Cowboys news: Tyron Smith ruled out of Dolphins game
Your Sunday morning Cowboys news.
Cowboys News: Tyron Smith out vs. Dolphins with Back Injury; Chuma Edoga Will Start – Jack Murray, Bleacher Report
Although it’s not the news we wanted to hear, it’s the news that was expected after Tyron Smith was listed doubtful on Friday’s injury report.
The Dallas Cowboys will be without left tackle Tyron Smith for Week 16 against the Miami Dolphins due to a back injury. Smith was initially listed as doubtful before he was downgraded on Saturday.
Chuma Edoga will be starting in place of Smith in the matchup and will make his sixth start of the season.
Smith suffered a back injury in the Cowboys’ Week 15 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. He did not practice this week as a result of the injury and was joined by guard Zack Martin, who suffered a quad injury during the Bills game.
Martin is reportedly ahead of Smith in his injury recovery but is currently listed as questionable.
Smith is an eight-time Pro Bowler and has made 11 starts this season. His absence could be of note for a Cowboys team looking to rebound after falling 31-10 to the Bills last week.
3 Bold Predictions for Dallas Cowboys’ Battle at Miami – Mario Herrera Jr., Inside the Star
Here are a few fiery takes on what will undoubtedly be a hotly-contested contest in Miami.
The 2 Teams Will Smash the Over
For two offenses near the top of the league in virtually every category, Vegas setting the line at O/U 49.5 seems criminally low. The offenses rank first and second in scoring. Miami comes in top of the league with 31.5 points per game while Dallas is right on their heels at 30.8 points per game.
Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa leads the NFL with 3,921 passing yards, and his total offense ranks first with 414 yards per game. The weapons at Tua’s disposal are like a video game. WR Tyreek Hill is the most explosive weapon in the world, and he is very near his preseason goal of being the first wide receiver to hit the 2,000-yard receiving mark.
Opposite him is Jaylen Waddle, another speed demon who also has the short-area quickness to get himself open and then wiggle away from defenders for bigger gains. In the backfield is the dynamic duo of Raheem Mostert and Devon Achane, who have combined for 1,579 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. The Cowboys’ offense is no slouch either and combined will smash the over on the betting line to the tune of nearly 80 total points.
Dak Prescott Will Throw 4 Touchdowns
This isn’t too bold for the fact that Dak Prescott has thrown for four touchdowns in a game three other times this season. It’s bold because he will accomplish that feat on the road for the first time this season. Prescott’s three games with four touchdown passes all came at AT&T Stadium over the Commanders, Giants, and Rams.
Dak’s numbers show a large discrepancy between home and away this season, and the Cowboys’ 3-4 road record is a direct result of that. In those home wins, Dallas has scored 45, 49, and 43 points. The amount of points needed to hang with the Dolphins offense in Hard Rock Stadium will likely need to be above 40 points. Dak Prescott will light up the Dolphins’ defense for over 300 yards passing and four touchdowns to lead the Cowboys to victory.
‘The Rams are our friends,’ for now: Cowboys Week 16 rooting guide – KD Drummond, Cowboys Wire
Here’s how you want this holiday weekend’s slate of games to shake out.
Rooting Guide for Saturday, early Week 16 games
The Cowboys got their first wish, Los Angeles winning on Thursday night. Aside from going down to Miami and beating the high-powered Dolphins, here’s what else Dallas needs to happen.
The Jets are one of the opponents that Dallas has beaten but the Eagles have lost to. If the tiebreaker scenario gets down to strength of victory, Dallas wants teams like this to have the best record possible.
Root for the Jets.
The Eagles haven’t faced and won’t face the Panthers nor the Packers. But Dallas has a win over Carolina and as the worst record in the league, they aren’t doing Dallas any favors in the SoV tiebreaker. Step it up again, Carolina.
Root for the Panthers.
As one of the Eagles’ three remaining games, the hope is the Cardinals will upset them like they did Dallas in Week 3. It may not seem likely, but there’s a scenario where this game could still impact a Strength of Victory tiebreaker in Philly losing to New York and Dallas’ fifth loss being against Washington, not against the two remaining division winners. So…
Root for the Cardinals.
Rooting Guide Summary for the rest of 2023
There are a ton of games that Dallas will have no control over the results. The most important ones come in two categories, as the Cowboys are virtually assured of being either the 1, 2 or 5 seed come the second week of January.
Win The NFC East
Have a better record than Philly, or
Be tied but with a better division record, or
Be tied with Philly and have a better record against the NFC, or
Be tied with a higher Strength of Victory.
The first is easy, win one more game than the Eagles over the final three contests, boom, NFC East champions.
The second requires the Eagles to lose at least one of their two games against New York, this Monday or in Week 18, and for the Cowboys to complete their season sweep of Washington. That game is also in Week 18.
The third option can only happen if Dallas’ fifth loss is Sunday against Miami and the Eagles also lose to Arizona, as a loss to New York in this scenario gives Dallas the better division mark.
