Niners Rope Cowboys, Head into the Bye with Win

Week 8 - Hoping to head into the Bye week on a high note with a win to even their record and keep pace with a neck and neck NFC Western Division, the (3-4) San Francisco 49ers would host an up and down (3-3) Dallas Cowboys team that entered Sunday undefeated on the road with a perfect record of 3-0 away from home. Looking to spoil that unblemished road record for the Cowboys, the 49ers would try to get back on track at Levi's Stadium where they've split the first four games in their home stadium, dropping each of the last two after starting off 2-0. With Dallas coming off their own Bye week, it would mark the second consecutive week that the 49ers would have the misfortune of facing a team well rested with a week off following their meeting with the Chiefs. And just like their game against Kansas City, it would be the 49ers who would strike first. 

After forcing a punt on Dallas' opening-possession, the 49ers would cross midfield on a deep pass on third and long from quarterback Brock Purdy to receiver Deebo Samuel for 47-yards. With Deebo missing several practices during the week after being treated for pneumonia which required a few nights stay at a nearby hospital, his playing status entering the weekend remained in question before he was finally able to return to the practice field on Friday. Making plays almost instantly, coach Kyle Shanahan and company were more than happy to have their guy back after having to leave only four plays into the game a week earlier. Unfortunately, a holding penalty a few plays later would derail San Francisco's plans of reaching the end zone as they were held to a field goal. Splitting the uprights from 50-yards out, kicker Anders Carlson put the Niners on top early as the 49ers remained the only team in the NFL with 3+ kickers to make a field goal this season. On Dallas' ensuing possession, quarterback Dak Prescott would attempt a deep pass of his own but was picked off by San Francisco safety Ji'Ayir Brown. 

With the Niners unable to do anything with the early turnover, the Cowboys got things going on their next possession, converting on several third and longs before running back Ezekiel Elliott punched into the end zone from a yard out to give Dallas a 7-3 lead. The 49ers answered almost instantly with a 66-yard touchdown pass from Purdy to Deebo, but another costly offensive holding call spoiled the scoring play for San Francisco. The two would try to reconnect a few plays later on a fourth and 3 attempt, but an errant pass by Purdy behind his receiver would result in a turnover on downs near midfield. Both teams would add field goals before exchanging punts as the first half came to a close with Dallas clinging onto a 10-6 halftime lead. In need of a jolt to start the second half, whatever was said in the locker room during halftime not only resonated but also woke up a sleeping giant within the team as the 49ers came out guns blazing to open the third quarter. Scoring touchdowns on three consecutive scoring drives to open the half, the 49ers offense pulled off a 21-skunk with a pair of rushing touchdowns by rookie running back Isaac Guerendo and quarterback Brock Purdy, as well as a receiving touchdown from tight-end George Kittle. 

Guerendo would see his busiest day as a pro yet, toting the ball for 14 carries after running back Jordan Mason reinjured his shoulder that began to hinder him in Week 6 vs Seattle. The rookie would answer the call with 85 rushing yards and a 4-yard touchdown, the first of his career. Guerendo would eclipse the 100-yard mark by adding another 17-yards receiving on 3 receptions. Kittle would put his own stamp on the game like only he can, as the founding father of National Tight-End Day, a makeshift holiday created by the 49ers tight-end to be celebrated on the final Sunday of every October, Kittle reached several milestones while hauling in a 2-yard touchdown grab. With the reception, Kittle moved to third place on the 49ers' all-time receiving list by passing Dwight Clark. With 6,777 receiving yards throughout his career, Kittle trails only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens on that list, two Hall of Famers. Kittle also reached his 500th career reception, becoming only the fifth player in franchise history to reach that feat and moving closer to Clark's 506 mark and Roger Craig's 508, as only Owens (592) and Rice (1,281) have more in a 49ers uniform. Purdy would cap off the busy third quarter by plowing forward for a 2-yard score near the goal line. Not only would the 49ers outscore Dallas in the third quarter by a score of 21-0, they would put up more points scored in the quarter than the Cowboys had yards (16). 

Even with a dominant third quarter that allowed the 49ers to take a 27-10 lead entering the fourth, the 49ers almost let another double-digit lead in a game slip away. They say lightning never strikes the same place twice, but it has for the 49ers and it nearly struck the same place for a third time this season. The Cowboys would suddenly find themselves back in a game they had no business being in when trailing by 17-points with just over 8-minutes remaining in regulation. Leaving the most dangerous weapon on the Cowboys' roster wide-open, Dak found receiver Ceedee Lamb all alone for an easy score to make it a 10-point game. Though the 49ers would add a 41-yard field goal by Carlson on their ensuing drive, Dak would find Lamb again wide-open for a touchdown when a pair of 49er defenders collided in the secondary with 3:36 left to play. What was once a 17-point lead just moments earlier, quickly evaporated into a 30-24 nail-biter which got even scarier when the 49ers were forced to punt after Purdy was brought down for a sack and was only able to shed 27-seconds off the clock throughout the possession. Taking over with 3:05 remaining, the Cowboys' attempt to pull off the comeback would fall short when Dak Prescott failed to complete a pass and turned the ball over on downs as the San Francisco defense stood tall and held down the fort when they needed it the most. 

