Cowboys 20-22 Dolphins, summary: score, stats, highlights | NFL Week 16

Dolphins are in the playoffs with thrilling win over Cowboys

It was a nail-biter matchup between the Dolphins and Cowboys this Christmas Eve.

Miami had the lead the majority of the game, but the tables turned late in the final quarter when Dak Prescott threw a touchdown pass to WR Brandin Cooks to make it a 20-19 lead. Unfortunately for Dallas, there was plenty of time left on the clock. With 3 minutes, 47 seconds, Tua Tagovailoa led the team down to the Cowboys’ 10-yard line. Their kicker, Jason Sanders had already been having an incredibly perfect night and finished it off with the game-winning field goal. Miami is in the playoffs! The Cowboys fall to 10-5.

Stats from the game

Prescott finished 20-of-32 for 253 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions, but was sacked four times.

CeeDee Lamb finished with six catches for 118 yards and one touchdown and Cooks with two catches for 14 yards and one touchdown.

Kicker Brandon Aubrey kept his perfect streak with two field goals.

Tua Tagovailoa finished 24 of 36 for 293 yards and one touchdown, no interceptions, and one sack.

Their one touchdown came from RB Raheem Mostert, who had a monster game, finishing with 11 carries for 46 yards plus the one catch for 4 yards and the touchdown

Their kicker Sanders had a perfect night with five field goals for 57, 52, 54, 35, and the game-winner, 29 yards.

The Dolphins beat the Cowboys on a field goal. Sanders was the hero of the game for Miami. He finishes it off with his fifth field goal and the winning one for 29 yards.

DOLPHINS FIELD GOAL

Dolphin takes second timeout 

Tagovailoa takes the knee again - 3rd and goal 

Tagovailoa takes the knee and lets the clock run down before they attempt the field goal - 2nd and goal

Wilson breaks through to the 10 for the 1st down

Cowboys take final timeout

Wilson is swallowed up by Clark for no gain - 3rd and 2

Cowboys take 2nd timeout

Wilson gets another 8 to the Cowboys 15

Cowboys take 1st timeout

Tagovailoa gets it to Hill for 10 yards to the 23

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

This game has turned into a nail-biter! 

The Dolphins are now trailing by a point but are already within field goal range with just 2 minutes left to play. They are currently at the Cowboys 33 at 3rd and 3 as Dallas looks to stop them and take the ball back.

Tagovailoa gets it to Ingold for 7 yards to the Dallas 33 - 3rd and 3

Tagovailoa under pressure, pass incomplete to Hill - 2nd and 10 at the Cowboys 40

Tagovailoa gets it to Hill for 5 yards and the 1st down

Cowboys' Gilmore made the stop on that play but then was injured during it

Tagovailoa gets it to Wilson for 9 yards - 2nd and 1

Tagovailoa pass to Achane caught for 6 yards and Cowboys' Clark gets a FaceMask call to give them another 15 - 1st down

Aubrey kicks 65 yards from Cowboys 35 to the end zone - Touchback

Prescott pass to Cooks is CAUGHT in an incredible jump catch for 8yards in the end zone. Aubrey's PAT is good and the Cowboys take the lead again by 1 with 3:27 still to go in the game.

Prescott pass incomplete, caught just out of bounds by Lamb - 3rd and goal

Prescott SACKED by Chubb for a loss of 7 yards

The Dolphins got away with a hold on Lamb on that 3rd and goal but not this time. Now, they get called for the PassInterference on Howard. 

Cowboys at 1st and goal.

Of course they go for it, but....it's incomplete...BUT....there's a FLAG on the play....

Prescott pass incomplete again, 4th and goal. What will they do??

Can the Cowboys get it done in the red zone?

Prescott pass too high, incomplete to Lamb - 3rd and goal

Pollard takes it up 3 yards to the Dolphins 4 - 2nd and goal

Pollard gets 6 - 1st and goal Dallas

Prescott has Riley all over him but somehow he got the ball away to Gallup for 8 yards! That was actually amazing - 2nd and 2

Dowdle gets 4, good for the 1st 

Prescott pass to Ferguson complete for 7 yards to the Miami 25 - 2nd and 3

Prescott pass is CAUGHT by Lamb for 11 yards and the 1st down!

The Cowboys will go for it on 4th and 2....

