By Ben Volin

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

DAVIE —
The progress of the Dolphins has been difficult to measure this season under first-year coach Joe Philbin, who installed a rookie quarterback and new schemes on both sides of the ball.

Yes, they are 5-6, two games better than at this point last season under coach Tony Sparano, and they have victories over two winning teams (Cincinnati and Seattle) and a blowout on the road of the New York Jets.

Conversely, they’re scoring 1.4 fewer points per game than in 2011 and allowing 0.9 more points, with ugly losses to two 4-7 teams, Tennessee and Buffalo.

But Sunday’s home game against 8-3 New England — which has won five in a row while averaging 43.8 points — will tell the Dolphins how they compare to the AFC’s elite.

“It’s absolutely going to be a measuring stick of where we are,” Philbin said.

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I'm pretty excited for this game today.