Guerendo would put the final nail in the coffin with a 14-yard run that the rookie could've taken to the house before sliding just shy of the goal line to allow for the clock to run out. Converting the game-sealing first down on a 3rd and 2 attempt with 1:16 remaining, the 49ers were able to celebrate their fourth consecutive win over Dallas, handing them their first road loss of the season. Niners QB Brock Purdy finished the game 260 yards passing and a touchdown, while also rushing for another 56 yards and a rushing touchdown. Purdy's 56 yards on the ground would match the total amount of rushing yards by the Cowboys' running back tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Dalvin Cook who were held in check virtually all game long. Dak Prescott threw for 243, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the loss for Dallas. Prescott's favorite receiver CeeDee Lamb would have his best game of the season, hauling in a game-high 13 receptions and leading both teams with 146 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns. As for George Kittle, the 49ers tight-end just knows how to turn it up a notch on National Tight-End Day as he caught 6 passes for 128-yards and a touchdown to lead his team. Kittle averages nearly 30 yards more per game on the unofficial holiday and would be nominated for the FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week for his performance in the win. On top of that, tight-ends throughout the league were able to collectively team up for 177 receptions on Sunday, the most in a single day in NFL history. 

Week 10 Preview - Coming out of the Week 9 Bye week, the 49ers will return on the road with a pit stop in Tampa Bay, Florida to face the (4-5) Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is coming off an overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. Despite being without several playmakers including wide-receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Bucs had the Chiefs on the brink of defeat and nearly handed K.C. their first loss of the season before falling, 30-24. Quarterback Baker Mayfield orchestrated a game-tying touchdown-drive with 30-seconds remaining in the fourth quarter before succumbing to Patrick Mahomes and company after Tampa lost the coin toss to head into overtime and never got a chance to possess the ball. 

The 49ers will look to keep pace in the NFC Western Division as they currently sit in a second-place tie with the (4-4) L.A. Rams, trailing the (5-4) Arizona Cardinals for first place. A win in Week 10 would be a good start to do just that, and they are expected to get a few reinforcements on the offensive side of the ball. Returning to practice on Monday for the Niners was running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles), receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) and kicker Jake Moody (ankle). The trio are aiming to return to action on Sunday with McCaffrey vying to make his long-awaited season debut. 49ers GM John Lynch also made a few moves near the November 5 trade deadline, acquiring defensive tackle Khalil Davis via trade from the Houston Texans for a 2026 7th round pick. The addition of Davis will add depth to a defensive line that can use all the help they can get after losing Javon Hargrave to injury earlier in the season. San Francisco also brought back veteran safety Tashaun Gipson to the practice squad on Tuesday, just hours after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Gipson played the last two seasons in SF before signing with the Jags in the offseason. 

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49ers Rope Cowboys for 32-point Beatdown

Week 5 - What was supposed to be a heavyweight slugfest between the hosting (4-0) San Francisco 49ers and the visiting (3-1) Dallas Cowboys, was anything but as the game quickly turned into a one-sided beatdown in favor of the home team. From the opening kickoff, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys looked completely outmatched as the Niners showcased a number of weapons on both sides of the ball and proved just how lethal they can be when fully healthy and clicking on all cylinders. A week after riding their Pro-Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey to a four touchdown performance against Arizona which earned him FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week honors for Week 4, Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan went to his bag of tricks and dialed things up for a member of the 49er offense who had been quiet on the season prior to Sunday. A day before his 30th birthday, tight-end George Kittle had a night to remember by logging his first career 3 touchdown performance. 

Before the blowout ensued, the matchup had everything a football fan could want from a statistical standpoint as Dallas entered the game touting the best scoring defense in the league allowing just 10.3 points per game compared to San Francisco's 14.5 which ranked 2nd. Two of the best offenses would also be represented as the Niners entered the game ranked 3rd with 31.3 points per game, versus Dallas' 31.0 points per game which ranks 4th. In fact, it would be just the 4th game in NFL history between teams averaging 30+ points per game and fewer than 15 points per game allowed. With 19-wins apiece in the all-time series matchup, plenty would be at stake for these two teams who have met in the playoffs in back to back years, stoking the flames and writing a new chapter in what was once the best rivalry in all of football. And while the rivalry isn't as heated as it once was, things appear to be headed in that direction once again. 

Putting his 9-0 career regular season record on the line would be 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy who entered Sunday night's game with a league-best QB Rating of 115.1. Leading the NFL with 24-points scored on opening-drives through the first four weeks, the San Francisco offense continued their torrid pace and added to that mark with an opening-drive touchdown from Purdy to Kittle as the two connected on a 19-yard dart that found the 49ers tight-end all alone in the end zone. After both teams each exchanged a pair of punts, the Niners appeared to be in business when a heads up play was made by 49ers All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner who punched the ball free from Cowboys running back Tony Pollard. On the doorstep of another touchdown, McCaffrey would take a handoff to the 2-yard line before being stripped of the ball on his way down as he landed on a defender who jarred the ball loose and recovered the fumble near the goal-line. Unable to do anything with the turnover, Prescott and company were stopped in their tracks thanks to another highlight play from Fred Warner who came up with the sack on third down to force a punt. Needing only one play to do what they failed to do one possession earlier, Purdy executed on a flea-flicker to find Kittle streaking to the end zone again for another score. 

