The Dallas Cowboys are taking their talents to South Beach on Sunday afternoon.
The Miami Dolphins and Cowboys are set for a big-time Week 16 matchup on Sunday afternoon, and both teams need the win to keep their division hopes alive. The ‘Phins are coming off a dominant win over the New York Jets, shutting out their division rival and keeping pace ahead of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.
Things are a bit tighter in the NFC East, with the Cowboys and Eagles both tied atop the standings at 10-4. Dallas offered no help to Miami in Week 15, as they were downed by the Bills, 31-10.
Still, a lot can change in a week, and both divisions could come down to the wire as the 2023 season enters bitter cold, deciding weeks. If things go south for one of these two teams, then the Week 16 matchup may be a major turning point for their season.
But first, a meeting of track stars and Dallas stars. USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights and more from the Cowboys-Dolphins game below:
This section will be updated after each scoring play.
The Dolphins have a 19-10 lead entering the fourth quarter.
The third period featured three field goals. Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders connected on two field goals and Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey hit a field goal from 43 yards out. Aubrey’s now made all 32 of his field goal attempts this season.
However, it was Miami that extended its lead after halftime. The Dolphins gained 97 yards in the quarter to 77 by Dallas. Tua Tagovailoa passed for 96 yards. A total of 55 yards went to Tyreek Hill who produced five catches. — Tyler Dragon
You don’t even have to be an attentive Dallas Cowboys fan to have heard it.
“YEAH! HERE WE GOOOO.”
This is the start of the cadence quarterback Dak Prescott uses before he initiates offensive plays for the Cowboys. And, with the precision and clarity of sideline microphones and with the booming nature of the way Prescott yells the cadence, you also don’t need to have the volume on your TV cranked up to hear it. — Lorenzo Reyes
Jason Sanders is a perfect four-for-four after he made a 35-yard field goal toward the end of the third quarter.
The kick came on a drive that started with Tua Tagovailoa finding Tyreek Hill and Durham Smythe for 18- and 21-yard catches. Miami’s offense stalled when another pass to Hill was stopped behind the line of scrimmage and a pass to Cedrick Wilson Jr. fell incomplete. — Victoria Hernandez
The Cowboys got penalized for an illegal shift as the most inopportune time.
Dak Prescott broke free from the Dolphins defensive pressure and scrambled toward the red zone, but the play never happened.
Dallas had to settle for a 43-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey to trim their deficit 16-10 with 5:28 left in the third quarter.
Aubrey’s made all 32 of his field goals this season. — Safid Deen
The Dolphins extended their lead in the third quarter.
The Dolphins needed just five plays to get into field goal range. Tua Tagovailoa completed two passes to Tyreek Hill to get Miami in scoring position. After Dallas stopped the Dolphins on third down, Jason Sanders came in and converted a 54-yard field goal to push Miami’s lead to 16-7.
Sanders has made three field goals beyond 50 yards in the game. Sanders is the first Miami player ever to make three 50-plus yard field goals in a single game, per the FOX broadcast. — Tyler Dragon
The Dolphins scored a late TD to pull ahead of the Cowboys, but as is the case with NFL football in 2023, the drive wasn’t without some controversy.
Micah Parsons was flagged for a questionable roughing the passer penalty that kept the Dolphins’ drive alive and led to a Raheem Mostert touchdown. Parsons was visibly distraught with the flag, and Fox rules expert Dean Blandino challenged the call, as well, saying Parsons was within the rule.
Through it all, the first half had a bit of everything: Some questionable calls, big plays and solid football. It all points to a Dolphins 13-7 lead at half. – Joe Rivera
Raheem Mostert scored his 21st touchdown of the season and gave the Dolphins their first lead of the game. The play came from a four-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa. The running back motioned to the right before the snap and then cut left where he grabbed the one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone.
The score, which ties Mostert with Christian McCaffrey for most touchdowns in the NFL, came after Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons was called for roughing the passer. A play earlier, Tagovailoa had to burn a timeout because of confusion among the wide receivers.
An eye for an eye may leave a Dolphins wide receiver out of Sunday’s matchup.
Miami wideout Jaylen Waddle suffered an eye injury in the second quarter of Sunday’s Week 16 matchup. The Dolphins list Waddle as questionable to return with the injury.
Waddle was seemingly poked in the eye on a Dolphins red zone possession. – Joe Rivera
The Dolphins scored their second field goal of the day, a 52-yard boot from Jason Sanders, toward the end of the second quarter.
The score caps off a drive during which Tua Tagovailoa threw a 20-yard pass to Tyreek Hill for the star receiver’s first grab of the day. With Jaylen Waddle questionable to return with an eye injury, Miami’s offense couldn’t get much else going.
Dallas is up 7-6. – Victoria Hernandez
With his first quarter touchdown, CeeDee Lamb has now scored in seven straight games. This is the longest active streak in the NFL, per the Dallas Cowboys.