Prescott throws deep to Lamb but it's too short, incomplete - 4th and 2 at the Dolphins 43

Turpin gets to the outside but picks up just 4 yards to put Cowboys at 3rd and 2

Prescott misses the deep pass and instead tosses it to Schoonmaker for just 4 yards - 2nd and 6

Prescott pass to Lamb is caught for a 15-yard gain and the 1st down

Prescott escapes the sack but the pass is incomplete to Ferguson - 3rd and 6

Prescott tosses it to the left to Turpin for a gain of 4 - 2nd and 6

Bailey punts 53 yards to Cowboys 29 and Turpin runs it 2 yards to the 31

Tagovailoa SACKED by Armstrong for a loss of 9 yards - 4th and 17

False Start on Dolphins' Cotton - 3rd and 8

Tagovailoa pass incomplete, 3rd and 3

Achane picks up 7 yards - 2nd and 3 Dolphins

Aubrey kicks 65 yards from Cowboys 35 to the end zone - Touchback

The Cowboys can't seem to shake the red zone blues. They're stopped at the Dolphins 15 to try for a field goal and Aubrey's 33-yard attempt is perfect, as always. Cowboys trail by 6 with 12:31 left in the game.

COWBOYS FIELD GOAL!

Prescott under pressure, pass incomplete to Dowdle brings them to 4th down and 3, forcing them to try for a field goal again instead of a touchdown

Pollard is stopped by Long, gets just 1 yard - 3rd and 3

Prescott pass complete to Tolbert for 6 yards - 2nd and 4

Prescot's pass was incomplete to Cooks but an IllegalContact on Dolphins' Needham gives them the automatic 1st down 

Prescott pass batted away by Van Ginkel - 3rd and 5

Prescott tosses it behind to Lamb and he picks up 5 - 2nd and 5 at the Dolphins 27

Prescott escapes, finds the hole and picks up 22 yards for the 1st down

END THIRD QUARTER

And that'll take us to the end of the third quarter. 

The Cowboys are trailing by 9 but have the ball at 1st and 10 at their own 46 when we come back to start the 4th quarter.

Ferguson gets it again for another 11 and another 1st down

Peescott pass to Ferguson is caught even with two defenders on him for 7 yards and the 1st down

Pollard takes it up the middle 3 yards, taken down by Sieler and Van Ginkel - 2nd and 7

Sanders kicks 65 yards from Dolphins 35 to the end zone - Touchback

Sanders gets his 4th field goal, this time from 35. The Dolphins extend the lead with a minute 24 left in the 3rd quarter.

DOLPHINS FIELD GOAL!

Tagovailoa pass incomplete to Wilson - 4th and 7 and the Dolphins will bring Sanders out for another field goal try

Hill escapes Lawrence but loses 2 yards - 3rd and 7

Achane picks up 5, taken down by Parsons and Clark 

Tagovailoa throws another bullet to Hill for 14yards - 1st down

Dolphins take 1st timeout

Dolphins' Waddle was injured during the play, limping off the field in what looks like a potential ankle injury

Waddle gets just 2 yard before Lewis takes him down - 3rd and 8

Tagovailoa pass deep to Hill is incomplete with Bland all over it - 2nd and 10

Tagovailoa fumbled the snap but he recovered and then some, tossing it 21 yards to Smythe

Tagovailoa's pass is caught by Hill for another big gain of 18 yards

Aubrey kicks 65 yards from Cowboys 35 to the end zone - Touchback

Tolbert picked up a huge 45-yard catch and Prescott got a nice 14-yard run in, but one penalty ruined it for the Cowboys. They were forced to kick a field goal instead of getting a touchdown. Aubrey remains perfect on the season with a 43-yard field goal to make it a 6-point game with 5:28 remaining in the 3rd quarter.

COWBOYS FIELD GOAL! 

Prescott's been under pressure all day and now he tosses it to Pollard for just 5 yards, way short of the 1st and they'll try for a field goal

Prescott scrambles14 yards but it's a moot point - Cowboys get an Illegal Shift for a 5-yard penalty and puts them at 3rd and  16

Prescott pass complete to Gallup but he's taken back 4 yards by Chubb - 3rd and 11

Prescott pass to Dowdle caught but he's taken down immediately by Van Ginkel - 2nd and 7

Pollard pushes through for 3 yards - 2nd and 8

Prescott pass deep to Tolbert is CAUGHT with Howard ALL over him! It's good for 45 yards to the Miami 21

Prescott pass to Cooks caught in the air for 6 yards - 2nd and 4

Sanders kicks 65 yards from Dolphins 35 to the end zone - Touchback

Sanders made his THIRD 50+ yard field goal of the game just now. This one was a 54-yarder. The others were 57 and 52. The Dolphins extend the lead with just under 9 minutes to play in the 3rd quarter.