Trailing 14-0, Dallas would finally put together a successful drive of their own after failing to convert a first down on their first four drives for the first time in a game since November 30, 2017 vs Washington. Highlighting a 13-play, 78-yard drive was Prescott who aired the ball out to KaVontae Turpin who found the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown. Looking to add to their lead and make it a two-score game heading into the half, the 49ers would string together a 12-play, 60-yard drive of their own, capitalizing on a 1-yard touchdown by Christian McCaffrey. With his parents in attendance watching from a suite, McCaffrey made history by tying an NFL record since the Super Bowl era, held by Cowboys great Emmitt Smith with 14 consecutive games with a touchdown. Trailing 21-7 at the half, Dallas opened the third quarter with the football and in dire need of a score. After failing to register a first down on 6 of 7 drives in the first half, the Cowboys offense appeared to be headed for a much better half as they added a field goal, but it would be the closest they'd get as San Francisco found the end zone on each of their next three possessions, while also intercepting Prescott on each of Dallas' next three ensuing drives. 

The first of three straight 49er touchdowns would go to George Kittle who made the most of all three of his receptions, finding the end zone for a third time on the night to tie Vernon Davis for the most touchdowns in a game by a 49ers tight-end. Completing the trifecta and celebrating his 30th birthday a day early, Kittle would endure somewhat of a renaissance as he failed to find the end zone in each of the team's first four games this season. The next 49ers touchdown would come from their Pro-Bowl fullback Kyle Juszczyk who hauled in the easy 1-yard score. Putting a nightcap on their busy night of scoring would be backup running back Jordan Mason who scored for the first time this season and for only the second time of his career. The second-year back darted thru a gaping hole and thrusted his way to the end zone for a 26-yard score, putting the game out of reach as the Niners took a commanding 42-10 lead in the fourth quarter. Coming up with the trio of Prescott interceptions would be Tashaun Gipson, Fred Warner, and Oren Burks. As for Warner, the 49ers' All-Pro linebacker became the first 49ers player to record a sack, interception and forced fumble in a game since NaVorro Bowman in 2013. 

The 32-point loss would be the Cowboys' worst loss versus the 49ers in the history of the rivalry, which led Prescott to admit after the game, "this might be the most humbling game I've ever been a part of". Making matters worse, San Francisco outgained Dallas in total yards, 421 to 197 and also dominated in the time of possession battle: 37 minutes to Dallas' 23. The Dallas QB would throw for 153 yards, 1 touchdown and 3 interceptions in the loss. As for his counterpart, Niners QB Brock Purdy is now a perfect 10-0 in his career during the regular season. Last year's Mr. Irrelevant, Purdy now holds the 4th longest win-streak to start a career at quarterback and has to at least be among the top candidates for early MVP consideration. Finishing with 252 yards passing and a career-high 4 touchdown passes, Purdy continued to shine on Sunday against what was the league's Number 1 defense entering the game. The game got so out of hand at one point that 49er fans began chanting, "We want Trey" in reference to quarterback and former No. 3 overall pick Trey Lance who the Niners traded to the Cowboys just days before the start of the season. Although Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy would empty out his bench, he would elect to go with backup QB Cooper Rush instead. Purdy and Lance were seen at midfield during warmups and shared a moment together before both teams suited up for battle. 

Week 6 Preview: The (5-0) 49ers will look to continue to roll as they hit the road to face the (2-2) Cleveland Browns in Week 6. Coming off a BYE, the Browns were held to just a field goal at home the week prior versus rival Baltimore. Struggling to find consistency in the offense, the Browns will need to make a laundry list of adjustments if they plan on turning things around against a stingy San Francisco team. Hitting the field without their Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb who suffered a serious knee injury in Week 2, backup running back Jerome Ford and quarterback Deshaun Watson will hope to catch the 49ers off guard and hand them a loss. Watson who missed Cleveland's last game as a surprise scratch with a shoulder injury, might be sidelined again if he isn't cleared in time for kickoff. As for the Niners, don't chalk this one up as a cake walk as San Francisco has had a rough go throughout their history when playing in Cleveland. While these two teams don't play each other very often, the 49ers have not won at Cleveland since 1984, having lost in each of their last three visits. 

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49ers Send Cowboys Home Again, Face Philly for NFC Title

Playoffs - Dating back to the 1970's, few rivalries in the NFL have been as heated as the rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys. Though the rivalry has lost some of its sizzle since the 1990's, things are beginning to warm up again between the two franchises who have now met in the playoffs for a second consecutive season. After dispatching Dak Prescott and the Cowboys in Dallas in the Wild Card round a season ago, the 49ers looked to repeat the feat of handing Dallas back to back exits from the playoffs on Sunday, this time playing host to the Cowboys at Levi's Stadium in the Divisional round. One step closer to the Super Bowl and with some home cooking, head coach Kyle Shanahan's 49ers were able to do just that in a game that was highlighted by stellar defense. 

