010092614/2010/REG3/jets@dolphins
Game information :
First quarter
NYJ – Dustin Keller 24-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Nick Folk kick), Jets 7–0, Drive: 10 plays, 72 yards, 5:43.
Second quarter
NYJ – Dustin Keller 12-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Nick Folk kick), Jets 14–0, Drive: 7 plays, 90 yards, 4:07.
MIA – Anthony Fasano 3-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Jets 14–7, Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:21.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 44-yard field goal, Jets 14–10, Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 6:23.
Third quarter
MIA – Brandon Marshall 11-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 17–14, Drive: 12 plays, 73 yards, 6:13.
NYJ – Braylon Edwards 67-yard pass from Mark Sanchez (Nick Folk kick), Jets 21–17, Drive: 1 plays, 67 yards, 0:18.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 20-yard field goal, Jets 21–20, Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 3:15.
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Nick Folk 30-yard field goal, Jets 24–20, Drive: 8 plays, 5 yards, 4:10.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 50-yard field goal, Jets 24–23, Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 2:14.
NYJ – LaDainian Tomlinson 1-yard run (Nick Folk kick), Jets 31–21, Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 4:47.
Top passers
NYJ – Mark Sanchez – 15/28, 253 yards, 3 touchdowns
MIA – Chad Henne – 26/44, 363 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Top rushers
NYJ – LaDainian Tomlinson – 15 rushes, 70 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 11 rushes, 54 yards
Top receivers
NYJ – Dustin Keller – 6 receptions, 98 yards, 2 touchdowns
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 10 receptions, 166 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
NYJ – David Harris – 7 tackles
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 8 tackles, 1 assist :
Coming off their win over the Vikings, the Dolphins went home, donned their alternate uniforms, and played their Week 3 home-opener against their AFC East foe, the New York Jets, on Sunday night. Miami trailed early in the first quarter as Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dustin Keller. The Dolphins' deficit would increase in the second quarter as Sanchez hooked up with Keller again on a 3-yard touchdown pass. Miami would respond with quarterback Chad Henne completing a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano, followed by kicker Dan Carpenter making a 44-yard field goal.
The Dolphins would take the lead in the third quarter as Henne connected with wide receiver Brandon Marshall on an 11-yard touchdown pass, but New York would immediately respond as Sanchez found wide receiver Braylon Edwards on a 67-yard touchdown pass. Miami would answer with Carpenter's 20-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, the Jets would add onto their lead as kicker Nick Folk got a 30-yard field goal. The Dolphins would chip away as their deficit as Carpenter booted a 50-yard field goal, but New York would pull away as running back LaDainian Tomlinson got a 1-yard touchdown run. Miami tried to rally, but the Jets' defense held on for the win.
With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 2–1.

### Week 4: vs. New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Patriots | 0 | 6 | 21 | 14 | 41 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: October 4
* Game time: 8:30 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C) (Clear)
* Game attendance: 69,090
* Referee: Walt Coleman
* TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, Jon Gruden, Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya.
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010100400/2010/REG4/patriots@dolphins
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Davone Bess 19-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 7–0, Drive: 7 plays, 64 yards, 4:02.
Second quarter
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 23-yard field goal, Dolphins 7–3, Drive: 16 plays, 55 yards, 9:11.
NE – Stephen Gostkowski 30-yard field goal, Dolphins 7–6, Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 2:47.
Third quarter
NE – Brandon Tate 103-yard kickoff return (Stephen Gostkowski kick), Patriots 13–7, Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:14.
NE – BenJarvus Green-Ellis 12-yard run (Stephen Gostkowski kick), Patriots 20–7, Drive: 2 plays, 15 yards, 0:42.
MIA – Ricky Williams 28-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Patriots 20–14, Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:48.
NE – Danny Woodhead 11-yard pass from Tom Brady (Stephen Gostkowski kick), Patriots 27–14, Drive: 12 plays, 78 yards, 4:54.
Fourth quarter
NE – Kyle Arrington 35-yard return of blocked field goal (Stephen Gostkowski kick), Patriots 34–14,
NE – Pat Chung 51-yard interception return (Stephen Gostkowski kick), Patriots 41–14
Top passers
NE – Tom Brady – 19/24, 153 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Chad Henne – 28/38, 305 yards, 2 touchdowns, 3 interceptions
Top rushers
NE – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 16 rushes, 76 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Ricky Williams – 8 rushes, 56 yards
Top receivers
NE – Wes Welker – 8 receptions, 70 yards
MIA – Davone Bess – 8 receptions, 96 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
NE – Jerod Mayo – 14 tackles, 2 assists
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 6 tackles, 1 assist :
Hoping to rebound from their divisional loss to the Jets, the Dolphins stayed at home for a Week 4 AFC East duel with the New England Patriots on Monday night. Miami delivered the opening punch in the first quarter as quarterback Chad Henne hooked up with wide receiver Davone Bess on a 19-yard touchdown pass. In the second quarter, the Patriots answered with kicker Stephen Gostkowski making a 23-yard and a 30-yard field goal.
New England took the lead in the third quarter as wide receiver Brandon Tate returned the second half's opening kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown, followed by running back BenJarvis Green-Ellis' 12-yard touchdown run. The Dolphins responded with Henne completing a 28-yard touchdown pass to running back Ricky Williams, but the Patriots came right back with quarterback Tom Brady's 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Danny Woodhead. New England would continue its dominance on special teams in the fourth quarter as cornerback Kyle Arrington returned a blocked field goal 35 yards for a touchdown. Afterwards, the Patriots sealed the win as safety Patrick Chung returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown.
With the loss, Miami went into its bye week at 2–2.