DOLPHINS FIELD GOAL!

Achane taken BACK by Lawrence 2 yards - 4th and 3

Tagovailoa to Hill for 8 yards juuuust short of the 1st down - 3rd and 1

Wilson taken down by Williams after a yard - 2nd and 9

Tagovailoa pass complete to Hill for 17 yards and the 1st down!

Anger punts 59 yards to Dolphins' 38, out of bounds

Prescott in trouble and he throws it away and the Dolphins D has forced a 3 and out on the Cowboys

Prescott pass incomplete to Ferguson to avoid the sack - 3rd and 9 way back at their 3

Pollard taken down by Howard after just 1 yard and the Cowboys are at 2nd and 9 at their own 3

Bailey punts 58 yards to the Cowboys 2, downed by Campbell

Tagovailoa's is incomplete - 4th and 9 and the Dolphins are forced to punt

Achane gets absolutely nowhere, taken down quick by Odighizuwa - 3rd and 9

Mostert takes it again but Lawrence and Wilson take him down after just a yard - 2nd and 9

Mostert takes it up 14 yards to start off the second half - 1st down Dolphins

AND WE'RE BACK!

The Cowboys elected to receive at the start of the game so now it's the Dolphins on offense to start us off in the second half. 

Aubrey kicks 65 yards from the Cowboys 35 to the end zone - Touchback

Mostert's TD before the half puts Miami ahead

What do you think? Penalty...or naw?

HALFTIME

And that will bring us to halftime.

The Cowboys trail 13-7 after the Mostert touchdown, which was brought on by a Parsons Personal Foul. That foul, however, was given when he ran into Tagovailoa just as he was throwing the ball and likely shouldn't have been a foul.

Even still, it led to the Dolphins touchdown and now they lead.

Sanders kicks 42 yards from Dolphins 35 to Cowboys 23 and Dowdle MUFFS the catch but recovers it there.

And the Dolphins have taken the lead before halftime. A 4-yard run by Mostert gives the Dolphins their first TD of the day against Dallas and they take the lead. Sanders' PAT is good and it's a 6-yard game with 17 seconds left in the first half.

Dallas takes second timeout

PersonalFoul on Cowboys' Parsons gives away the 1st down to Miami

Tagovailoa pass incomplete to Wilson, just a bit too high 

Dolphins take final timeout to avoid Delay of Game

Tagovailoa pass to Hill caught for 9 yards to the Dallas 9

Dolphins take 2nd timeout

Tagovailoa gets it away again to Smythe for 8 yards, then 10 and the Dolphins are at the Cowboys 18 

Achane takes it up 9 just short of another 1st

Tagovailoa passes to Wilson and he takes off 15yards for the 1st down

TWO-MINUTE WARNING

Two minutes left in the first half.

Cowboys lead by 1. Dolphins have the ball at the 40 - 2nd and 10.

Tagovailoa pass incomplete to Achane, 2nd and 10

Tagovailoa passes 11 yards to Smythe, 1st down 

Anger punts 60 yards to the Dallas 13 and Berrios takes it up 16 more yards to the 29

Prescott SACKED by Sieler for a loss of 1 yard - 4th and 8

Pollard picks up 6 yards, 3rd and 7

Pollard gets swallowed up by Wilkins for a gain of just 2 - 2nd and 13

False Start on Cowboys' Ferguson for 5 yards - 1st and 15

Sanders kicks 65 yards from Dolphins 35 to the end zone - Touchback

The Dolphins make it a 1-point game with another Sanders field goal, this time from 52 yards with 4:31 left in the first half.

DOLPHINS FIELD GOAL!

Tagovailoa pass incomplete to Achane - 4th down and 5

Tagovailoa tosses it off to Achane but he's taken backwards by Parsons and Bell for a loss of a yard - 3rd and 5

Tagovailoa tosses to Smythe for 6 yards - 2nd and 4

Tagovailoa pass deep to Hill for 19yards and the 1st down at the Cowboys 39

Wilson gets a 6-yard carry - 2nd and 4

Anger punts 61 yards to the Dolphins' 19 and Berrios returns it 16 yards to the Dolphins 35

Sieler takes Prescott down after a 2-yard scramble - 4th and long and the Cowboys are forced to punt

Prescott pass incomplete to Hendershot and now the Cowboys are at 3rd and long

Prescott had time but Ferguson was knocked over and Dak couldn't scramble away, SACKED by VanGinkel for a loss of 2 - 2nd and 12