With San Francisco's defense ranked number one in the league, Dallas' stout defense answered the call for much of the game as well and came out guns blazing by holding the Niners to a three and out punt on their opening-possession. The Cowboys would show a bit more life on their first drive but were also held to a punt to start the game. Following a second 49er punt, the defense made their presence felt by intercepting a Dak Prescott pass on a third and long. Jumping out in front of Dallas' Michael Gallup was second-year cornerback Deommodore Lenoir who logged his second interception in as many weeks after picking off Seattle's Geno Smith a week ago. While the 49ers would turn the turnover into points, they were held to just a field goal as kicker Robbie Gould began what would be a busy day at the office. With San Francisco striking first and Dallas trailing 3-0, Dak and company would have the 49er defense floundering for the one and only time all game. Orchestrating a 17-play, 79-yard drive that lasted 7:47 of game time, Dak found tight-end Dalton Schultz with a short pass for the 4-yard score. 

Thanks to a blocked extra-point attempt by San Francisco's Samson Ebukam who also logged a sack on the afternoon, the 49ers found themselves trailing 6-3. San Francisco would answer right back with another field goal -- a 47-yarder from Gould to tie the game at 6. With the Cowboys chipping away at the field and trending towards another score, the 49er defense came through once again, this time in the red zone as All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner corralled an interception tipped by safety Jimmie Ward. Looking to put some more points on the board before the half, the 49ers narrowly avoided disaster with some questionable clock-management from both coach Shanahan and rookie quarterback Brock Purdy. Electing to use a timeout after showing little urgency and letting precious seconds tick away was Shanahan before Purdy got rid of the ball just in the nick of time with an out of bounds incompletion that left 1-second remaining on the clock. In came Gould who split the uprights for a third time in the first half to give the Niners a 9-6 lead at halftime. 

In the days leading up to the game, a pair of knuckleheads on a Dallas sports radio station had wished an injury on 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. Instead, they would witness one of their own fall victim to the injury bug in running back Tony Pollard who had to be carted off the field with an ankle injury, forcing him to miss the second half. With Dallas opening the second half with the ball, the 49er defense was able to force the Cowboys offense off the field with a punt, but only for a short period as Dallas was given another chance following a fumbled punt return by Ray-Ray McCloud. Given a second opportunity and with prime field position, Dallas was able to tie the game with a 25-yard field goal from Brett Maher who had missed four of five extra-point attempts the week prior against Tampa Bay. After exchanging punts, the 49ers would string together their best drive of the evening, marching 76-yards in 14 plays that spanned exactly 6-minutes. Capping off the impressive drive that was highlighted by a 30-yard circus catch made by tight-end George Kittle, running back Christian McCaffrey began to finally find holes in the Dallas defense and punched thru for a 2-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. 

Both teams would exchange field goals before a bit of unnecessary drama ensued as San Francisco insisted on making things harder on themselves down the stretch than they needed to be before ultimately avoiding disaster. Receiving a punt with 2:05 remaining in regulation, the 49ers were in need of a first down following the two-minute warning to clinch the win and milk the clock. While they would get the much-needed first down on a 13-yard scamper from running back Elijah Mitchell, the second-year back ran out of bounds, stopping the clock and allowing Dallas to successfully use their timeouts after getting a stop to get the ball back for one final last-ditch attempt. After missing a chance to ice the game with a would-be pick-six interception from linebacker Dre Greenlaw who dropped the ball, San Francisco whiffed again when Arik Armstead collided in the end zone with Prescott who avoided the safety and got rid of the ball with an incompletion. After a pair of short passes and the clock down to 6-seconds, the Cowboys would dial up one final play that was blown up by Jimmie Ward, eliminating any chance at a lateral-type miracle. Pulling off the 19-12 win, the 49ers booked their second straight trip to the NFC Championship and their third trip in four years. Meanwhile, the Cowboys now have 12 straight playoff appearances without playing in a Conference Championship game, the longest streak in NFL history. 

Relying on the defense for much of the game, Niners QB Brock Purdy threw for 214 yards on 19 of 29 pass attempts and was able to avoid the costly turnovers that plagued his counterpart in Dak Prescott. Dak did not finish far behind with 206 yards and a touchdown on 23 of 37 passes, but his two interceptions were costly, and his longest streak in NFL history of 1+ passing TD and 1+ rushing TDin four straight playoff games came to a screeching halt. Tight-end George Kittle proved to be Purdy's favorite target on the evening with five receptions for 95 yards, finishing behind only CeeDee Lamb who caught 10 passes for 117 yards for Dallas. The 49er defense held the Cowboys to only 76 yards rushing, while tallying 113 yards of their own on the ground between Eli Mitchell (14 carries, 51 yards) and Christian McCaffrey (10 carries, 35 yards, 1 TD). Evening the all-time series between these two storied franchises at 19-19-1, Sunday's win marked the Niners' first home win over Dallas since 1997. 