### Week 6: at Green Bay Packers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Packers | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 20 |
at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin
* Date: October 17
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
* Game weather: 57 °F (14 °C) (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 70,815
* Referee: Ed Hochuli
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010101700/2010/REG6/dolphins@packers
Game information :
First quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 46-yard field goal, Packers 3–0, Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:02.
MIA – Davone Bess 2-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 7–3, Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:06.
GB – Greg Jennings 86-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers (Mason Crosby kick), Packers 10–7, Drive: 1 plays, 86 yards, 0:14.
Second quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 53-yard field goal, Tied 10–10, Drive: 14 plays, 53 yards, 3:29.
Third quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 41-yard field goal, Dolphins 13–10, Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 7:18.
Fourth quarter
GB – Mason Crosby 26-yard field goal, Packers 17–13, Drive: 16 plays, 55 yards, 9:11.
MIA – Anthony Fasano 22-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 20–17, Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 2:48.
GB – Aaron Rodgers 1-yard run (Mason Crosby kick), Tied 20–20, Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 5:07.
Overtime
MIA – Dan Carpenter 44-yard field goal, Dolphins 23–20, Drive: 7 plays, 26 yards, 3:45.
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 23/39, 231 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
GB – Aaron Rodgers – 18/33, 313 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Top rushers
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 19 rushes, 73 yards
GB – Brandon Jackson – 12 rushes, 53 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 10 receptions, 127 yards
GB – Greg Jennings – 6 receptions, 133 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
MIA – Karlos Dansby, Vontae Davis, Tony McDaniel – 4 tackles
GB – Charlie Peprah – 9 tackles, 2 assists :
Coming off their bye week the Dolphins flew to Lambeau field for an Interconference duel against the Packers. In the first quarter the Dolphins trailed early with kicker Mason Crosby nailing a 46-yard field goal. But they replied with QB Chad Henne making a 2-yard TD pass to WR Davone Bess. The lead didn't last very long after QB Aaron Rodgers made an 86-yard TD pass to WR Greg Jennings. The Dolphins tied the game in the second quarter with kicker Dan Carpenter hitting a 53-yard field goal. He also made a 41-yard field goal to put the Dolphins up 13–10. In the fourth quarter the Packers tied the game with Crosby making a 46-yard field goal, but the Dolphins got the lead back when Henne found TE Anthony Fasano on a 22-yard TD pass. Green Bay replied with Rodgers scrambling 1 yard to the endzone for a touchdown to put the game in overtime. After overtime, the decision was made when Carpenter successfully put away a 44-yard field goal to give the Dolphins the win.
With the win, the Dolphins improved to 3–2.