The Pro Bowl receiver joins Dez Bryant and Hall of Famer Terrell Owens as the only Cowboys to have scored in seven straight games.
Earlier in the matchup against the Dolphins, Lamb became the sixth wide receiver in NFL history, and first in Dallas history, to reach 5,000 yards from scrimmage in his first four seasons. He joins Rams legend Torry Holt, Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Randy Moss and current stars Michael Thomas and Justin Jefferson in crossing the mark. – Victoria Hernandez
Raheem Mostert got injured. Jaylen Waddle got poked in the eye. And Mike McDaniel decided to go for it on four-and five in the red zone.
It failed.
Tua Tagovailoa connected with Cedric Wilson on a fade route, but Wilson drifted out of bounds on the play. It’s a Dolphins turnover on downs, when they could have settled for three points. – Safid Deed
The stars showed up for Dallas and Miami in the first quarter. CeeDee Lamb snagged a TD pass while Jaylen Waddle caught a 50-yard bomb from Tua Tagovailoa that set up a field goal for Miami.
It’s been an entertaining back-and-forth battle in the first quarter, but Dallas leads 7-0. – Joe Rivera
The Cowboys offense made amends for their opening drive turnover.
Dallas quickly reached the end zone in three plays. Dak Prescott tossed a short pass across the middle to CeeDee Lamb, and the wide receiver scampered 49 yards for a touchdown.
Lamb’s touchdown put the Cowboys up 7-3 with 1:30 left in the first quarter.
Lamb already has four catches, 93 yards and a touchdown. Lamb’s scored a touchdown in seven straight games. – Tyler Dragon
MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. — The Dolphins crossed midfield with a 50-yard completion from Tua Tagovailoa to receiver Jaylen Waddle, but stalled at midfield.
Miami trotted kicker Jason Sanders out for a 57-yard kick, but was missing a player on the field and needed to call a time out.
Still, Sanders was able to nail the career-long kick to give Miami a 3-0 lead with 2:50 left in the first quarter. It nearly was a Miami blunder, but it paid off for Mike McDaniel. – Safid Deen
It looked like a Cowboys TD was on the docket. The football gods had other plans.
Just one player after running back Tony Pollard was stopped on the 1-yard line on an option play, the Cowboys coughed it up, with a botched exchange between quarterback Dak Prescott and fullback Hunter Luepke. – Joe Rivera
After sitting out the Week 15 matchup vs. the Jets with an ankle injury, Tyreek Hill is officially active on Sunday the Dolphins showdown with the Cowboys.
Hill will have some work to do to reach the single-season receiving yards record. Lions receiver Calvin Johnson holds the record with 1,964 receiving yards. Entering Sunday’s matchup, Hill has 1,542 yards on the season. – Joe Rivera
The Dolphins and Cowboys are set for kickoff on Christmas Eve at 4:25 p.m. ET. The Cowboys head to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Dolphins and Cowboys are slated for “America’s Game of the Week” on Fox. Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olson will be on the call, with Tom Rinaldi and Erin Andrews providing sideline coverage.
Dolphins vs. Cowboys: Predictions and picks
Here are the USA TODAY Sports’ staff picks for this game:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Dolphins
- Tyler Dragon: Dolphins
- Safid Deen: Dolphins
- Victoria Hernandez: Dolphins
- Jordan Mendoza: Dolphins
You can view the full list of USA TODAY’s NFL expert predictions here.
Dolphins vs. Packers odds
Not interested in this game? Our guide to NFL betting odds, picks and spreads has you covered with Thursday Night Football odds, Sunday Night Football odds and/or Monday Night Football odds.
If you’re new to sports betting, don’t worry. We have tips for beginners on how to place a bet online. And USA TODAY readers can claim exclusive promos and bonus codes with these online sportsbooks and sports betting sites. – Richard Morin
All odds provided by BetMGM
Dolphins vs. Cowboys: Picks, predictions and odds
The Dolphins are favorites to defeat the Cowboys, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2023, including the new ESPN BET app.
- Spread: Dolphins (-1)
- Moneyline: Dolphins (-110); Cowboys (-110)
- Over/under: 49.5
USA TODAY Sports staff picks for this game:
- Lorenzo Reyes: Dolphins 30, Cowboys 26
- Tyler Dragon: Dolphins 27, Cowboys 24
- Safid Deen: Dolphins 27, Cowboys 23
- Victoria Hernandez: Dolphins 27, Cowboys 17
- Jordan Mendoza: Dolphins 29, Cowboys 26
Dolphins vs. Cowboys live stream
For cord-cutters, the Dolphins vs. Cowboys Week 16 matchup can be live streamed on Fubo. Fubo carries Fox, as well as CBS, NBC, ESPN, ABC and NFL Network, so you’ll be able to catch most NFL action through the end of the 2023 season.
