The Dallas Cowboys visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday in a must-win game for both teams. (Photo … [+] by Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
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The Dallas Cowboys take their 3-3 record to Santa Clara to take on the rival San Francisco 49ers Sunday afternoon inside Levi’s Stadium.
San Francisco is coming off an ugly loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and is in must-win mode with the team boasting a 3-4 record. The backdrop here includes continued injury issues for both teams.
The rivalry is another major backdrop. Dallas saw its seasons end against San Francisco in the playoffs back in both 2021 and 2022. Last season also saw the 49ers blowout their hated rival by the score of 42-10 in this very same venue.
Here, I preview the Cowboys at 49ers matchup with a look at the point spread, game information and some top storylines. I will also provide a final prediction at the end.
Cowboys-49ers Preview: Point Spread, TV Information And More
Date: Sunday, October 27
Time: 8:20 PM ET
TV: NBC/Peacock
Point Spread: 49ers (-4.0)
Top Storylines For Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers Matchup
Outside of this being a rivalry game between two teams in must-win mode, there is a whole heck of a lot to look at here.
Dallas has struggled big time against the 49ers in the recent past. It is also coming off a brutal 47-9 home loss to the Detroit Lions ahead of the team’s Week 7 bye.
As for the 49ers, injuries have impacted the team big time. That included All-Pro receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffering a torn ACL last week. These are among the top storylines for Sunday’s game.
Dallas Cowboys Struggles Against The San Francisco 49ers
Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys have come up small against the 49ers recently. (Photo by Ezra … [+] Shaw/Getty Images)
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Dallas lost to San Francisco at home in the NFC Wild Card round back in January of 2022. It’s a game that saw Dak Prescott suffer from a brain fart late, scrambling up the middle in the final seconds before time ran out. Prescott was criticized to no end for his mistake in what was a six-point game.
One year later, San Francisco took out Dallas at home in the NFC Divisional Playoffs by the score of 19-12. It represented another poor performance from Prescott and Co. Then, last year, the 49ers humiliated Dallas by the score of 42-10 at home. It’s been a major talking point heading into this one.
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“Look in the mirror. Go watch these six games over the bye week,” Prescott told reporters ahead of Sunday’s game. “Take a few days off. Reset. And be ready when we get back in that building to refocus and do every single thing that you can to help this team.”
This is obviously a statement game for the Cowboys. They were blown out in humiliating fashion the last time they took on San Francisco. Mike McCarthy’s squad was also humiliated at home by the Detroit Lions the last time they took to the field. Another brutal effort against a fierce rival will place into question Dallas’ ability to contend moving forward on the season.
Injury Issues For Both 49ers and Cowboys
Injuries are a major backdrop heading into the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers matchup. (Photo … [+] by Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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Both teams head into this game looking more like a MASH unit than anything else. San Francisco lost Brandon Aiyuk for the season due to a torn ACL last week. Reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year Christian McCaffrey also remains sidelined with an Achilles injury. He has yet to play this season.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings did not practice on Friday after missing last week’s game with a hip injury. Meanwhile, Deebo Samuel should be good to go after being hospitalized with pneumonia this past week. That doesn’t even take into account tight end George Kittle being limited in practice on Friday with a foot injury. This leaves the onus on the likes of rookie wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing to step up on Sunday.
Things are not much better for the Cowboys. Edge rushers Demarcus Lawrence and Sam Williams are currently on injured reserve. Micah Parsons is slated to miss his third consecutive game with an ankle injury. That’s going to have a major impact when it comes to putting pressure on 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy.
This is not even the extent of it for Dallas. Cornerback DaRon Bland is out with a foot injury. Starting linebacker Eric Kendricks is questionable with a shoulder issue. For a Cowboys defense that gave up 47 points to Detroit in their last outing, this obviously is not great news.
Sunday’s Game And Impact On NFL Trade Deadline
Sunday’s game could impact NFL trade deadline plans for John Lynch and the 49ers. (Photo by Lachlan … [+] Cunningham/Getty Images)
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This matchup could have a major impact on the Nov. 5 NFL trade deadline. The winner will likely look to be buyers. The loser? Well, it’s an open question. That’s primarily true when it comes to the homestanding 49ers. If they lose this one, Kyle Shanahan’s squad will be 3-5 on the season and could go into seller mode.
It’s an interesting dynamic. San Francisco general manager John Lynch noted this past week that the 49ers will not leave any stone unturned when it comes to potentially upgrading the roster.
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“I think our track record has shown that we’re always going to field calls, we’re always gonna make calls, see what’s out there,” Lynch said on KNBR. “If we can improve our team, we will.”
A loss could change plans for the 49ers. Impending free agents such as cornerback Charvarius Ward, guard Aaron Banks and defensive tackle Kevin Givens come up as potential players San Francisco could put on the block if they wave a white flag for the season.
In Dallas, owner Jerry Jones hinted that the team might not be active ahead of the deadline. Though, that could change with a statement win against the 49ers on Sunday.
Dak Prescott, Brock Purdy Looking For Bounce Back Games
Brock Purdy and Dak Prescott need to play better. It’s that simple. (Photo by Aaron M. … [+] Sprecher/Getty Images)
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Purdy was absolutely terrible in last week’s loss to the Chiefs, throwing three interceptions. It was the second-worst performance of his career behind a loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas last season. Purdy knows he needs to play better.
“I think I’ve just got to play better for sure just with my throws and some decisions. That’s pretty simple,” Purdy told reporters after last week’s loss. “I’ve obviously got to watch the film and stuff, but my instant reaction is I’ve got to play better.”
Obviously, being without Aiyuk is going to hurt Purdy moving forward. Last season saw him post a 124.0 QB rating when targeting the All-Pro receiver.
As for Prescott, he completed just 17-of-33 passes for 178 yards with zero touchdowns and two interceptions in his last outing against the Detroit Lions. Much like Purdy, Prescott knows he needs to play better.
“I’d say I’ve played average, and it isn’t good enough right now by any means,” Prescott told reporters this week, via ESPN. “It’s never been good enough for me. I can’t say that I’ve been happy or excited after any of these games that I’ve played.”
The major backdrop here is Prescott’s struggles against the 49ers. He’s thrown three touchdowns against six interceptions in his past three outings against San Francisco, all losses. Further struggles on Sunday won’t paint him in the best of lights.
Cowboys at 49ers Prediction
I like San Francisco to rebound in this one. Dallas’ injuries on defense will play a major role in this regard. Without putting pressure on Purdy, the Cowboys’ secondary should be exploited.
I am also expecting a big game from 49ers running back Jordan Mason. He’s taking on a Cowboys run defense that is yielding the fifth-most yards in the NFL at 143.2 per game.
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