### Week 7: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Steelers | 0 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 23 |
| Dolphins | 6 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 22 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: October 24
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C) (Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 69,867
* Referee: Gene Steratore
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010102401/2010/REG7/steelers@dolphins
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 39-yard field goal, Dolphins 3–0, Drive: 4 plays, 1 yards, 0:51.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 23-yard field goal, Dolphins 6–0, Drive: 4 plays, 8 yards, 1:53.
Second quarter
PIT – Jeff Reed 22-yard field goal, Dolphins 6–3, Drive: 13 plays, 86 yards, 8:20.
PIT – Hines Ward 21-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Jeff Reed kick), Steelers 10–6, Drive: 5 plays, 34 yards, 1:44.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 22-yard field goal, Steelers 10–9, Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 5:08.
PIT – Mike Wallace 53-yard pass from Ben Roethlisberger (Jeff Reed kick), Steelers 17–9, Drive: 1 plays, 53 yards, 0:16.
MIA – Davone Bess 26-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Steelers 17–16, Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 3:57.
Third quarter
PIT – Jeff Reed 39-yard field goal, Steelers 20–16, Drive: 10 plays, 46 yards, 5:32.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 37-yard field goal, Steelers 20–19, Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 4:24.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 40-yard field goal, Dolphins 22–20, Drive: 7 plays, 52 yards, 3:27.
PIT – Jeff Reed 18-yard field goal, Steelers 23–22, Drive: 8 plays, 47 yards, 2:51.
Top passers
PIT – Ben Roethlisberger – 19/27, 302 yards, 2 touchdowns
MIA – Chad Henne – 23/36, 257 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Top rushers
PIT – Rashard Mendenhall – 15 rushes, 37 yards
MIA – Ricky Williams – 11 rushes, 48 yards
Top receivers
PIT – Hines Ward – 7 receptions, 131 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Davone Bess – 6 receptions, 66 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
PIT – Bryant McFadden – 5 tackles, 1 assist
MIA – Chris Clemons – 6 tackles, 3 assists, 0.5 sack, 2 forced fumbles :
Coming off their road win over the Packers, the Dolphins went home for a Week 7 intraconference duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Dolphins delivered the opening splash in the first quarter with a 39-yard and a 23-yard field goal from kicker Dan Carpenter. In the second quarter, the Steelers took the lead with kicker Jeff Reed getting a 22-yard field goal, followed by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger completing a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Hines Ward. Miami would respond with Carpenter's 22-yard field goal, but Pittsburgh struck back with Roethlisberger's 53-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Mike Wallace. The Dolphins would close out the half as quarterback Chad Henne found wide receiver Davone Bess on a 25-yard touchdown pass.
The Steelers added onto their lead in the third quarter as Reed got a 39-yard field goal. Miami would answer with Carpenter's 37-yard field goal. The Dolphins regained the lead in the fourth quarter as Carpenter booted a 40-yard field goal, but Pittsburgh answered with Reed making an 18-yard field goal. The Dolphins tried to rally, but the Steelers' defense held on for the win.
With the loss, Miami fell to 3–3.

### Week 8: at Cincinnati Bengals

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 3 | 9 | 3 | 7 | 22 |
| Bengals | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
* Date: October 31
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
* Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C) (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 63,179
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (CBS): Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010103102/2010/REG8/dolphins@bengals
Game information :
First quarter
CIN – Terrell Owens 7-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Mike Nugent kick), Bengals 7–0, Drive: 15 plays, 86 yards, 7:40.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 38-yard field goal, Bengals 7–3, Drive: 11 plays, 50 yards, 5:04.
Second quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 42-yard field goal, Bengals 7–6, Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 5:17.
CIN – Terrell Owens 37-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Mike Nugent kick), Bengals 14–6, Drive: 1 plays, 37 yards, 0:07.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 24-yard field goal, Bengals 14–9, Drive: 7 plays, 39 yards, 1:51.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 54-yard field goal, Bengals 14–12, Drive: 4 plays, 13 yards, 0:21.
Third quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 31-yard field goal, Dolphins 15–14, Drive: 15 plays, 81 yards, 7:29.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Ricky Williams 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 22–14, Drive: 6 plays, 96 yards, 2:49.
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 24/37, 217 yards, 1 interception
CIN – Carson Palmer – 17/38, 156 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Top rushers
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 16 rushes, 61 yards
CIN – Cedric Benson – 20 rushes, 69 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 5 receptions, 64 yards
CIN – Terrell Owens – 5 receptions, 65 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top tacklers
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 6 tackles, 3 assists
CIN – Morgan Trent – 9 tackles, 2 assists, 1 interception :
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Steelers the Dolphins flew to Paul Brown Stadium for an AFC duel with the Bengals. In the first quarter the Dolphins trailed early as QB Carson Palmer got a 7-yard TD pass to WR Terrell Owens. They soon replied with kicker Dan Carpenter hitting a 38- and a 42-yard field goal. The Dolphins fell further behind with Palmer finding Owens again on a 37-yard TD pass. The Dolphins caught up and eventually took the lead with Carpenter hitting a 24, 54, and a 31-yard field goal in the third quarter to put the Dolphins up 15–14. They increased their lead with RB Ricky Williams making a 1-yard TD run.
With the win, the Dolphins improved to 4–3.

