Cowboys at Dolphins Week 16: 2 Roster Moves, Injury Update, How to Watch, Betting Odds
The Cowboys head back to the East Coast for a Christmas Eve matchup with the AFC East-leading Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Both teams are 10-4 and hope to continue building momentum for the playoffs. ... and the Cowboys are doing some roster shuffling as they prep.
As CowboysSI.com reported on Saturday morning, Tyron Smith (back) will not play and is not even on the plane to Miami. Same with Johnathan Hankins (ankle).
Zack Martin (quad) is "questionable'' but is planning on playing, as is safety Malik Hooker (ankle).
The Cowboys have made a handful of moves here as they have elevated nose tackle Carl Davis and running back Malik Davis from the practice squad.
Viliami Fehoko and Matt Waletzko, who are both on Dallas’ Reserve/Designated for Return List, will not be activated for the game on Sunday.
Dallas hopes to bounce back from a 31-10 road loss in Buffalo last week where the Bills ran the ball at will as the Cowboys gave up 266 yards rushing while being held to just 195 total.
“You can’t get to where you want to go being a .500 team on the road," Dallas coach Mike McCarthy said. "You’re not going to be playing playoff games at home with that record either. It’s definitely a focus for us.”
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott - like the Cowboys - is seeing reduced numbers statistically on the road vs. at AT&T Stadium. Prescott averages 304 yards and a 74 percent completion rate at home. Away from Arlington, however, the 30-year-old averages just 216 yards per contest and a 63 percent completion rate. He's also thrown five picks on the road compared to just two at home.
The Dolphins are trying not to focus on the narrative that Dallas can't beat good teams.
“Anything other than to concern yourself with the next opponent, which for us is the Dallas Cowboys, any other narrative that has to do with good teams or playoff seeds or the next three games, all that stuff,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Monday, “I gave them the clearance to tell all members of the media to — with all due respect — ‘F’ off, with all due respect.”
The Dolphins have won 18 of their last 21 games at home where quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has racked up a .792 winning percentage - second-best among active quarterbacks with at least 20 home starts.
Dallas already clinched a playoff berth before the Buffalo loss but still has a slight chance of winning the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC and a first-round playoff bye. Coach Mike McCarthy says the team will rely on both younger players and veterans the rest of the way.
“This is why we spend so much time with our younger players,” he said. “Because this is the time of year that young players are playing. And it’s the most important time of the year because we’re all fighting for playoff seeds and so forth. I think the biggest thing is just to stay after it, stay consistent and lean on your leadership.”
WHAT: Dallas Cowboys (10-4, 3-4 Road) at Miami Dolphins (10-4, 6-1 Home)
WHERE: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL (64,992)
WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, 3:25 p.m. CT
TELEVISION: FOX / FuboTV (try it free)
RADIO: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan
TICKETS: SI Tickets
BETTING: SI SportsBook
SPREAD: Cowboys +1.5
TOTAL: 50.5
MONEYLINE: Cowboys +100, Dolphins -125
