2011 Miami Dolphins season The 2011 Miami Dolphins season will be the team ' s 42nd season in the National Football League , the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano . The Dolphins made their first round selection with the 15th pick of the 2011 NFL Draft on Florida offensive lineman Mike Pouncey . Offseason . 2011 NFL draft . DraftKing . com , NFLMocks . com , and " The Palm Beach Post " predicted that the Dolphins would use their first round pick to choose Gabe Carimi , a left tackle for the Wisconsin Badgers who won the 2010 Outland Trophy as the nation ' s top collegiate interior lineman , and was a Consensus All - American . Charles Davis of NFL . com predicted they would draft Mark Ingram , Jr . from the University of Alabama . Personnel changes . Brian Daboll joins the team as offensive coordinator . Karl Dorrell moves to quarter backs coach from wide receivers coach . Jeff Nixon added as the running backs coach . Steve Bush moves to wide receivers coach from offensive quality control . Ike Hilliard added as an assistant wide receivers coach . Dan Campbell moves to tight ends coach from intern . Bryan Cox is added as a defensive pass rush coach . Team Captains . The team voted the following as their 2011 team captains . Offense Defense Special Teams Head coach Tony Sparano decided that the special teams captain would be selected on week to week basis . Preseason . Schedule . The Dolphins ' preseason schedule was announced on April 12 , 2011 . < nowiki > * < / nowiki > Indicates that the TV broadcast was delayed due to insufficient ticket sales . Regular season . Schedule . LEGEND : Game summaries . Week 1 : vs . New England Patriots . The Dolphins began their 2011 campaign at home , for a Week 1 AFC East duel with the New England Patriots in the first game of Monday Night Football ' s doubleheader . Miami delivered the game ' s opening splash with a 9 - yard touchdown run from quarterback Chad Henne . The Patriots answered with running back BenJarvus Green - Ellis getting a 4 - yard touchdown run . New England took the lead in the second quarter as quarterback Tom Brady completed a 10 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski . The Dolphins struck back in the third quarter as Henne found wide receiver Brian Hartline on a 10 - yard touchdown pass , but New England came right back with Brady completing a 2 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker . Miami replied with a 20 - yard field goal from kicker Dan Carpenter , but the Patriots came right back with Brady completing a 1 - yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez . New England added onto their in the fourth quarter as kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a 20 - yard field goal , followed by Brady completing a 99 - yard touchdown pass to Welker . The Dolphins would close out the game with Henne finding running back Reggie Bush on a 2 - yard touchdown pass . With the loss , Miami began their season at 0 - 1 . Week 11 : vs . Buffalo Bills . Coming off their win over the Redskins , the Dolphins stayed at home for a Week 11 AFC East showdown with the Buffalo Bills . Miami trailed early in the first quarter as Bills kicker Dave Rayner made a 30 - yard field goal , yet the Dolphins immediately answered with quaterback Matt Moore finding tight end Anthony Fasano on a 1 - yard touchdown pass , followed by a 5 - yard touchdown run from running back Reggie Bush . Miami would add onto their lead in the second quarter with Moore connecting with fullback Charles Clay on a 12 - yard touchdown pass , followed by wide receiver Davone Bess on a 4 - yard touchdown pass . Buffalo would close out the half with Rayner booting a 56 - yard field goal . The Dolphins continued their dominating day in the third quarter with running back Lex Hilliard recovering a blocked punt in the endzone for a touchdown ( the team ' s first TD off of a blocked punt since 1990 ) . The Bills tried to rally as linebacker Kelvin Sheppard tackled rookie running back Daniel Thomas in the endzone for a safety , but Miami ' s lead proved to be too much to overcome . With the win , the Dolphins improved to 3 - 7 . This game also marked the first time since 1990 that Miami allowed 10 points or fewer in three - straight games . They have now become the 3rd team in NFL History to win 3 straight after starting season at least 0 - 7 ( ' 78 Cardinals & ' 86 Colts ) . Week 12 : at Dallas Cowboys . Thanksgiving Classic