### Week 9: at Baltimore Ravens

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Ravens | 7 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 26 |
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
* Date: November 7
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 50 °F (10 °C) (Partly Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 71,305
* Referee: John Parry
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010110701/2010/REG9/dolphins@ravens
Game information :
First quarter
BAL – Willis McGahee 32-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Billy Cundiff kick), Ravens 7–0, Drive: 7 plays, 76 yards, 2:52.
MIA – Ronnie Brown 12-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:45.
Second quarter
BAL – Billy Cundiff 26-yard field goal, Ravens 10–7, Drive: 12 plays, 56 yards, 6:10.
BAL – Billy Cundiff 39-yard field goal, Ravens 13–7, Drive: 10 plays, 39 yards, 6:13.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 19-yard field goal, Ravens 13–10, Drive: 11 plays, 79 yards, 2:40.
Third quarter
BAL – Derrick Mason 12-yard pass from Joe Flacco (Billy Cundiff kick), Ravens 20–10, Drive: 6 plays, 96 yards, 2:49.
Fourth quarter
BAL – Billy Cundiff 20-yard field goal, Ravens 23–10, Drive: 13 plays, 61 yards, 5:58.
BAL – Billy Cundiff 24-yard field goal, Ravens 26–10, Drive: 7 plays, 12 yards, 4:16
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 22/34, 213 yards, 3 interceptions
BAL – Joe Flacco – 20/27, 266 yards, 2 touchdowns
Top rushers
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 9 rushes, 59 yards, 1 touchdown
BAL – Ray Rice – 22 rushes, 83 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Brian Hartline – 4 receptions, 85 yards
BAL – Ray Rice – 7 receptions, 97 yards
Top tacklers
MIA – Karlos Dansby – 10 tackles
BAL – Ray Lewis – 7 tackles, 1 assist :
The Dolphins' eighth game was an AFC duel with the Ravens. The Dolphins trailed early after QB Joe Flacco completed a 32-yard TD pass to RB Willis McGahee. They replied with RB Ronnie Brown getting a 12-yard TD run. The Ravens got the lead back after kicker Billy Cundiff made a 26 and a 39-yard field goal. The Dolphins narrowed the lead with kicker Dan Carpenter nailing a 19-yard field goal. The Dolphins fell further behind after Flacco found WR Derrick Mason on a 12-yard TD pass. This was followed in the 4th quarter by Cundiff hitting a 20 and a 24-yard field goal.
With the loss, Miami fell to 4–4.