Prescott's pass was incomplete, but Dolphins' Wilkins gets a Roughing the Passer penalty for 15 yards to give Dallas the 1st down

Prescott sneaks it but gets just 2 - 3rd and long

Holding on Cowboys' Smith - puts the Cowboys back 3 yards - 2nd and 13 at the Cowboys' own 3

Prescott can't find anyone and scrambles away about 8 yards but there's a flag on the play

Van Ginkel takes down Dowdle for no gain, 2nd and 10

The Dolphins decided to go for it on 4th and goal at the 5, but Tagovailoa's toss to Wilson was out of bounds and incomplete and the Cowboys will take over at their own 5.

The rain is starting to pour down out of nowhere here in Miami

Dolphins' Waddle was injured during the play - looks like he got poked in the eye

At 3rd and goal, Tagovailoa is in trouble and he throws it away to bring up 4th and goal

Dolphins' Mostert is slow to get up, injured during the play

Mostert is taken down yet again, this time by Hooker for a loss of 2 - 3rd and goal

Mostert gets nowhere, taken down by Lewis - 2nd and goal

Mostert breaks through again for 6yards and the 1st down at the Cowboys 3

Tagovailoa tossses it to Ingold and he leaps up and is taken down by Wilson after 5 - 2nd and 5

Mostert breaks tackles for a big gain of 15 to the Cowboys 14 and the 1st down

Tagovailoa pass short left to Achane for a pickup of 7 yards, 3rd and 1

Here's that TD by CeeDee, in case you missed it

END FIRST QUARTER

Mostert gets just 2 yards, taken down by Golston and that takes us to the end of the 1st quarter.

Dallas leads 7-3 over Miami but the Dolphins have the ball at 2nd and 8 at the Cowboys 36 when we come back.

Dolphins' Chosen was injured during the play, slow to get up 

Tagovailoa passes another deep ball to Chosen for 19 yards and another 1st down

Tagovailoa passes deep to Wilson for 18yards and the 1st down

Tagovailoa pass incomplete, 2nd and 10

Aubrey kicks 65 yards from Cowboys 35 to end zone - Touchback

Prescott passed short to Lamb and he just TOOK OFF for 49 yards all the way into the end zone! Aubrey's PAT was good and the Cowboys respond with a touchdown and take the lead with a minute and a half left in the 1st quarter.

Pollard picks up 4 - 2nd and 6

Prescott fakes the handoff, throws it 22 yards to Lamb for a huge gain and 1st down

Sanders kicks 65 yards from Dolphins 35 to end zone - Touchback

Sanders makes the 57-yard field goal.

To catch you up if you're just now joining us, this score came after the Cowboys drove the ball all the way to the end zone, only to fumble it and give it back to the Dolphins. 

DOLPHINS FIELD GOAL!

Dolphins take 1st timeout

Will Miami go for a 57-yard field goal?

Tagovailoa pass to Waddle is incomplete and the Dolphins are at 4th and long at the Dallas 39.

Mostert is taken back 3 yards by Dallas CB Lewis, 3rd and 13

Tagovailoa pass to Wilson is incomplete - 2nd and 10

Tagovailoa gets it to Wilson and he gets 4 yards for the 1st down

It's Mostert again for a gain of 5 this time - 3rd and 3

Mostert gains just 2, taken down by Parsons and Clark - 2nd and 8

Tagovailoa throws DEEEEEEP to Waddle and it is CAUGHT for 50 yards to the Dallas 47

Delay of Game on Dolphins - 5 yards, puts them at 3rd and 8

Tua tosses DEEP to Hill but it's dropped, incomplete

Mostert takes it up 6 yards - 2nd and 4

Cowboys fumble

The Cowboys got all the way to the end zone just to give it back to Miami...ouch.

Luepke took the ball but FUMBLED in the end zone, RECOVERED by DOLPHINS' Jones at their own 2.

Prescott tosses it to Pollard and is stopped short by Elliott's left arm but it was enough for the 1st down

Cooks takes off 10 yards all the way to the 1-yard line - Cowboys are at 1st and goal

Prescott tosses it to Ferguson and he takes off for a big gain of 19yards! They get the conversion and then some to the Miami 11

Cowboys take 1st timeout

Prescott tried to scramble away but he took too long to think about it and he was SACKED by Chubb for a gain of just 1 yard.

The Cowboys are going for it on 4th and 1.

