As Dan Marino prepares to wave goodbye to his last-remaining NFL passing record, the Dolphins’ aim to replace him with the franchise’s long-awaited Next Great Quarterback suffered a blow Thursday when Southern Cal’s Matt Barkley announced he would return for his senior season rather than enter the NFL Draft.

The Saints’ Drew Brees is about to break Dan Marino’s durable 1984 season record of 5,084 passing yards, needing only 305 yards Monday night to surpass Marino with a game to play — “only” because Brees’ average is 341. Tom Brady also has a great chance to top Marino, and Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers could as well.

Quarterbacks and receivers were less protected by the threat of penalties and fines in Marino’s day, and defensive backs were far less limited.

“I’d never take anything away from what [this year’s quarterbacks] are doing, which is incredible,” as Marino put it this week. “But it easier to throw the football than it was.”

That isn’t sour grapes; that is truth. Then again, harking wistfully to the halcyon days of Marino only reminds Dolfans how disheveled the position has been for Miami since his retirement.

Barkley was a player projected as a likely first-round draftee for the Dolphins. Now, with him off the board, Miami could be forced to trade up for a shot at Robert Griffin III or reach for a lower-rated player such as Landry Jones.

It’s never easy for the Dolphins, is it?

Scatter-shooting the league:

• Computerized postseason likelihood entering Week 16 via coolstandings.com:

AFC — Patriots, Ravens, Steelers and Texans 100 percent (clinched). Frontrunners for two remaining spots: Broncos 82.8 percent and Jets 45.6. Also still alive: Bengals 27.7, Chargers 19.9, Raiders 11.4, Titans 7.6 and Chiefs 4.9.

NFC — Packers, Saints and 49ers 100 percent (clinched). Frontrunners for three remaining spots: Falcons 97.9 percent, Cowboys 76.7 and Lions 73.3. Also still alive: Seahawks 17.1, Giants 16.9, Cardinals 7.8, Eagles 6.9 and Bears 3.4.

Pro Bowl teams will be announced Tuesday. Tackle Jake Long and punter Brandon Fields were the only Dolphins in the top five at their positions in fan voting. Long should make it. Brandon Marshall has an outside shot because there is no obvious second AFC pick at receiver after the Pats’ Wes Welker. Safety Yeremiah Bell, cornerback Vontae Davis and linebacker Cameron Wake all have a slight chance. Running back Reggie Bush came on too late.

• Last week marked only third time an undefeated team (Packers) lost the same day a winless team (Colts) won at least 11 games into a season. Also happened in 1953 and in ’84, when Miami was the unbeaten team losing.

• The Packers’ Rodgers became the fifth man to top 40 touchdown passes, after Marino (1984, ’86), Kurt Warner (’99), Peyton Manning (2004) and Brady (’07).

• Suck For Luck Weep-Stakes Watch: Colts 1-13, Rams and Vikings 2-12. All others eliminated from No. 1 overall draft pick contention.

• The Ronnie and Ricky Update: The Ravens’ Ricky Williams leads the Eagles’ Ronnie Brown 433-89 in combined scrimmage yards.

• San Fran’s Aldon Smith leads all rookies with 14 sacks. Season rookie mark is 14 1/2 by Jevon Kearse in 1999.

• The 105 individual 300-yard passing games break the season record of 104 set in 2009, and the 15 400-yard games betters the mark of 13 from 1986 and 2004.

• Christmas Day marks 40th anniversary of “The Longest Game,” Dolphins at Kansas City, and NFL Network will have a one-hour special at 6 p.m. Sunday.