### Week 10: vs. Tennessee Titans

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Titans | 10 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 29 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: November 14
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C) (Fair)
* Game attendance: 65,585
* Referee: Pete Morelli
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010111400/2010/REG10/titans@dolphins
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Ronnie Brown 2-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 7–0, Drive: 6 plays, 31 yards, 2:44
TEN – Chris Johnson 17-yard run (Rob Bironas kick), Tied 7–7, Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 2:51
TEN – Rob Bironas 40-yard field goal, Titans 10–7, Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:26
Second quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 23-yard field goal, Tied 10–10, Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 3:49
Third quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 26-yard field goal, Dolphins 13–10, Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 6:53
MIA – Patrick Cobbs 13-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 20–10, Drive: 2 plays, 13 yards, 0:14
TEN – Nate Washington 14-yard pass from Vince Young (Rob Bironas kick), Dolphins 20–17, Drive: 11 plays, 74 yards, 5:46
Fourth quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 42-yard field goal, Dolphins 23–17, Drive: 8 plays, 41 yards, 2:43
MIA – Anthony Fasano 9-yard pass from Tyler Thigpen (run failed), Dolphins 29–17, Drive: 9 plays, 85 yards, 4:27
Top passers
TEN – Vince Young – 9/18, 92 rushes, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
MIA – Chad Henne – 19/28, 240 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Top rushers
TEN – Chris Johnson – 17 rushes, 117 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Ricky Williams – 11 rushes, 64 yards
Top receivers
TEN – Bo Scaife – 7 receptions, 51 yards
MIA – Anthony Fasano – 5 receptions, 107 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
TEN – Alterraun Verner – 7 tackles
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 8 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble :
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Ravens the Dolphins played on home ground for an AFC duel with the Titans. In the first quarter the Dolphins took the lead as RB Ronnie Brown got a 2-yard TD run. The Titans replied with RB Chris Johnson getting a 17-yard TD run. They fell behind after kicker Rob Bironas nailed a 40-yard field goal. They eventually took the lead after kicker Dan Carpenter made a 23 and a 26-yard field goal, which was soon followed by QB Chad Henne completing a 13-yard TD pass to RB Patrick Cobbs. The Titans replied with QB Vince Young completing a 14-yard TD pass to WR Nate Washington, but the Dolphins continued to score after Carpenter got a 42-yard field goal, followed by QB Tyler Thigpen making a 9-yard TD pass to TE Anthony Fasano (With a failed 2-point conversion). Then FS Reshad Jones intercepted a pass in the end zone for a touchback.
With the win, the Dolphins improved to 5–4.

### Week 11: vs. Chicago Bears

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bears | 3 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 16 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: November 18
* Game time: 8:20 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C) (Clear)
* Game attendance: 68,752
* Referee: Bill Leavy
* TV announcers (NFLN): Bob Papa, Matt Millen and Joe Theismann
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010111800/2010/REG11/bears@dolphins
Game information :
First quarter
CHI – Robbie Gould 47-yard field goal, Bears 3–0, Drive: 8 plays, 32 yards, 4:27
Second quarter
CHI – Robbie Gould 24-yard field goal, Bears 6–0, Drive: 13 plays, 40 yards, 6:50
Third quarter
CHI – Robbie Gould 50-yard field goal, Bears 9–0, Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 3:13
CHI – Matt Forte 2-yard run, Bears 16–0, Drive: 13 plays, 60 yards, 7:26
Fourth quarter
Top passers
CHI – Jay Cutler – 16/25, 156 yards, 1 interception
MIA – Tyler Thigpen – 17/29, 187 yards, 1 interception
Top rushers
CHI – Matt Forte – 25 rushes, 97 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Tyler Thigpen – 6 rushes, 27 yards
Top receivers
CHI – Johnny Knox – 5 receptions, 55 yards
MIA – Brian Hartline – 5 receptions, 70 yards
Top tacklers
CHI – Lance Briggs – 7 tackles
MIA – Karlos Dansby – 10 tackles, 1 sack :
Coming off their win over the Titans, the Dolphins stayed at home for a Week 11 interconference duel with the Chicago Bears on Thursday night. Miami trailed early in the first quarter as Bears kicker Robbie Gould got a 46-yard field goal. Chicago added onto their lead in the second quarter with Gould making a 24-yard field goal.
The Bears continued to increase their lead with Gould's 50-yard field goal, followed by a touchdown scored by running back Matt Forté. This was the final score of the game, with Chicago's defense preventing any score by the Dolphins.
With the loss, the Dolphins fell to 5–5.

