The Miami Dolphins host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 16 of the 2023 NFL regular season, a game that starts a brutal three-week stretch to end the year. The Dolphins, 10-4, host the Cowboys, 10-4, before hitting the road to face the Baltimore Ravens, 11-3. In the season finale in Week 18, the Dolphins welcome the Buffalo Bills, 8-6, to Miami and will be looking to avenge a Week 4 loss to their AFC East rivals. Each game down the stretch brings with it huge AFC playoff picture implications.
Miami enters Week 16 in first place in the AFC East division standings and in the second-seed position in the AFC. A win against the Cowboys clinches a playoff berth for the Dolphins, Week 17 could position Miami for the number one seed in the AFC postseason bracket, and Week 18 could decide the division title. The Dolphins have a lot riding on each of the next three games.
The Week 16 game against the Cowboys brings two division leaders into a late-afternoon showdown. Based on tie-breaks, the Cowboys are sitting atop the NFC East, ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas is looking to bounce back after being demolished by the Bill last week, losing 31-10. Will they come into Miami looking to punish the Bills division rivals?
The Cowboys versus Dolphins could come down to which defense blinks first. Miami enters the game with the league’s top offense, averaging 414.1 yards per game. They have the top passing offense (274. yards per game), the fourth-ranked rushing offense (139.6 yards per game), and the top scoring offense (31.5 points per game). The Cowboys are sixth in total offense (368.1 yards per game), sixth in passing offense (251.6 yards per game), 12th in rushing offense (116.5 yards per game), and the second-ranked scoring offense (30.8 points per game).
The Miami defense is the fifth-ranked unit in the league, allowing 293.4 yards per game. They are 10th against the pass (203.1 yards per game), fourth against the run (90.4 yards per game), and 14th in scoring defense (21.0 points per game). The Cowboys are sixth in overall defense (294.3 yards per game), fourth against the pass (176.9 yards per game), and fifth in scoring defense (18.9 points per game).
Which of the powerful offenses will be overpower strong defenses? Can Miami’s rushing game exploit the Cowboys’ struggles against the run, including last week’s 266 yards allowed to the Bills? Will Dallas’ pass defense matchup against Miami’s wide receiver duo of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?
The last time the two teams met, it was not much of a contest. The Dolphins traveled to Texas to face the Cowboys in AT&T Stadium, starting quarterback Josh Rosen for the first time. He led the team down the field in the game’s opening possession, including a 40-yard pass to wide receiver DeVante Parker, but a missed field goal gave the ball to the Cowboys. Dallas then opened the scoring with a field goal, followed on their next possession by a touchdown. Miami added a field goal of their own just before the end of the first quarter, then added another in the second. With just 30 seconds remaining in the half, the Dolphins lined up at the Dallas seven-yard line on first down, with running back Kenyan Drake taking the handoff but fumbling and the Cowboys falling on the loose ball. Dallas led 10-6 at halftime.
The second half was all Dallas. Miami’s possessions included three-straight punts and two turnovers on downs. They gained 70 yards in the half while the Cowboys walked all over them. Dallas scored touchdowns on their first two possession, followed by a punt and a missed field goal. They added another touchdown in the fourth quarter before ending the game with their final possession. The Cowboys won 31-6 in a relatively complete beatdown of the Dolphins.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, this game should be fairly close but high-scoring. The Dolphins are favored by one point, with the point total the highest in the league for the week at 50 combined points. A Dolphins straight-up win is -120 on the moneyline while the Cowboys are +100.
We have all the basics for watching this weekend’s Cowboys at Dolphins game. We are also collecting all of our pre-, in-, and post-game coverage for you right here, giving you a one-stop shop for all our game coverage.
Dallas Cowboys (10-4) at (10-4) Miami Dolphins
2023 NFL Week 16
- When: Sunday, December 24, 4:25 p.m. ET
- TV Coverage: FOX
- Broadcast Team: Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Erin Andrews, Tom Rinaldi
- National Radio Broadcast: Compass Media Network
- National Radio Broadcast Team: Kevin Ray, Danny White
- Dolphins Radio Network: iHeart Radio (WINZ 940 AM, WBGG 105.9 FM, WTZU 94.49 (Spanish)) in Miami
AFC East standings (through Week 15):
Miami Dolphins (10-4)
Buffalo Bills (8-6) – 2GB
New York Jets (5-9) – Eliminated
New England Patriots (3-11) – Eliminated
AFC playoff picture (through Week 15):
1 – Baltimore Ravens (11-3, AFC North leader)x
2 – Miami Dolphins (10-4, AFC East leader)
3 – Kansas City Chiefs (9-5, AFC West leader)
4 – Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6, AFC South leader)
5 – Cleveland Browns (9-5, Wild Card 1 position)
6 – Cincinnati Bengals (8-6, Wild Card 2 position)
7 – Indianapolis Colts (8-6, Wild Card 3 position)
Houston Texans (8-6)
Buffalo Bills (8-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)
Denver Broncos (7-7)
Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)
Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)
Eliminated:
Tennessee Titans (5-9)
New York Jets (5-9)
New England Patriots (3-11)
x Playoff berth clinched
Tiebreaks:
- Jaguars over Colts and Texans based on head-to-head results
- Colts over Texans based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Bengals over Colts and Bills based on head-to-head results
- Colts over Texans based on head-to-head results (divisional tiebreak); Colts over Bills based on AFC winning percentage
- Texans over Bills based on AFC winning percentage
- Steelers over Broncos based on AFC winning percentage
- Chargers over Titans and Jets based on AFC winning percentage
- Titans over Jets based on common game results
NFC Playoff Picture (through Week 16 TNF)
1 – San Francisco 49ers (11-3, NFC West leader)y
2 – Dallas Cowboys (10-4, NFC East leader)x
3 – Detroit Lions (10-4, NFC North leader)
4 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7, NFC South leader)
5 – Philadelphia Eagles (10-4 , Wild Card 1 position)x
6 – Los Angeles Rams (8-7, Wild Card 2 position)*
7 – Minnesota Vikings (7-7, Wild Card 3 position)
Seattle Seahawks (7-7)
New Orleans Saints (7-8)*
Atlanta Falcons (6-8)
Green Bay Packers (6-8)
New York Giants (5-9)
Chicago Bears (5-9)
Eliminated:
Washington Commanders (4-10)*
Arizona Cardinals (3-11)*
Carolina Panthers (2-12)*
x Playoff berth clinched
y Division title clinched
*Thursday Night Football
Tiebreaks:
- Cowboys over Eagles based on NFC winning percentage (divisional tiebreak); Cowboys over Lions based on NFC winning percentage
- Vikings over Seahawks based on NFC winning percentage
- Falcons over Packers based on head-to-head results
- Giants over Bears based on common games winning percentage