Saved by the grace of Jalen Hurts' game-sealing pick on Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks, the Dallas Cowboys will take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 16 while clinging to the top spot in the NFC East. Much like the Cowboys, the Dolphins also face fraudulence allegations due to their uninspiring record against Super Bowl contenders, while posting gaudy numbers against teams that are average or worse, and they have been nearly impossible to beat at home as well. With Dak Prescott and company set to invade Hard Rock Stadium on Christmas Eve, it's time for us to unveil our Cowboys Week 16 predictions for this crucial game that will have massive playoff implications.
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Dan Quinn forces Tua Tagovailoa to beat the Cowboys defense
James Cook and the Buffalo Bills gave the rest of the league a blueprint for outfoxing Cowboys defensive savant Dan Quinn's front seven: run the ball down their throats. This bodes well for the Dolphins, who sit at fourth in the league in total team rushing and first in rushing touchdowns. Also working against the Cowboys is the expected absence of defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins, who Mike McCarthy said would be “hard pressed” to take the field on Sunday afternoon.
So how does Quinn neutralize a lethal Miami running game minus his best run stuffer? That's the million-dollar question. Micah Parsons will likely rush the passer less to shoulder some of the responsibility, Markquese Bell will be asked to step up his play, and Donovan Wilson will have a role as well. It may open up the passing game a bit more for Tua Tagovailoa, but that's a risk Quinn should be especially willing to take if Tyreek Hill's lingering ankle injury sidelines him for another week. If the Cowboys get torched in Miami, it should be because Tagovailoa took advantage of a wide open secondary, not because Quinn didn't bolster an insufficient run defense.
Cowboys LB Micah Parsons wrecks the game
Week 15 was not a good one for Parsons, especially by his standards. He was hindered by a number of missed holding calls, but the stud pass rusher still only managed two assisted tackles on the evening and not much else. If there's one bad bet in the NFL, it's for Parsons to remain ineffective two weeks in a row.
Hall of Fame left tackle Terron Armstead is also on the Dolphins' injury report dealing with a knee and ankle issue. Tagovailoa is one of the league's least-sacked quarterbacks thanks to his own mobility and the quality of Miami's offensive line play this season, but pass rushers are starting to break through as the season wears on. The Tennessee Titans dropped Tagovailoa in the backfield five times in Week 14, and the New York Jets sacked him three times last week despite getting blown out 30-0. Look for Parsons to make an impact, possibly a greater one than usual.
Whoever scores last between the Cowboys and Dolphins will win the game
This game has track meet written all over it. The Cowboys and Dolphins boast two of the most explosive offenses in football when everything goes right, and both defenses recently got exploited on the road. Each of these defenses are capable of shutting a team down on any given Sunday, but neither of these offenses are prone to falling silent. Expect offense to prevail at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday afternoon and for a high-scoring affair to come down to the wire.
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