### Week 12: at Oakland Raiders

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
| Raiders | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
* Date: November 28
* Game time: 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST
* Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C) (Sunny)
* Game attendance: 48,946
* Referee: Walt Anderson
* TV announcers (CBS): Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010112809/2010/REG12/dolphins@raiders
Game information :
First quarter
OAK – Jacoby Ford 101-yard kickoff return (Sebastian Janikowski kick), Raiders 7–0, Drive: 0 plays, 0 yards, 0:13
MIA – Dan Carpenter 49-yard field goal, Raiders 7–3, Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 2:07
MIA – Patrick Cobbs 29-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 10–7, Drive: 8 plays, 65 yards, 4:40
Second quarter
OAK – Jacoby Ford 44-yard pass from Bruce Gradkowski (Sebastian Janikowski kick), Raiders 14–10, Drive: 4 plays, 58 yards, 1:17
MIA – Dan Carpenter 23-yard field goal, Raiders 14–13, Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 5:28
Third quarter
MIA – Marlon Moore 57-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 20–14, Drive: 5 plays, 72 yards, 2:08
MIA – Dan Carpenter 44-yard field goal, Dolphins 23–14, Drive: 5 plays, 18 yards, 2:48
Fourth quarter
OAK – Sebastian Janikowski 30-yard field goal, Dolphins 23–17, Drive: 6 plays, 68 yards, 2:11
MIA – Dan Carpenter 25-yard field goal, Dolphins 26–17, Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 6:54
MIA – Ricky Williams 45-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 33–17, Drive: 2 plays, 46 yards, 0:16
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 17/30, 307 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
OAK – Bruce Gradkowski – 17/32, 252 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
MIA – Ricky Williams – 20 rushes, 95 yards, 1 touchdown
OAK – Jacoby Ford – 1 rush, 13 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Davone Bess – 6 receptions, 111 yards
OAK – Jacoby Ford – 4 receptions, 108 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
MIA – Vontae Davis – 5 tackles
OAK – Tyvon Branch – 9 tackles, 2 assists, 1 sack :
The Dolphins' eleventh game was an AFC duel with the Raiders. In the first quarter the Dolphins trailed immediately as Jacoby Ford returned a kick-off 101 yards to their own endzone for a touchdown. They overcame this deficit with kicker Dan Carpenter nailing a 49-yard field goal, followed by QB Chad Henne completing a 29-yard TD pass to RB Patrick Cobbs. The Raiders replied as QB Bruce Gradkowski made a 44-yard TD pass to Ford. The Dolphins got the lead back as Carpenter got a 23-yard field goal, followed by Henne getting a 57-yard TD pass to WR Marlon Moore, and with Carpenter nailing a 44-yard field goal. The lead was narrowed when kicker Sebastian Janikowski hit a 30-yard field goal, but the Dolphins pulled away with Carpenter getting a 25-yard field goal, and with RB Ricky Williams getting a 45-yard TD run.
With the win, Miami improved to 6–5.

### Week 13: vs. Cleveland Browns

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 0 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 13 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 5
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 76 °F (24 °C) (Clear)
* Game attendance: 65,942
* Referee: Alberto Riveron
* TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010120501/2010/REG13/browns@dolphins
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
CLE – Phil Dawson 32-yard field goal, Browns 3–0, Drive: 7 plays, 14 yards, 1:41
MIA – Dan Carpenter 60-yard field goal, Tied 3–3, Drive: 8 plays, 24 yards, 1:41
Third quarter
CLE – Benjamin Watson 3-yard pass from Jake Delhomme (Phil Dawson kick), Browns 10–3, Drive: 6 plays, 94 yards, 3:40
Fourth quarter
MIA – Anthony Fasano 11-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Tied 10–10, Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 5:49
CLE – Phil Dawson 23-yard field goal, Browns 13–10, Drive: 4 plays, −4 yards, 0:54
Top passers
CLE – Jake Delhomme – 24/34, 217 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Chad Henne – 16/32, 174 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions
Top rushers
CLE – Peyton Hillis – 18 rushes, 57 yards
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 16 rushes, 50 yards
Top receivers
CLE – Benjamin Watson – 10 receptions, 100 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Davone Bess – 6 receptions, 67 yards
Top tacklers
CLE – Abram Elam – 5 tackles, 2 assists, 1 interception
MIA – Tim Dobbins – 5 tackles, 2 assists :
Coming off their win over the Raiders the Dolphins played on home ground for an AFC duel with the Browns. The second quarter saw the Dolphins trailing early as kicker Phil Dawson made a 32-yard field goal. They replied with kicker Dan Carpenter hitting a 60-yard field goal. They trailed again with QB Jake Delhomme completing a 3-yard TD pass to TE Benjamin Watson. But they replied in the fourth quarter with QB Chad Henne making an 11-yard TD pass to TE Anthony Fasano. The Browns scored again after Dawson nailed a 23-yard field goal.
With the loss, Miami fell to 6–6.

