With a San Francisco 49ers Week 8 game scheduled against the Dallas Cowboys, it’s a marquee matchup that will attract plenty of attention this weekend. Ahead of the 49ers-Cowboys game, we have our 49ers Week 8 bold predictions.
If the San Francisco 49ers want to linger in their woes, they can point to how poorly Brock Purdy played against the Chiefs. They can cry scarlet red and metallic gold tears on their pillow about injuries. Or … they can get out of the whine mode and prepare for an extremely important game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Because Kyle Shanahan is such a good coach, it stands to reason his team will be ready to go. Unfortunately, that should have applied last week against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, but it made little difference. Is Shanahan losing his touch? This is a game that could answer that question.
49ers RB Jordan Mason will get two rushing TDs
Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
The Cowboys have allowed opponents to rush for 143 yards per game. Of course, that number is skewered somewhat by a trio of awful games. But still, the 49ers rank No. 7 in yards rushing per game and should be able to hurt the Cowboys on the ground.
Shanahan said he knows the Cowboys are in a tough spot like the 49ers, according to 49erswebzone.com.
“Yeah, they’re coming off a big loss, right after their bye week,” Shanahan said. “And they’re in a situation similar to ours. They want to win. They need to win as bad as us. So I see a very similar situation.”
The 49ers are 3-4 and tied for second place in the NFC West while the Cowboys are 3-3 and sitting in third place in the NFC East. But Shanahan said earlier this week his team is responding well to recent injury adversity, along with the losses.
“Yeah, it felt good today,” Shanahan said. “Monday is always a rough day. But we spend a long time on Monday. We do that from early in the morning until really right when I’m done with you guys, after that press conference is the first time we move on. And then we see the players today. They do their own thing on Tuesdays and they came in today and we’ve had good meetings. We just had a good walk-through and guys are ready for the week.”
Mason got off to a tremendous start this season before getting hurt. He had 147 yards rushing in the opener, 100 against the Vikings in Week 2, and 123 against the Patriots in Week 4. Last week against the Chiefs he managed 58 yards on 14 attempts.
For him to get into the end zone twice against the Cowboys would set a season high. He only has three scores for the year.
To help make this happen, the 49ers need to strike early and get the Cowboys doubting themselves. They already feel low, as evidenced by head coach Mike McCarthy’s comments to athlonsports.com.
Referring to turnovers, penalties, and quarterback Dak Prescott’s struggles, McCarthy said, “Those statistics don’t help for overall performance. We’re minus-six in the turnover ratio, so that’s the huge blinking light for us. That’s the lowest of our time here and it’s unacceptable.”
The 49ers’ defense will make a game-changing play
San Francisco’s defense has the attention of the Cowboys. And sometimes if you stare too long at something it can catch you off guard. Plus, Prescott has three games this season with multiple interceptions — including the last two in a row.
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McCarthy said the 49ers’ defensive success starts in the middle with Fred Warner, according to nbcsportsbayarea.com.
“I think Fred Warner is playing as well as anybody that’s played (middle linebacker) in some time,” McCarthy said. “He’s definitely someone that jumps off the tape. We got a chance to watch a player come into the league, and, you know, he definitely made an impact, but you (saw) the ability. But now you see someone. His read and recognition is in patience and understanding. And when he triggers, he’s a playmaker in there.”
Plus, McCarthy said, the 49ers put Warner in good spots to succeed.
“(They) utilize him, too,” McCarthy said. “I mean, they put a lot of coverage responsibility on him. He’s the one making the checks on the formations. Your pre-snap mannerisms have to be aligned. (Warner is) very intelligent. I don’t think you play in this league without a high understanding of how to play. But the reality is who can apply it at the line of scrimmage? That’s where the value is, and he does it as good as I’ve seen.”
And there’s more, McCarthy said.
“Well, I think just like anything, where’s the money at?” McCarthy said. “You look at their defense and it starts up front. They’re still top-notch. I know they got a couple of guys down on IR, but their two outside pieces are as good as anybody we’ll play against all year. You always look at the different levels of a defense and they got excellent players at all three levels. Scehamtically, they are very sound. They put it on the front. They’re playing two rookies now in the back end, and they’ve been nice additions. But this is a very good defense.”
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