(Photo: The Sports Rush)
AFC Game Of The Week
Dallas Cowboys at Miami Dolphins
Cowboys: Before I ended my preview of their game against the Buffalo Bills, what did I say? They have a history of winning a big game the week before and not showing up the following week after. The reason for that? They can’t seem to put last week’s wins behind them and focus on what’s in front of them. What I just described is exactly what went down last weekend in Orchard Park. This is why many can’t trust them, myself included. For as well as Dak Prescott had been playing, we were all expecting him to come down to reality eventually because that’s just what he does. I’ve said this for the last few seasons and I’ve said it with emphasis on this year. The Dallas Cowboys offense will be the downfall of this team each and every single year. Also, what did I say earlier in the year when discussing them. They have a Championship-caliber level defense that can get you to the next level, but they have an enormous amount of pressure on them because you just never know what their offense will do, specifically the Quarterback. Sunday was the worst they have looked all year. The offense couldn’t get into a rhythm and the defense which has been strong throughout the year was punched in the mouth by a Buffalo team who had been struggling to get big in the trenches and play some bully ball. The Bills ran the ball for 286 yards on a very stout Dallas defensive front. In other words, they can be had and the best way to attack that physical front is to come at them with physicality, it’s that simple. Despite their loss, they were able to move back into first place in the NFC East due to the Eagles losing their fourth consecutive game after falling to the Seahawks on Monday night. This Sunday, the Cowboys will look to bounce back in Florida on Christmas Eve.
Dolphins: They were able to handle their business on Sunday against the New York Jets without Tyreek Hill who was ruled out of the game with an ankle injury. They put it together with a potent offensive attack and a defensive effort that helped shut out their division rivals. When I say this, I mean no disrespect at all to Brock Purdy because he’s been great and has handled business on the field. Tyreek Hill is still my MVP as we speak and I say that because he’s closing in on a 2,000-yard receiving season number one and secondly, he’s arguably the most impactful non-Quarterback offensive player in our league. If you said Christian McCaffrey, I wouldn’t disagree with you one bit. Tyreek has been on a tear since the beginning of the year and I know the Dolphins were able to win without him, however, this is still a dangerous offense with Cheetah on the field because he forces defenses to adjust and he’s that one guy you must know where he is at all time because if you don’t, you will pay. I really like Mike McDaniel as a Head Coach and I feel he’s becoming one of the best in the league. Do you remember when I said there’s a wave of coaches in this league? Mike fits just that as you see how he’s able to design plays and make this offense go. He deserves some Coach of the Year love. He has his team in first place in the AFC East and they could also finish with the top seed in the conference if all else falls through for them. Everything is looking up for them. On Christmas Eve, they will look to keep winning and inching closer to their first division title since 2008. with the Cowboys in town.
Cowboys X-Factor: Stephon Gilmore– He maybe older and past the prime, but remember this is a former Defensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl champion. Stephon is still one of the best when it comes to deflecting passes and holding his own against whoever he’s defending. He was expected to make quite the tandem with Trevon Diggs when signing with the Cowboys. Unfortunately, Tre got hurt and now, Stephon is seeing more of the number one receivers on the other side. He also knows a thing or two about facing the Dolphins back from his Patriot days.
Dolphins X-Factor: Raheem Mostert– When the Dolphins acquired him, I was excited because he played for McDaniel in San Francisco when he was the Offensive Coordinator of the 49ers. Football is all about coaching and personnel fits and being familiar with a system most importantly. Look how much success Raheem has had this year for the Dolphins. 18 rushing touchdowns on the season and to think if he were still in the San Francisco right now, he’d be an after thought. Raheem provides balance to an already potent offensive attack. I can’t wait to see what he does here on Sunday.
Final Thoughts: The buzz gets no bigger than this. Two teams in first places who each have 10-4 records. Micah Parsons and Tyreek Hill have also been verbally spewing at each other throughout the year which makes this game even that more interesting. The Cowboys are night and day on the road compared to home. I want to see how they come out after that embarrassing performance last weekend against the Bills. Buffalo is a team that barely runs the football and look how much success they had on the ground against the Dallas defense. Miami likes to punt the rock with the ground, so what makes you think they won’t do the same to the Dallas defense as well? I truly think Buffalo unveiled the blueprint on how to attack this Cowboys defense and that’s to run right at them. Do we get last week’s Dak? Or the Dak the previous five games before last week? Pay attention to that because he can be so up and down. I see the Dolphins having a plan to use its speed against the Cowboys. I like Miami at home in this game.
Prediction: Dolphins 34, Cowboys 23