NFC Championship Preview: Having now won 12 straight games, the 49ers will put their winning-streak to the test and try for lucky No. 13 as they prepare to hit the road to face the No. 1 seeded Eagles in Philadelphia with a ticket to the Super Bowl on the line. What will undoubtedly be a showdown between the NFC's top two seeds, the heavyweight match-up will feature the league's best defense in points per game and yards per game (San Francisco) going up against the league's best offense in those same two categories (Philadelphia). But the one match-up that will steal all the headlines is the one between both team's quarterbacks in Brock Purdy and Jalen Hurts. Mr. Irrelevant versus the potential league MVP. And though this will be the first time these two QB's meet to face one another at the pro level, it isn't their first time facing one another on a football field. Purdy will have a chance at redemption after losing in a 42-41 shootout during his days at Iowa State as his Cyclones lost to Hurts and the Oklahoma Sooners back on November 9, 2019. Purdy would throw for 5 touchdowns and rush for another in the wild contest that also saw 5 total TD's from Hurts. Both should be a far cry from what we're likely to see from both quarterbacks on Sunday. 

The media has already begun spinning the narrative for Sunday's game as Brock Purdy the rookie quarterback who is ill-prepared to face a team as daunting as the Eagles in Philadelphia. However, Purdy will enter Sunday's game having already won two career playoff games to Hurts' one. Purdy will also be making history when he steps onto the field at Lincoln Financial as he'll become the first rookie QB to start a Conference Championship game since Mark Sanchez in 2009. With 200 yards passing in both playoff games this season and no turnovers committed, he's the only rookie QB in the Super Bowl era to do that even once in the playoffs. Purdy joined Joe Flacco (2008) and Mark Sanchez (2009) as the only rookie QBs to win two playoff starts. He's looking to become the first to make the Super Bowl after Flacco, Sanchez, Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Shaun King (1999) all lost in the conference title game. 

The last time these two teams met was Week 2 of the 2021-22 season just a year ago which saw San Francisco edge out a 17-11 win in Philadelphia. Of course a lot of things have changed since then and playoff football is a different type of animal than the second week of the regular season. Opening up as 2-point underdogs on the road, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers will hope to use their Conference Championship experience to their benefit over second-year head coach Nick Siranni who has done a superb job at the helm in Philly, but will be in uncharted waters come Sunday against a hungry 49ers team that doesn't mind proving the doubters wrong. 

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49ers Beat Cowboys in Wild Playoff Win

Super Wild Card Weekend - A day after the 26th anniversary of the San Francisco 49ers beating the Dallas Cowboys in the 1995 NFC Championship that punched the Niners' ticket to Super Bowl 29, the two teams would renew their rivalries in the playoffs on Sunday, marking the first time since 1998 that both teams made the playoffs in the same season. In the first playoff meeting between these two storied franchises since three straight bouts in the NFC Championship from 1992-94, Sunday's game would be another classic in the long standing rivalry. In fact, the last four times the 49ers and Cowboys met in the playoffs, the winner went on to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and win the Super Bowl (1981, 1992, 1993, 1994). 

Entering the game facing a Dallas Cowboys (12-5) team that made history by becoming just the third team since 1960 to lead the NFL in total offense, scoring offense and takeaways, Kyle Shanahan's 49ers (10-7) squad knew their first round opponent would not be a walk in the park. However, through much of the game and most of the first half, San Francisco would have their way with Dallas on both sides of the ball. Receiving the opening-kickoff and starting the game on offense, the 49ers' success since the second half of the season would roll right into their first possession of the ball game as quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo helped orchestrate a touchdown-scoring drive right out of the gates. Taking a stranglehold from the first play on, the 49ers found the end zone with a 4-yard rushing touchdown from rookie running back Elijah Mitchell. Equally as impressive would be San Francisco's defense, starting the game with a QB sack on 3rd and long to force a Dallas punt. Adding a pair of Robbie Gould field goals on each of their next two possessions, the 49ers would quickly jump out to a 13-0 advantage. 

Dallas' high-powered offense was held off the scoreboard and out of the end zone for the entire first quarter, a trend Cowboys fans have grown accustomed to considering the dubious streak has now reached seven straight home playoff games in which the Cowboys have failed to score a 1st quarter touchdown. You'd have trace back to the 1996 Wild Card game to find the last touchdown scored by a Cowboy in the first quarter -- a 2-yard TD run by Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman. However, it wouldn't be long before Dallas' league-best offense eventually found the end zone as Dak Prescott hit Amari Cooper in the end zone for a 20-yard score. Adding another field goal to give the Niner offense four straight scoring-drives to start the game, San Francisco went into their locker room at the half boasting a 16-7 lead. While confident with a double-digit lead at the half, the 49ers knew first-hand that they could not take their foot off the pedal after being in a similar predicament themselves a week ago when the roles were reversed and the Niners found themselves in a 17-0 hole to the division rival Rams. 