### Week 14: at New York Jets

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Jets | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
at New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
* Date: December 12
* Game time: 4:15 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C) (Rain)
* Game attendance: 78,948
* Referee: Ron Winter
* TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts
* http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/2010121210/2010/REG14/dolphins@jets
Game information :
First quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 47-yard field goal, Dolphins 3–0, Drive: 6 plays, 13 yards, 2:38
MIA – Brandon Marshall 6-yard pass from Chad Henne, Dolphins 10–0, Drive: 6 plays, 26 yards, 2:55
Second quarter
NYJ – Nick Folk 35-yard field goal, Dolphins 10–3, Drive: 7 plays, 21 yards, 2:49
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
NYJ – Nick Folk 42-yard field goal, Dolphins 10–6, Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards, 5:14
Top passers
MIA – Chad Henne – 5/18, 55 yards, 1 touchdown
NYJ – Mark Sanchez – 17/44, 216 yards, 1 interception
Top rushers
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 16 rushes, 55 yards
NYJ – LaDainian Tomlinson – 19 rushes, 49 yards
Top receivers
MIA – Anthony Fasano – 2 receptions, 33 yards
NYJ – Jerricho Cotchery – 5 receptions, 69 yards
Top tacklers
MIA – Karlos Dansby – 8 tackles, 1 assist, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble
NYJ – Sione Pouha – 7 tackles, 3 assists, 1 sack :
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Browns the Dolphins flew to New Meadowlands Stadium for an AFC East rivalry match against the Jets. The Dolphins took the lead with kicker Dan Carpenter nailing a 47-yard field goal, followed by QB Chad Henne completing a 6-yard TD pass to WR Brandon Marshall. The Jets responded with kicker Nick Folk hitting a 35 and a 42-yard field goal.
With the win, Miami improved to 7–6.

### Week 15: vs. Buffalo Bills

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bills | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 19
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C) (Cloudy)
* Game attendance: 65,511
* Referee: Jeff Triplette
* TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Rich Gannon
* Recap
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
BUF – David Nelson 18-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick (Rian Lindell kick), Bills 7–0, Drive: 9 plays, 35 yards, 4:26.
BUF – Rian Lindell 29-yard field goal, Bills 10–0, Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 1:59.
MIA – Ronnie Brown 6-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Bills 10–7, Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 3:57.
Third quarter
BUF – Stevie Johnson 15-yard pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick (Rian Lindell kick), Bills 17–7, Drive: 11 plays, 86 yards, 6:25.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Brandon Marshall 9-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Bills 17–14, Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 6:59.
Top passers
BUF – Ryan Fitzpatrick – 16/26, 223 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
MIA – Chad Henne – 33/45, 276 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception
Top rushers
BUF – Fred Jackson – 15 rushes, 36 yards
MIA – Ronnie Brown – 10 rushes, 39 yards, 1 touchdown
Top receivers
BUF – Stevie Johnson – 6 receptions, 69 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 11 receptions, 106 yards, 1 touchdown
Top tacklers
BUF – Drayton Florence – 7 tackles
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 9 tackles :
The Dolphins' fourteenth game was a must-win matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The Dolphins lost. The final score was seventeen (17) to fourteen (14) and the Dolphins never lead during the game. The second quarter saw Miami trailing early with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completing an 18-yard TD pass to WR David Nelson. This was followed by kicker Rian Lindell nailing a 29-yard field goal. The Dolphins responded with RB Ronnie Brown getting a 6-yard TD run, but trailed further in the third quarter with Fitzpatrick throwing a 15-yard TD pass to WR Stevie Johnson. The Dolphins tried to cut the lead with QB Chad Henne getting a 9-yard TD pass to WR Brandon Marshall, but the Bills defense denied any more offensive chances.
With the loss, Miami fell to 7–7, and was officially eliminated from playoff contention. Reaction around the Miami area was palpable, with many fans and the media calling for head coach Tony Sparano to resign at the end of the season.

