Cowboys-49ers rivalry has been evenly fought over the years

The Dallas Cowboys will return to San Francisco, the site of their last defeat of the 2022 season, on Oct. 8th. In addition to breaking a two-game losing streak to the 49ers, the Cowboys will try to take the all-time series lead.

The teams have met 39 times since their first game in 1960, a 26-14 win by the 49ers, and the series is tied at 19-19-1.

Dallas holds a 5-4 advantage in playoff matchups, with the 49ers winning the last three postseason meetings.

The two teams were in the same division for one year, Dallas’ inaugural 1960 season.

But despite being in different divisions they have developed a heated rivalry thanks to six meetings for the NFC Championship.

Dallas is 9-9-1 at home, with the 49ers holding a 473-472 scoring edge.

The Cowboys are 10-10 in San Francisco, with the 49ers outscoring them 501-463.

Dallas was 1-1-1 at the Cotton Bowl, 7-6 at Texas Stadium, and 1-2 at AT&T Stadium against San Francisco.

The Cowboys were 1-2 at Kezar Stadium, 7-7 at Candlestick Park and 2-1 at Levi’s Stadium versus the 49ers.

The San Francisco ’60s

The first decade belonged to the 49ers.

San Francisco won three of the five games played that decade (1960, ’63, and ’67).

The 1969 matchup ended in a 24-24 tie. Dallas’ lone win came at the Cotton Bowl, 39-31, in 1965.

In a wild contest, Mel Renfro returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and Bob Lilly had a 17-yard interception return for a score.

Don Meredith threw two touchdown passes to Bob Hayes, including a 34-yarder in the fourth that put Dallas ahead for good.

Dallas Dominated The ’70s

The Cowboys would win six of the seven meetings with San Francisco in the 1970s. The two biggest wins came in back-to-back years.

The two teams met for the NFC Championship at the end of the 1970 and 1971 seasons.

Playing at Kezar Stadium on Jan. 3, 1971, Duane Thomas and Walt Garrison powered the Cowboys to a 17-10 win over John Brodie and the 49ers.

Almost a year to the day later at Texas Stadium, Garrison and Thomas — along with Roger Staubach’s 55 rushing yards — ran over San Francisco 14-3.

This time the Doomsday Defense harassed Brodie into three interceptions.

San Francisco would gain some measure of revenge 11 months later at Texas Stadium with a 31-10 regular season win.

But Dallas would travel to San Francisco one month later for a 30-28 win in the 1972 Divisional round at Candlestick Park.

Roger Staubach cemented his “Captain Comeback” status by rallying Dallas from a 28-13 deficit with two late touchdown passes.

The Cowboys would win the next three regular-season games in the decade — three coming in San Francisco.

The Dismal ’80s, A Rebirth In The ’90s

After starting the decade with a 59-14 rout over San Francisco at Texas Stadium, the Cowboys went into a funk.

The 49ers would win the next six meetings between 1981-1990, including the NFC Championship game in 1982.

The teams did not meet again until the 1992 NFC Championship game at Candlestick Park.

Dallas avenged “The Catch” with a 30-20 victory, fueled by Alvin Harper’s 70-yard game-sealing “Catch.”

The teams played again in the 1993 regular season, a 26-17 Dallas win at Texas Stadium.

They met for a third time in 53 weeks, again at Texas Stadium, with Dallas claiming its second straight NFC title with a 38-21 win.

San Francisco would win the next three meetings, including the 1994 NFC title before Dallas snapped the streak with a 20-17 overtime win in 1996.

The 49ers claimed the last win of the decade in 1997.

A Silver And Blue 21st Century

The two teams have only met twice in the playoffs since the glory years of the mid-1990s. Both times have been 49ers wins in the divisional round.

Prior to the season-ending losses of the last two years, Dallas had been 7-3 against San Francisco in this century.

When the teams meet in October, Dallas will be holding a three-game winning streak in regular-season games against the 49ers.