With both teams exchanging punts to open the second half, the 49er defense would force the game's first turnover when a Dak Prescott pass was intercepted by K'Waun Williams who had missed the season-finale against the Rams after being placed in Covid protocols. Returning to the field in a big way, the San Francisco offense knew just what to do with the takeaway. Following the turnover, receiver Deebo Samuel went up to coach Shanahan and demanded the ball on the very next play. The first time All-Pro wide-out would get his wish and the ball, taking it 26-yards to the house for a touchdown to put his team ahead, 23-7. Looking to put the rare Prescott interception behind them and his first since Week 14, it wouldn't be until the fourth quarter when Dallas would finally piece together some success. After adding a Greg Zuerlein field goal to make it a 23-10 ballgame thanks to a successful fake-punt attempt, the Cowboys would find themselves a golden opportunity after an errant pass from Garoppolo was picked off on San Francisco's ensuing possession. Capitalizing on the turnover just like the Niners did, Dak and company would make it a six-point game as the Cowboys signal-caller ran it in himself for a 5-yard score. 

Leading 23-17, the 49ers suddenly found themselves in a vulnerable position after suffering a trio of injuries on defense as Jordan Willis (ankle) and Pro Bowlers Nick Bosa (concussion) and Fred Warner (ankle) were all forced to leave the game with injuries. After San Francisco failed to make it a two-score game, the 49er defense would be asked to step up and deliver a much needed stop. Facing a 4th and 11 near midfield, the Niners D would answer the call by forcing a turnover on downs. In need of a big first down, the 49ers thought they had the game won on a handoff to Deebo Samuel as the referees called on the chain gang and gave him a first down that would've sealed the win. However, further review would show Deebo just shy of the first down marker, bringing up 4th and inches. Dialing up a QB-sneak, Garoppolo appeared to gain the first down, but not before a false start penalty on Trent Williams. Punting the ball back to Dallas, the Cowboys would get one final shot with 40-seconds remaining and no timeouts left. Prescott and company would move the chains on back to back completions of 20 and 10 yards, before a 9 yard pass got them to the 50 yard-line. But it would be there where the Cowboys turned into their own worst enemy and the drama intensified as Prescott ran up the middle for a 17-yard gain. Unbeknownst to them, the Dallas o-line ran to the line of scrimmage at the San Francisco 24 yard-line and attempted to spike the ball with 1-second remaining, but failed to allow the official to set the ball before hiking it as the game-clock hit double-zero.  

Escaping Dallas by the skin of their teeth and avoiding heartbreak, the 49ers punched their ticket to the next round with the 23-17 victory. Leading the way on offense, San Francisco's ground attack which ranks 7th-best in the league, rushed for 169 yards compared to Dallas' 77. While Elijah Mitchell rushed for a game-high 96 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries, Deebo Samuel was not far behind. Deebo who became the first 49ers wide-receiver to score a rushing touchdown in a playoff game since at least 1950, continued his historic season by rushing for 72 yards, the most rush yards by a WR in a playoff game in the Super Bowl era, while adding a rushing touchdown of his own. Samuel would also add another 38 yards on 3 receptions to put him over the century mark in total yards. The 49ers offensive-line welcomed back All-Pro Trent Williams from his elbow injury after missing Week 18, and were able to keep quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (16 of 25 pass attempts, 172 yards, 1 interception) on his feet all afternoon long by registering a clean game with zero sacks allowed. In comparison, the San Francisco defense pressured Dallas QB Dak Prescott (23 of 43, 254 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception) into five sacks on the day. 

After leading the league in penalties and ranking No. 2 in penalty yards during the regular season, the Cowboys did not do themselves any favors on Sunday, committing a total of 14 infractions which tied them for the second-most penalties all-time in a playoff game and the most ever in a playoff loss. All of which helped contribute to Dallas' loss which now means the Cowboys have not made it to the NFC Championship since their last Super Bowl-winning season in 1995, setting a dubious record of 11 straight playoff appearances without reaching the Conference Championship. Having feasted on inferior opponents all season long within their own division (6-0 vs NFC East, 6-5 vs the rest of the league), the Cowboys proved once again under head coach Mike McCarthy that they were unable to answer the call against a battle-tested 49ers team that has been playing their best ball since getting off to a 3-5 start to the season. 

Niners-Packers Preview: Advancing to the next round, the 49ers will head to the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field where they'll face off against the No. 1 seeded Green Bay Packers. Entering the showdown with the reigning MVP in Aaron Rodgers who could very well earn his second straight MVP Award and his fourth overall this season, the 49ers have a chance to avenge their first loss of the season -- a 30-28 last-second defeat at Levi's Stadium back in Week 3. Winners in 8 of their last 10 games following Sunday's playoff win over Dallas, the 49ers will look to deny the Northern California native Aaron Rodgers for a fourth time in the playoffs. Opposite of Rodgers who will be facing the team he grew up rooting for, will be Niners QB Jimmy Garoppolo who is listed to have a "slightly" sprained right shoulder, but is expected to play in time for Saturday's game. San Francisco defensive-end Nick Bosa will also be worth keeping an eye on as he sits in concussion protocol after leaving Sunday's game late in the second quarter. As for their former All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, what was originally feared to be a knee injury, turned out to be an ankle injury that shouldn't keep the durable defensive leader out of next week's game. 

