SANTA CLARA – Sunday night time’s reunion presents the 49ers a prime-time highlight to tighten their current stranglehold on a storied rivalry with the Dallas Cowboys.
Tremendous Bowl wins have traditionally ensued after epic battles – with an emphasis on traditionally. It’s been virtually three many years since both franchise hoisted the Lombardi Trophy.
Spoiler alert: Neither franchise is poised for that prize this season. The 49ers (3-3) and the Dallas Cowboys (3-4) are scuffling.
Then once more, the 1981 49ers have been a mere 3-2 after they debuted a move rusher named Fred Dean (Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame, 2008) and helped halt Dallas’ grip on this rivalry, which famously turned on Dwight Clark’s landing “Catch” within the NFC Championship Sport.
Two seasons in the past, Brock Purdy bought launched to this 49ers-Cowboys hullabaloo when coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed highlights of their Nineteen Nineties duels, earlier than Purdy’s rookie season peaked with a divisional-round victory over Dallas.
“That sort of filled me in on, ‘Oh man, there’s a lot of history with these two organizations,’ “ Purdy recalled. “And I remember growing up just watching some games with them and it just meant so much every time they played and faced off. … It’s really special. So we all take pride in that and are thankful to be able to play in this game.”
The 49ers have crushed Dallas every of the previous three seasons, from playoff matchups within the 2021 and ’22 seasons to final October’s blowout at Levi’s Stadium. Listed below are 5 methods to increase that streak:
1.ONE-DIMENSIONAL DALLAS
The franchise that introduced you Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett (and Ezekiel Elliott’s encore) now presents the league’s last-ranked speeding assault (77.2 yards per recreation, two speeding touchdowns).
Defensive finish Nick Bosa, as he’s appropriately predicted earlier than video games earlier this season, anticipates a run-heavy method from the outset, from what’s been a pass-heavy Cowboys offense. “They’re going to try to run the ball more than they have, because, I mean, when you’ve had the losses they’ve had, they’re obviously going to try to do something a little different,” Bosa stated.
The Cowboys are anticipated to debut four-time Professional Bowler Dalvin Prepare dinner off the follow squad. They’ve scored solely two speeding touchdowns all season – one by Elliott, one by Dak Prescott. The 49ers allowed 4 speeding touchdowns in Sunday’s 28-18 loss to quarterback-oriented Kansas Metropolis.
Assuming the 49ers’ run protection is just not additional compromised by their incapability to buck up (and fill defensive sort out Javon Hargrave’s absence), then Bosa, Leonard Floyd and any well timed blitzer should stress Prescott into sacks, interceptions and his fourth straight defeat to the 49ers.
2. RUN-GAME REBOOT
Jordan Mason, the NFL’s second-leading rusher, have to be this recreation’s No. 1 producer. The 49ers should lean on him to run left, proper and middle. He should acquire sufficient yards on first and second right down to hold them out of third-and-long.
The Cowboys are permitting the fifth-most speeding yards (143.2) and so they’ve surrendered 10 speeding touchdowns.
Final Sunday, the 49ers couldn’t pry Mason free within the first half in opposition to the Chiefs. His 14-carry workload (58 yards) ought to have him contemporary for this recreation, with subsequent week’s bye affording him an opportunity to get well from an Oct. 10 shoulder sprain.
Mason, Isaac Guerendo, Deebo Samuel, Patrick Taylor and some other backfield possibility also needs to be tabbed as a passing goal for what’s been a season devoid of screens and fast throws. Samuel is questionable as he’s progressed after final Sunday’s bout with pneumonia that required a two-night hospitalization.
3. NATIONAL KITTLE DAY
George Kittle was a blossoming, second-year star when Jimmy Garoppolo coined the time period, “National Tight Ends Day,” which the NFL has come to advertise each fourth Sunday in October. “It completely started as a joke and it’s grown into an actual holiday that’s on all your guys’ calendar; don’t look,” Kittle stated.
Listed as questionable, Kittle wants no additional motivation or hype in the case of going through the Cowboys, which would require him to play via final Sunday’s foot sprain. He had three landing catches in final 12 months’s rout, and he proudly wore a T-shirt demeaning the Cowboys as an ode to former linebacker Gary Plummer’s unique model.
With Samuel recovering from pneumonia, Brandon Aiyuk misplaced to a knee harm, Jauan Jennings nonetheless out, and Ricky Pearsall taking his preliminary NFL reps, Purdy ought to proceed to focus on Kittle as his most dependable weapon (team-high 34 catches, 375 yards, 5 touchdowns).
Kittle professed respect for Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s schemes, including: “We might have gotten the better of them the last couple of times we’ve gone with them, but he’s won a lot of games and his defense has been good for a reason.”
4. SPECIAL TEAMS TREND
Six consecutive video games with a significant breakdown on particular groups is a disturbing development the 49ers can’t afford persevering with. The Cowboys have the NFL’s finest particular groups, and their return models boast 2022 Professional Bowl return specialist KaVontae Turpin.
Anders Carlson, who missed a point-after kick in his 49ers debut final Sunday, is probably going making his 49ers finale, presuming Jake Moody’s high-ankle sprain is cured after subsequent week’s bye.
The 49ers haven’t had a punt return longer than 11 yards, or a kick return longer than 35 yards. Half the league has had longer returns than these marks.
5. HOME-FIELD ADVANTAGE?
Normal supervisor John Lynch made a vital plea this week for 49ers followers to assist create a home-field benefit. The previous two video games at Levi’s Stadium have been as demoralizing because it will get exterior of a playoff elimination.
“I know our fans are frustrated,” Lynch stated on KNBR 680-AM. “I just say hang with us. Help this be the home-field advantage that this can be. I’ve got a ton of belief we’re going to find our way in a good way here soon, but it’s got to start this week.”
A storied rivalry can improve that. “It’s just the history of the Niners and Cowboys, the atmosphere and the way the fans come out,” Samuel stated. “We feed off their energy.”
Toasty, sun-splashed situations escorted the 49ers to defeats in opposition to Arizona (24-23, Oct. 6) and Kansas Metropolis. The one house recreation they’ve received this season got here in prime time, within the 32-19 Monday night time opener in opposition to the Jets.
“We’ve won three games on the road,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy stated, “and we’re getting ready to win our fourth. That’s our mindset.”
Dallas’ wins this season — on the Cleveland Browns (33-17), on the New York Giants (20-15), on the Pittsburgh Steelers (20-17) – all got here by denying opponents greater than 17 factors. All three of the 49ers’ wins this season have come by scoring not less than 30 factors.
Initially Printed: October 26, 2024 at 9:32 a.m.
