3 Takeaways from Cowboys' Week 16 Loss vs. Dolphins

The Dallas Cowboys lost their second straight game on Sunday, falling 22-20 to the Miami Dolphins and falling to 10-5 on the season.

While Dallas had already secured a postseason berth, this loss is tough for several reasons. For one, it virtually eliminates any chance of overtaking the 11-3 San Francisco 49ers for the NFC's No. 1 seed.

The loss also makes it more difficult for the Cowboys to win the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles will have the chance to take a one-game lead in the division against the New York Giants on Monday.

Lastly, the loss did nothing to erase the perception that Dallas is a good team that can't beat playoff-caliber opponents on the road. That perception may have been confirmed as reality, as Dallas is now 3-5 on the road and 0-3 against teams that currently hold a winning record.

Here's what else we learned during the Cowboys' Week 16 loss to the Dolphins.

Injured Offensive Line Is a Concern

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Cowboys OL Tyler Smith

The Cowboys came into the game with offensive-line concerns. Offensive tackle Tyron Smith was ruled out with a back injury, and while guard Zack Martin was active, he was battling a thigh injury.

The line hasn't been great for Dallas all season—had allowed 33 sacks coming in—but it was at least serviceable. Against the Dolphins, it rarely looked to be that.

The Cowboys couldn't find answers for the Dolphins defensive front, which harassed Dak Prescott all afternoon and stymied the Dallas ground game. While the Cowboys did rush for 97 yards, they benefited from gadget runs by CeeDee Lamb and Branding Cooks.

Running backs Tony Pollard and Rico Dowdle rushed for 3.2 and 2.0 yards per carry, respectively.

While Prescott did a tremendous job of keeping plays alive, he was sacked four times and rarely had opportunities to deliver passes in rhythm.

If the Cowboys' line cannot improve and/or get healthy before the postseason, it could end Dallas' hopes of a deep playoff run.

Dak Prescott Played Well Enough to Win

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Dak Precott

While doesn't matter in the standings or in the playoff race, it's worth noting that this loss cannot be pinned on Prescott.

The 30-year-old did just about everything he could under consistent duress to put Dallas in a position to win. He finished 20-of-32 for 253 yards and two touchdowns, and he did masterful work on the Cowboys' fourth-quarter touchdown drive.

Prescott engineered a 17-play 67-yard drive—overcoming some questionable red-zone play calling in the process—and capped it with an eight-yard touchdown strike to Cooks. That score gave Dallas a one-point lead with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.

The defense couldn't do enough to close out the game, but that's not the fault of Prescott—whose biggest mistake was a botched handoff at the goal line on the game's opening drive.

It was a marked improvement over last week, when Prescott threw for just 134 yards with an interception on the road against the Buffalo Bills. It's hard to find a positive in a loss, but after watching Prescott frequently look like an MVP candidate at home and a lesser quarterback on the road, it's something.

Run Defense Has Become a Massive Concern

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Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert runs against the Cowboys

If you've watched the Cowboys closely this season, you've probably noticed that last season's struggles against the run haven't disappeared. It hasn't always mattered, though, because Dallas has been good enough offensively, especially at home, to overcome.

Over the past two weeks, though, it's been a massive problem. The Bills bullied the Cowboys last week, rushing for 266 yards as a team, controlling the pace of the game and running away with a 31-10 victory.

The Dolphins didn't have as much success against Dallas on the ground (91 yards total), but wen they looked to salt away the clock on their final, game-winning drive, the Cowboys couldn't stop them.

Before kicking the game-winner as time expired, Miami logged runs of six, eight, zero and six yards on the drive. Two of those runs went for first down, and they helped Miami drain the clock and deny Precott and Co. a final opportunity.

Dallas has to learn to tighten up against the run, especially in critical situations, if it hopes to beat teams like the Eagles and the 49ers in January.