The Miami Dolphins (10-4) are looking to continue maintain their momentum heading into Week 16 to face off against the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Eve. The holiday matchup game will kick off on Sunday, December 24 at 4:25 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Dolphins offense was back in action during Week 15, with Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa who completing 21-of-24 for 224 yards and a touchdown. Tagovailoa currently leads all quarterbacks in passing yards with 3,921, along with a 71 percent completion, which marks the best in a Dolphins season.
Wide receiver Jaylen Waddle stepped up and delivered eight receptions, 142 receiving yards and one touchdown performance on Sunday.
Running back Raheem Mostert recorded two more rushing touchdowns, adding to his total of 20 (18 rushing, 2 receiving). Mostert broke two individual Dolphins records on Sunday, the most rushing touchdowns in a season and the most individual total touchdowns by a Dolphins player.
Defensively, the Dolphins recorded six total sacks and forced four turnovers on the Jets offense. Linebacker Bradley Chubb led the way with three sacks and two forced fumbles, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Safety Brandon Jones recorded two interceptions and the Jets offense was held to 103 total offensive yards, their lowest total of the season.
The Dallas Cowboys (10-4) are coming off a loss against the Buffalo Bills, 31-10.
The Cowboys entered Week 15 as the number one seed in the NFC and atop the NFC East. However, that was short lived after their matchup with the Bills. Despite having one the best defenses in the league and quarterback Dak Prescott playing some of the best football of his career, the Bills were too much for the Cowboys.
The first half was a one-sided game with the Bills leading 21-3 heading into halftime. The Cowboys defense couldn't find an answer for the Bills rushing attack. The Bills ground game totaled 266 yards and three touchdowns leading to the Bills win.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen only threw 15 passes during the game. The successful running game was led by the Bills running back James Cook who rushed for 179 yards on 25 attempts for an average of 7.2 yards per carry. Cook tallied 221 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns through the air and on the ground.
Entering Week 16, the Dolphins are looking for a win that would secure their first 11-win season since 2008 and clinch a playoff berth for the second consecutive season. The Cowboys are looking to get back on track with a win on the road in Miami.
This season, the Dolphins and Cowboys have similar rankings in terms of both offense and defense. The Dolphins rank first in total offense (414.1), passing offense (274.4), and scoring offense (31.5). Defensively, the Dolphins rank fifth in total defense (293.4), fourth in rushing defense (90.4), and second in sacks (48).
The Cowboys rank top 10 in several offensive and defensive categories such as sixth in total offense (368.1) and passing offense (251.6), second in scoring offense (30.8) and third-down offense (48.5). While on defense, they rank sixth in total defense (294.3), fourth in passing defense (176.9), and fifth in scoring defense (18.9).
The Dolphins have scored 56 total touchdowns this season (26 receiving, 26 rushing) which leads the league in total scores. The Cowboys are tied for third in the league in total touchdowns with 48 (28 receiving, 13 rushing).
Defensively, both teams have shown their ability to force turnovers this season and provide pressure on the quarterback. Cowboys' cornerback DaRon Bland has recorded eight interceptions this season, five of which were returned for a pick-six, which is an NFL single-season record.
The Dolphins have returned four interceptions for six this season. The Dolphins have recorded a sack in every single game this season and are one sack shy of breaking a team record of total sacks in a season (49) which was set back in 2005, with three games remaining.
The Dolphins lead the league in quarterback hits with 110 and have three players with at least 7.5 sacks or more, Bradley Chubb (9.5), Christian Wilkins (8.0), and Zach Sieler (7.5). The only other NFL team to have three players with seven sacks or more this season is the Indianapolis Colts.
The last time the Dolphins and Cowboys met was back in 2019.
Make sure to check out the Injury Report and see the status of the players ahead of gametime and check Miami Dolphins social 90 minutes before kickoff for inactives. Also, remember to test your knowledge in this week's Dolphins Trivia.
Also, 2024 NFL Pro Bowl Games voting remains open until Monday, December 25, make sure to cast your vote to send your favorite Dolphins players to Orlando.
Watch the game live on Sunday, December 24 at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX, and listen on the Dolphins Radio Network and view the Game Center for the latest coverage.