Prescott pass complete to Luepke, taken down by Jones for 8 yards - 3rd down and 2

Prescott pass incomplete to Dowdle puts Cowboys at 2nd and 10

Leupke takes it up 2 yards for the 1st down yet again

Pollard runs it up but he's JUST short for 1 yard, stopped by Sieler - 3rd and 1

Prescott tosses it to Lamb for a gain of 13 yards to the Dolphins 42 - 2nd and 2

Cowboys' Hendershot gets a False Start call to put them back another 5 yards - 1st and 15

Penalties cost them last week as Buffalo scored on three of Cowboys' penalties

Luepke takes it up the middle for a yard, good enough for the 1st down

Prescott pass incomplete to Lamb puts them at 2nd and 10 but he gets a 9-yard run on the next play for 3rd and 1

Pollard takes off for 6 and the Cowboys have the 1st down

Prescott to Lamb for 8 yards, 2nd and 8 Cowboys to start off the game!

GAME TIME!

The Cowboys have won the toss and have decided to receive! Dallas starts us off on offense this Christmas Eve. Off we go!

Cowboys on the road vs Dolphins against winning teams

The Dolphins and Cowboys are the first and second top scoring offenses in the league, respectively, with the Cowboys justttt behind the Dolphins. The Dolphins average 31.5 points per game while the Cowboys average 30.8.

The Dallas offense has scored 40+ points in five games this season. On the other hand, four of those five games were at home. Of their four losses, all have been on the road (Arizona, San Francisco, Philly, Buffalo). 

As for the Dolphins, all of their 10 wins have come against teams that are .500 or worse. This game against the Cowboys and the following two against the Ravens and Bills will prove whether or not they are legit contenders. 

Yeehaw!

Shannon Sharpe calls out Tua Tagovailoa

In a recent press conference, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa talked at length about how he doesn't care about what his critics say. And yet, he went on to say he "keeps receipts", implying he definitely does care.

That's when former NFL player and current analyst Shannon Sharpe decided to call him out for "acting like Dan Marino". 

“Now you want to beat your chest like you're King Kong on the Empire State Building? Bro, you standing up there like you’re Dan Marino. Stop playing.”

Sharpe went on to say that the Dolphins are basically as good as they are due to acquiring Tyreek Hill rather than because of anything Tua has done. Of course, Tua didn't actually say he was the reason for Miami's success, at all. Yet, Sharpe's take was that Tua is arrogant, saying, "these guys...live for the praise, but die by the criticism."

Cowboys-Dolphins INACTIVES: Tyreek Hill is IN

Miami Dolphins' wide receiver Tyreek Hill is back in action this week to face the Dallas Cowboys. 

Miami Dolphins INACTIVES

Skylar Thompson (emergency third QB)

Jevon Holland (S)

Cam Smith (CB)

Robert Hunt (OL)

Tyler Kroft (TE)

River Cracraft (WR)

Emmanuel Ogbah (DE)

Dallas Cowboys INACTIVES

Trey Lance (emergency third QB)

Noah Igbinoghene (CB)

Eric Scott (CB)

Deuce Vaughn (RB)

Tyron Smith (T)

Jalen Brooks (WR)

Johnathan Hankins (DT)

CeeDee looking to break records vs the dolphins today

What's at stake for the Dolphins and Cowboys?

The Cowboys and Dolphins are both sitting at 10-4.

The Dolphins playoff picture

The Dolphins are currently first in the AFC East and second in the AFC overall. They're coming off of a huge 30-0 shutout win over the Jets. A win over the Cowboys would clinch their playoff spot. Two more wins would clinch their division. And winning out would clinch the AFC. There's quite a lot at stake for the Dolphins today.

The Cowboys playoff picture

The Cowboys have already clinched a playoff berth and (similar to Miami) are currently first in the NFC East and second in the NFC overall. However, they'll need a win over the Dolphins to stay ahead of the Eagles in the NFC East. They're coming off of an embarrassing loss to the Buffalo Bills and have been playing much worse on the road than at home. No matter what happens, though, Dallas needs the Eagles to lose at least one of their next three games to have a chance at winning the division over the Philly. 

Goooooood afternoon, everyone and a very merry Christmas Eve! Welcome to our LIVE text coverage of the Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins.

Today's game kicks off at 4:25 p.m. ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida as the Dolphins look to clinch a playoff berth. We'll be here to bring you the latest scores, stats, highlights, and commentary throughout the game so pour yourself a glass of eggnog, make yourself comfy, and settle in for some Christmas football!