When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 24, 2023
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Dallas looks unbeatable at home. Taking the show on the road is proving to be more than the Cowboys can handle.
The Cowboys were thrashed last weekend in Buffalo and look to post a much better performance when they play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday at Miami Gardens, Fla.
Dallas (10-4) is perfect in seven home games. That level of play isn’t translating over to the road. Quarterback Dak Prescott is perplexed by the difference in play.
“This next week of preparation and honestly these next couple of weeks are about figuring out what that difference is and trying to close that gap,” Prescott said. “Obviously, we’d love to come out and produce like we do at home but that just hasn’t been the case.
“So we’ve got to find out what those answers are and try to close that gap and we can’t be those two different other teams.”
The Cowboys were pushed all over the field in the 31-10 loss to Buffalo and allowed 266 rushing yards. The nature of the beating disturbed Dallas coach Mike McCarthy.
“That’s the message,” McCarthy said. “We play so well at home, and there’s just too big of a gap on the road, and we’re conscious of it. We got to be better than this.”
Earlier this season, Dallas was pummeled 42-10 by the host San Francisco 49ers. The Cowboys’ other road losses are to the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles.
The Dolphins (10-4) hold a two-game lead over the Bills in the AFC East but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa also is dealing with a narrative he doesn’t like.
Though he has passed for 3,921 yards, 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, the narrative is that Tagovailoa is performing better than his abilities due to having talented teammates like wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle and running back Raheem Mostert.
“Whether I’m the best, whether I’m the worst, I couldn’t care less. I don’t listen to it,” Tagovailoa said. “At the end of the day, I really don’t care. …
“Yeah, sure. I am only good with Tyreek, you’re right. That is the only time I’m at my best. You’re right, I’m only good when Jaylen is in. I couldn’t care less about it. … I’m only as good as Raheem Mostert allows me to be. That’s what the narrative needs to be. And we’re able to win games and we’re able to go where we want to go as a team. I am the worst football player if that’s what you want. I don’t care.”
Hill missed last weekend’s 30-0 rout of the New York Jets with an ankle injury he sustained during a 28-27 loss to the Tennessee Titans on Dec. 11. Hill played less than half the game against the Titans and Tagovailoa didn’t have a touchdown pass. He tossed a 60-yard scoring pass to Waddle against the Jets.
Hill leads the NFL with 1,542 yards and also has 97 catches and 12 scoring receptions. He was limited in practice on Friday and listed as questionable.
Mostert (knee) and fellow running back De’Von Achane (toe) missed practice and their status for Sunday was listed as unknown. Mostert had two touchdowns against the Jets to set the franchise single-season record with 20. He also is 34 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard season.
Dolphins guard Robert Hunt (hamstring) is listed as out. Offensive tackle Terron Armstead (knee) does not have an injury designation. Safeties Elijah Campbell (knee) and Jevon Holland (knee), wide receiver Hill (ankle), cornerbacks Xavien Howard (hip) and Cam Smith (hamstring), offensive lineman Austin Jackson (oblique) and defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah (hamstring) are listed as questionable.
Two eight-time Pro Bowl selections, guard Zack Martin (thigh) and tackle Tyron Smith (back), missed practice earlier in the week for Dallas. Martin was limited in practice on Friday and is questionable, while Smith was downgraded from doubtful to out on Saturday after not practicing this week. On the defensive side, Malik Hooker (ankle) was limited on Friday and is questionable, while defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins (knee, ankle) was ruled out on Friday.
Cowboys wideout CeeDee Lamb is having a sensational season with 107 receptions for 1,306 yards and eight touchdowns. He needs nine catches to break the single-season franchise record set by Hall of Famer Michael Irvin in 1995.
Dallas had won the past four meetings against the Dolphins, the most recent being a 31-6 home victory in 2019.
–Field Level Media