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Zeke, Cowboys run Wild vs Struggling 49ers

Week 7 - Returning home to Levi's Stadium where the (0-6) San Francisco 49ers would play host to the (2-3) Dallas Cowboys, head coach Kyle Shanahan had hopes that his team's first home game in over a month would bring some good fortune. But after suffering five consecutive losses by a combined 13-points entering Sunday, the 49ers who were plagued by a trio of fumbles, stood little chance and were embarrassed by a whopping 30-points in their first game at home since Week 3. On a day the Niners honored former receiver Dwight Clark, the recipient who authored arguably the most famed play in NFL history "The Catch" 35 years ago against the Cowboys, 49er fans were left with a bad taste in their mouths following the largest loss in the Dallas-San Francisco rivalry since October 12, 1980.

With many 49er greats on hand for Dwight Clark's halftime ceremony, Niner fans would be left reminiscing of better days and fantasizing of how well those greats of yesteryear could help this team. In at quarterback making his first career start and hoping to one day cement his legacy among the great 49er QB's before him would be rookie C.J. Beathard who would also see his first bit of action in front of the Niner faithful. And just like he did a week ago, Beathard would take his first snap with his team trailing as things once again got off to a rocky start for San Francisco. Entering Sunday's game coming off a BYE week and having lost two straight, Dallas would look a lot more like the team that dominated their way to the No. 1 seed in the NFC a year ago and were given a golden opportunity before San Francisco's offense even took the field. After forcing a three and out on Dallas' opening possession, 49ers rookie Trent Taylor would fumble the punt return inside the 20-yard line to setup an early touchdown by running back Ezekiel Elliott.

The rushing touchdown by Elliott would kick start a busy day for the reigning rushing leader from a season ago as he would strike pay dirt again just one possession later to give Dallas a double-digit lead that they wouldn't relinquish. San Francisco would get on the board on the ensuing possession thanks to a Robbie Gould field goal, but their inability to reach the end zone would prove to be costly as Dallas continued to pile on points with score after score. After the first of three touchdown passes on the afternoon by Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, the 49ers offense would finally begin to show some promise as Beathard would help get his team to the red zone just before halftime. Looking to cut the deficit in half, San Francisco found themselves knocking on the door at the 5-yard line before Beathard was blindsided from behind, resulting in a fumble that would preserve Dallas' 17-point lead heading into the half.

The Cowboys would open the second half much like they did the first, this time needing only one play to find the end zone. A pair of nice blocks would allow Elliott to add to his already busy day by recording his third touchdown of the afternoon and first of the receiving variety as he caught a screen pass and took it 72-yards to the house while walking the tightrope along the sideline. Elliott would be a thorn in the side of the San Francisco defense virtually all afternoon as he rushed for 147 yards and finished with over 200-yards in total. Prescott would get in on the fun one possession later as he added a 2-yard touchdown run of his own to run the score up to 33-3. For Beathard, the first start of his career would quickly turn into one he would prefer to forget as he was sacked for a fifth time, fumbling and turning the ball over yet again. Dallas would capitalize one final time as Prescott connected in the end zone with receiver Dez Bryant who displayed some nifty footwork while leaping into the air and coming down with the ball for the touchdown.

With the game well out of reach, the 49ers would finally find the end zone with a garbage time touchdown as Beathard used his legs to punch it in from 4-yards out. Though Beathard failed to log a single touchdown pass on the afternoon, he also steered clear of throwing any interceptions, but his offensive-line didn't do him any favors as the pair of fumbles on five total sacks for 48 yards would be his downfall as Dallas came away with the 40-10 victory to snap their 2-game losing streak. Completing six more passes in 13 more attempts than his counterpart, Beathard (22-for-36, 235 yards) managed to out pass Prescott (16-for-25, 234) by a yard despite the Cowboys QB benefiting from a 72-yard dump off. The 40-point outburst by Dallas would mark the second time this season the 49er defense had allowed 40-points or more. It would also be the third contest this season in which the 49ers failed to log a single quarterback sack.

Week 8 Preview - The (0-7) 49ers will have another tough task in store for Week 8 when they hit the road again to face the Philadelphia Eagles who boast the NFL's best record at 6-1. Coming off a 34-24 victory against the division rival Redskins on Monday Night Football, second-year quarterback Carson Wentz is looking to improve off his 4 TD performance against Washington and strengthen his case for MVP. San Francisco will need to play a much cleaner game on offense if they want to pull of the upset and record their first win of the season. In need of a more solid performance defensively, San Francisco will see a change of position as Pro Bowl safety Eric Reid will be asked to make a start at inside linebacker after being moved to the position against Dallas. Whether this is a position Shanahan and GM John Lynch plan to keep Reid at long-term is unknown at this point as the former right-round pick will be a free-agent at the end of the season.


