Cowboys vs. Dolphins Point Spread: NFL Week 16 Odds, Prediction
Miami is a slim 1-point favourite to win on the NFL odds.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Both these marquee franchises have been snakebitten in terms of winning a Super Bowl as Dallas hasn’t since the 1995 season and hasn’t even been to the NFC Championship Game since. Miami hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 1973 when it repeated. The Fins haven’t been to the AFC title game since the 1992 campaign when they lost to Buffalo. Absolutely these teams could meet in Las Vegas in mid-February, although I don’t expect either will unless each gets the top seed in their respective conferences. Not likely.
Dallas catches a break in that it is visiting south Florida in mid-December instead of mid-September or October or even November when it can still be stifling hot and humid. It won’t even reach 80 on Sunday and there could be some rain and wind. There is no roof over the field at Hard Rock Stadium but most of the seats are covered. Expect a LOT of Cowboys fans to make the trip to Miami for the weekend.
Including Super Bowl VI following the 1971 season won by Dallas 24-3, the Cowboys lead the all-time series 8-7 and have won the past four. The most recent meeting was early in the 2019 season at AT&T Stadium, and the Cowboys rolled 31-6 behind two TDs passing and one rushing from Dak Prescott. Miami was awful that season and used both Josh Rosen and Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback that day.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have looked historically good at home this season and definitely not away as they fell to 3-4 on the road with Sunday’s 31-10 blowout loss in Buffalo. That is why it’s so important for the team to win the NFC East and get at least one home playoff game, but that defeat makes winning the division over Philadelphia that much tougher. The Cowboys are 7-0 at AT&T Stadium this season, averaging 39.9 points and 431.7 yards per game. They are 3-4 on the road, averaging 21.7 points and 304.6 yards per game. They have outscored opponents by 171 points at home and are minus-4 on the road. The Cowboys plus-10 in turnover margin at home and minus-1 away. Dallas QB Dak Prescott had been the MVP favourite but fell out of that spot by throwing for just 134 yards on 34 attempts with no TDs and one pick against the Bills. The Cowboys defence is star-laden and can create turnovers better than any unit, but it struggles to stop the run, and Buffalo gashed that group for 266 yards on the ground.
Miami Dolphins
Miami played without superstar receiver and Offensive Player of the Year candidate Tyreek Hill on Sunday but still crushed the Jets 30-0 to inch closer to its first AFC East title since 2008. Not clear if Hill will make it back this week from his ankle. Missing Week 15 probably means Hill will not become the first NFL player ever with 2,000 yards receiving in a season as he is 458 short (but still leads the league). Not impossible but not likely. If Hill misses this week, too, forget it. Niners running back Christian McCaffrey has passed him for OPOY honours. Jaylen Waddle would be the No. 1 wideout on most teams and stepped up with Hill out and finished with a season-high 142 yards on eight receptions, including a 60-yard touchdown that nearly doubled his longest catch of the season. Raheem Mostert rushed 15 times for 42 yards and two touchdowns and is tied with McCaffrey for the league lead with 20 total TDs. Even scoring 30 points, the Fins totaled only 290 total yards while averaging 5.1 yards per play against a good Jets defence, but Miami’s defence was the true story. Then again, a lot of defences fare well against the Jets.
DAL
MIA