We are finally just a few hours away from the Dallas Cowboys taking the field on Sunday Night Football versus the San Francisco 49ers. Even though it’s been lopsided lately, this is still a rivalry matchup, stirring up nostalgia for those of us who witnessed the playoff battles of the 1990s.
The season hasn’t gone quite as planned for either team. Dallas sits with a 3-3 record after three blowout losses at home. San Francisco enters the game at 3-4 and fresh off of a loss versus the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.
Injuries have been the story for both teams, and each of them looks to get back on track with a big victory on Sunday night.
These types of games come down to key matchups, and the Cowboys will have to exorcise some old demons to leave Santa Clara with a victory.
Everybody vs Nick Bosa
You might laugh at the heading, but the first thing QB Dak Prescott and the offense need to do before every snap is locate #97. Nick Bosa can completely wreck a game and needs to be accounted for on every play.
Bosa might not have the gaudy sack numbers this season, but he is still near the top of the league in pressures. The sacks will come, but we don’t want them to come this week. Offensive tackles Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele will have to bring their “A” game to prevent that from happening.
Tight ends Jake Ferguson, Luke Schoonmaker, and Brevyn Spann-Ford will also have to be on alert. When they line up with one hand in the dirt, they must have the wherewithal to chip Bosa on their way out to their routes.
The same will need to be done by running backs Rico Dowdle, Dalvin Cook, and Hunter Luepke. When I say everybody needs to help with Bosa, I really mean everybody. Dallas can’t withstand a big game from Bosa.
Dak Prescott vs Fred Warner
The battle between the Cowboys’ offense and the 49ers’ defense has been a chess match that LB Fred Warner has won three times in a row. The Cowboys’ offense, and mainly Dak Prescott, has struggled mightily in each matchup since 2021.
Prescott’s numbers take a dive when facing the 49ers. In his previous three games (all losses), Prescott has thrown just three touchdowns and six interceptions. His career completion percentage is 66.8%, but that dips to just 58% versus San Francisco.
Dak is very effective versus man coverage, but the 49ers’ zone scheme gives him problems, mainly because of who is making the calls on the field. Warner and Dak have a pre-snap battle on every play, and Prescott will need to make the proper adjustments to take advantage of the defense for the Cowboys to have a shot at victory.
Sound Tackling vs Deebo Samuel
Despite being hospitalized with pneumonia and fluid in his lungs, WR Deebo Samuel is expected to play on Sunday night, providing a much-needed boost of talent to an injury-riddled offense.
The 49ers will already be without running backs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell, wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, and TE George Kittle is fighting through a foot sprain.
A couple of the main things Samuel brings to the 49ers’ offense are versatility and physicality. Head coach and play caller Kyle Shanahan lines Deebo up all over the field. He can split him out wide or in the slot, and even line him up in the backfield as a running back.
The Cowboys defenders will need to be sound in their tackling techniques, and even if they can’t bring him down alone, hang on for dear life and let the rest of the defense rally to finish the tackle.
Samuel is one of the most difficult players to tackle, and if the Cowboys don’t wrap up, he will carve you up with the run after the catch.
Prediction
Everybody is talking about the injuries to the 49ers’ skill players, but everyone seems to have forgotten that the Cowboys defense is also decimated by injuries. The top four defensive ends on the depth chart will not be available.
San Francisco likes to attack the edges of the defense, and now that LT Trent Williams somehow didn’t get suspended for punching a Chiefs’ player right in his ear hole, they will have their best offensive lineman to help seal the edge.
Samuel and Williams weren’t expected to play, but now that they will both be out there alongside the NFL’s second leading rusher (Jordan Mason) and TE George Kittle, I’m not sure the Cowboys will be able to stop Shanahan’s offense.
It also remains to be seen if Prescott and the offense will be able to move the ball on the 49ers’ defense. Recent history tells us they won’t be able to.
Cowboys 16
49ers 27