### Week 16: vs. Detroit Lions

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 34 |
| Dolphins | 3 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
* Date: December 26
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C), Sunny & Windy
* Game attendance: 66,731
* Referee: Tony Corrente
* TV announcers (Fox): Dick Stockton, Charles Davis & Laura Okmin
* Recap Gamebook
Game information :
First quarter
DET – Dave Rayner 39-yard field goal, Lions 3–0, Drive: 4 plays, −2 yards, 2:04.
MIA – Dan Carpenter 40-yard field goal, Tied 3–3, Drive: 7 plays, 30 yards, 2:57.
Second quarter
DET – Brandon Pettigrew 20-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), 10–3 Lions, Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 3:13.
MIA – Lousaka Polite 4-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Tied 10–10, Drive: 11 plays, 80 yds, 6:04.
MIA – Davone Bess 13-yard pass from Chad Henne (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 17–10, Drive: 4 plays, 40 yards, 1:12.
Third quarter
DET – Maurice Morris 5-yard run (Dave Rayner kick), Tied 17–17, Drive: 14 plays, 86 yards, 6:28.
MIA – Ronnie Brown 1-yard run (Dan Carpenter kick), Dolphins 24–17, Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 5:44.
Fourth quarter
MIA – Dan Carpenter 28-yard field goal, 27–17 Dolphins, Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 4:53.
DET – Jahvid Best 53-yard pass from Shaun Hill (Dave Rayner kick), 27–24 Dolphins, Drive: 1 plays, 53 yards, 0:00.
DET – Dave Rayner 47-yard field goal, Tied 27–27, Drive: 4 plays, 7 yards, 0:57.
DET – DeAndre Levy 30-yard interception return (Dave Rayner kick), 34–27 Lions, Drive: 3 plays, 2 yards, 0:33.
Top passers
DET – Shaun Hill – 14/26, 222 yards, 2 touchdowns
MIA – Chad Henne – 29/44, 278 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions
Top rushers
DET – Jahvid Best – 6 rushes, 24 yards,
MIA – Ricky Williams – 14 rushes, 71 yards,
Top receivers
DET – Brandon Pettigrew – 4 receptions, 74 yards, 1 touchdown
MIA – Brandon Marshall – 10 receptions, 102 yards
Top tacklers
DET – Bobby Carpenter – 8 tackles, 1 assist
MIA – Yeremiah Bell – 5 tackles, 1 assist :
The Dolphins fifteenth game was an inter-conference duel against the Lions. The Dolphins trailed early as kicker Dave Rayner nailed a 39-yard field goal. They re-tied the game with kicker Dan Carpenter hit a 40-yard field goal. The Lions scored again with QB Shaun Hill completing a 20-yard TD pass to TE Brandon Pettigrew, but the Dolphins got the lead back with FB Lousaka Polite getting a 4-yard TD run, followed by QB Chad Henne getting a 13-yard TD pass to WR Davone Bess. The Lions tied the game with RB Maurice Morris getting a 5-yard TD run, but the Dolphins scored to take the lead again with RB Ronnie Brown getting a 1-yard TD run, followed by Carpenter hitting a 28-yard field goal. They failed to maintain this lead after QB Shaun Hill completed a 53-yard TD pass to RB Jahvid Best, followed by Rayner making a 47-yard field goal, then with MLB DeAndre Levy returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown.
With the loss, Miami fell to 7–8.

### Week 17: at New England Patriots

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Patriots | 14 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 38 |
at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
* Date: January 2
* Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C) (Cloudy and occasional rain)
* Game attendance: 68,756
* Referee: Terry McAulay
* TV announcers (CBS): Bill Macatee and Rich Gannon
Game information :
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
MIA –
NE –
Top rushers
MIA –
NE –
Top receivers
MIA –
NE –
Top tacklers
MIA –
NE – :
The Dolphins' final game was an AFC East rematch against the Patriots. They trailed early with QB Tom Brady throwing a 13-yard TD pass to WR Rob Gronkowski, followed by BenJarvus Green-Ellis getting a 1-yard TD run, then with kicker Shayne Graham nailing a 28-yard field goal. The Dolphins continued to struggle after a three-and-out was converted into a 94-yard punt return for a touchdown by Julian Edelman, followed by Brady making a 10-yard TD pass to TE Alge Crumpler, then with QB Brian Hoyer completing a 42-yard TD pass to WR Brandon Tate. The Dolphins made their only score of the game with QB Tyler Thigpen throwing a 21-yard TD pass to WR Davone Bess.
With the loss, Miami finished their season with a 7–9 record.