While is everyone is busy taking shots at Philbin and his staff, let me point out something they have excelled at: discipline. The Dolphins led the league in fewest penalties committed with 69 (also among the least penalized were New England, Indy and Carolina). Did you see yesterday's game between powerhouses SF and Seattle? Tremendously talented teams, but penalties hurt both of them dearly, and they both were both among the most penalized in the season. I wonder how many wins that cost them in the regular season?
I noticed this tendency since preseason, when we didn't have a single penalty in the Houston game. Different coaches have different strengths, and Harbaugh and Carroll are no slouches (though I agree with the poster who said no one could have imagined Carroll taking his team this far a few seasons ago), but the ability to field a well-coached team (in the past, disciplined was synonymous with well-coached) cannot be understated.
Don't believe it? The difference in penalty yards between #1 Miami and #32 Seattle was 721 yards. However, Seattle was also one of the luckiest teams, as their opponents were 5th most in penalty yards, while Miami was unlucky that way and our opponents had the 5th fewest penalty yards. It is nevertheless a a very valuable ability and something that could easily have decided the championship game.