Dolphins at Cowboys final score and immediate reactions

The Miami Dolphins faced off against the Dallas Cowboys on Friday night, the second preseason game for both teams. The game featured both teams using their starters more than last week, both in terms of players who appeared in the game and in length of being in the game. For the Cowboys, that included quarterback Tony Romo making his first appearance this year, and for Miami, safety Reshad Jones, running back Arian Foster, and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.

Throughout the game, we kept live thoughts and reactions to the game, which you will find below. You can also find all of the scores from throughout the game and the final score at the end.

• It’s almost game time!

• Tony Lippett almost picks off Tony Romo’s first pass - then is called for interference on Dez Bryant.
• Five plays into the game, four penalties. This is crazy. The Cowboys keep making gains that get called back for holding.
• Oh! A running play without a flag. Impressive.
• I think that was a 7 play drive that, other than the pass interference call, did not gain a first down.
• Cowboys punt to Jakeem Grant. Flag.
• Laremy Tunsil starts at left guard. Jermon Bushrod starts at right guard.
• First down and a pass from Ryan Tannehill to Jordan Cameron. Was that a pass to a tight end? And it was caught?
• Good hard run from Jay Ajayi on second down. Gained only about 2 yards, but he earned those two yards.
• Sack. Three-and-out. Still don’t have a first down for the starters. Jermon Bushrod allowed the sack. Not a good start for the player who should be the best right guard option for the Dolphins.

• The Dolphins allowed Ryan Tannehill to get hit on average 2.65 seconds after the snap last week. 3.05 seconds on the sack here. Not a good look.
• Cowboys just had their way with the Miami defense. They couldn’t stop anything. The only good thing there, maybe, was Ndamukong Suh and some of the starters were not on the field. Touchdown Cowboys. 7-0.
• Beautiful long pass from Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills! We have a first down! All the way to the Cowboys 20. 55 yard gain.

• Tip drill! Ryan Tannehill pass deflected, but somehow Jarvis Landry comes down with it at the Dallas five yard line. Then a fight breaks out. Two personal foul calls on Dallas.
• Jordan Cameron with the drop in the endzone.
• Going for it on fourth. Incomplete pass attempt to Kenny Stills in the back of the endzone.
• Suh and the starters back on the field this defensive possession. Reshad Jones out.
• Dak Prescott in at quarterback for the Cowboys. Good first down roll out and 20 yard pass.
• Tackling issues still there. Alfred Morris running through arm tackles.
• Seriously. Miami’s defense cannot tackle.
• And, touchdown Cowboys. Dez Bryant from Prescott in the front corner of the endzone. 14-0.
• This is going to be a long week for the defense and for us talking about the defense. There better be some tackling drills run this week, because this is sad.
• Mike Pouncey appears banged up. Anthony Steen replacing him at center. Bending his knee and ankle.
• Ryan Tannehill gets absolutely crushed as he completes the 3rd down pass for a first down. Personal foul for high hit on Tannehill.
• Next play, late hit on Cowboys. And unsportsmanlike conduct. Two flags, one 15-yard gain for Miami.
• Mike Pouncey back in the game.
• TOUCHDOWN! Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills! 14-7.

• Mix-match of first- and second-team players on defense for Miami now.
• This run defense is miserable.
• Touchdown called back because of offensive pass interference on the Cowboys.
• This run defense is miserable.
• Touchdown. Dak Prescott scrambles out of pressure and just jogs into the endzone. Cowboys 21-7.

• This run defense is miserable.
• Ryan Tannehill still in the game.
• Bubble screen to DeVante Parker. Good quick pass to get the ball into Parker’s hands.
• Ryan Tannehill running. Back-to-back plays and picking up yards. Well designed.
• Ryan Tannehill flushed out of the pocket, comes back across the field to find Isaiah Pead, who is WIDE open. Runs 18-yards after the catch down to four.
• TOUCHDOWN! Kenny Stills with his second TD catch tonight! Dolphins clawing back again. 21-14.
• Bobby McCain should have had an interception. Dropped it.
• 51-yard field goal Cowboys. 24-14.
• Matt Moore in the game now. Second team offense coming in.
• Matt Moore hit in the head as he tries to slide on a run. Definitely looks like a concussion. Laid on the field and finally walks off, but clearly is not doing well. Brandon Doughty coming in.
• And Brandon Doughty sacked. Fumbles. Cowboys recover at the six-yard line.
• Dolphins officially announce Moore is being evaluated for a concussion.

• Great stand by the Dolphins defense to prevent Dallas from putting up another touchdown.
• Field goal Cowboys. 27-14.
• Halftime
• Dolphins get the ball to start the second half.
• Three-and-out for Miami.
• Great punt by Matt Darr. 55-yards to the Dallas 14. Cowboys return it 27 yards to the 41, though.
• Cowboys go deep to the Miami two yard line for 58-yards. Bobby McCain on the coverage and was just beat.

• Touchdown. Cowboys. 34-14. Cornerback Rasaan Melvin in coverage, but never looked for the ball.
• Damien Williams cuts back across the field and picks up a first down. Good vision and speed from him. Of course, holding on the play, however, and it is called back.
• Another high snap and a sack on Brandon Doughty.
• Miami has to punt. BLOCK! Dallas gets the ball back at the 15-yard line.
• Third-down pass for Dallas is ruled short of the goal line. Dallas challenging. Call stands. Dallas going for it on fourth down.
• Refs rule Dak Prescott scores on a quarterback sneak. Under review. Looks like it was the right call. Touchdown. Cowboys 41-14.
• Zac Dysert in the game for the Dolphins at quarterback. Trips on the first play.
• Laremy Tunsil still in the game. Playing left guard still. Getting the rookie some experience.
• And three-and-out.
• Cowboys pull Prescott. Jameill Showers now in at quarterback for Dallas. Three-and-out.
• Jakeem Grant back for the punt return. Loses a couple yards as he tries to find a path away from the coverage.
• A couple of nice picks on Zac Dysert to Dominique Jones passes. Third-down conversions.
• Isaiah Pead with the 45-yard run. Bounced outside and took off down the sidelines. Pead is definitely making a case for playing time in the regular season.
• The fourth quarter of this game is just dragging. It may never end.
• Can we go to a running clock? There’s still 11 minutes left. Neither team is doing anything at this point.
• Two minute warning. The last 9 minutes have been: Dolphins with a small gain, then a big gain, then a small gain, then a punt. Dallas? Same.
• And the Dolphins commentators are not making this any better to watch. They had a break down of Isaiah Pead, then asked about Pead. Then they said, “These young guys don’t know that you make the team on special teams.” Then had a gem of, “The guy who watched the Dolphins from baby still has a shot.” What is happening?
• Then again, maybe they are just as done with this game as everyone else.
• Thanks goodness:
• Final Score: 41-14 Cowboys.

Immediate Reactions

The offense started slowly, but eventually found a rhythm. They have to continue to grow in the new system. The story of the game, however, was the lack of defense for the Dolphins. No matter who was under center for Dallas, or what they wanted to do, the Dolphins defense was going to allow it to happen. Tackling is still a mess, and there seems to be no run defense at all. It is preseason, so the game does not really mean anything in the win-loss column, but there are definitely areas Miami has to address between now and the September 11th opener.

The 2016 season is all about the Dolphins progressing and becoming Adam Gase’s team. Two preseason games is too early to make any sort of actual pronouncement about the destiny of the team in the regular season, but so far, there is a lot of progression to be made.