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49ers Squander 14-0 lead to Fall to Dallas

Week 4 - Since a dominant win in Week 1 at home against the Rams to open the season, the 49ers have yet to play again at their home field of Levi's Stadium and have yet to add another victory, entering Sunday's meeting with the (2-1) Cowboys on a two game losing skid at 1-2 on the year. But with rookie QB Dak Prescott and first round running back Ezekiel Elliott learning more and more and adapting quite well to the NFL week after week, these aren't the same exact Dallas Cowboy 49ers head coach Chip Kelly grew accustomed to facing while with the Eagles. With many claiming the Cowboys' season was done for the moment starting quarterback Tony Romo went down with a back injury during the preseason and was ruled out for 6-8 weeks, Dallas' crop of talented rookies have answered the call and have flipped the script to keep their season afloat.

After kickoff it was the home team who dominated most of the first half, as the 49ers jumped out to an early lead once Dallas' opening-drive resulted in a missed field goal by kicker Dan Bailey. The field goal attempt which went wide-left would mark the first time this season that Dallas failed to score on their opening-drive. For a team that's been terrible on third downs this year, the 49ers bucked the trend on their first offensive possession by scoring on a 33-yard touchdown on 3rd & 7 when QB Blaine Gabbert found a wide-open Jeremy Kerley who scored the easy touchdown and his first with the team to put San Francisco ahead early. After going 0-for-10 on third downs last week in Seattle, the Niners got off to a blazing start by going 6-for-6 on third downs in this one, including a touchdown ran in on 3rd & 1 by running back Carlos Hyde in the second quarter. But even with Chip Kelly's offense scoring touchdowns on each of their first two offensive possessions and Dallas facing their largest deficit of the season, the tables would be turned before the half as the Cowboys offense mustered up a pair of unanswered touchdowns of their own to tie the game at 14. With the 49ers winning an earlier challenge for Dallas having their foot on the goal line when recovering a punt that would've pinned the 49ers inside the 1-yard line, coach Kelly's decision not to challenge a punt return when Cowboys return man Lucky Whitehead's knee touched the ground after breaking a tackle, would haunt him for 11 costly yards. Then came a horrendous penalty call on the 49ers which would change the entire complexion of the game.

Facing a 3rd & 6 near midfield and yet to sniff the end zone, the San Francisco defense would come up with another stop to force a sack. What should've been a Dallas punt, turned into a momentum-swining first down as 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt was called for "unnecessary roughness" for a baby push on Prescott while he was wrapped up. The 15-yard penalty and automatic first down would breathe new life back into the drive and allowed the Cowboys to score their first touchdown just three plays later as Prescott found receiver Terrance Williams streaking down the right sideline for a 20-yard touchdown. Making matters worse, a shanked punt on San Francisco's following drive would put Dallas in position to tie the game just before the half as the Cowboys rookie QB utilized his future Hall of Fame tight-end and the sideline to perfection in the 2 minute offense with a 1:50 remaining in the half. And with just 16 seconds to go, Prescott capitalized by connected with Brice Butler in the end zone for the game-tying touchdown.

With San Francisco's lead gone with the wind, the 49ers were in need of a jolt on offense and appeared destined for an equally fast start to begin the second half when Carlos Hyde rumbled for a 32-yard carry on the first play of the third quarter. Gabbert would follow that up with possibly the best placed pass of his career as he connected with tight-end Garrett Celek who hauled in a one-hander for a 29-yard gain on a throw that only the receiver could've caught. Unfortunately, it would be the last offensive highlight of the day for the Niners who had to settle for a Phil Dawson field goal which helped them retake the lead at 17-14. From there on the game would turn into the 'Zeke show as Elliott rushed for 50 yards on 7 carries on Dallas' following drive before finishing with 96 yards in the second half alone, capped off with a 1-yard touchdown to give the Cowboys their first lead of the game. After forcing Dallas to punt on their following drive and setting up shop near midfield thanks to a nice return from Kerley, the Niners gave the ball right back to their opponent as Gabbert went for the home run pass to Torrey Smith on first down and under-threw him as Dallas' Morris Claiborne came up with the easy interception. They would turn the turnover into three points as Bailey banged in a field goal to give Dallas a 7-point lead.

Facing four down territory, the 49ers would have one final chance as they faced a 4th and 6 call in which they would come up short as Gabbert threw shy of the first down marker and gaining only 3 yards on a pass to Smith. The game would then be iced on a 47-yard catch and go to Cole Beasley as Dallas came out on top, 24-17. Though he would have a close call during Dallas' opening-drive which almost saw 49ers Pro-Bowl safety Eric Reid come up with the first thrown interception of Prescott's career, the talented rookie saw his record streak of consecutive pass attempts without an interception to begin a career continue thru his first 131 career pass attempts as he threw for 245 yards and a pair of touchdowns without his star receiver Dez Bryant who missed the game with a knee injury. Elliott added a career-best 138-yards on the ground to best his former Ohio State teammate Carlos Hyde who rushed for 74-yards as the two met at midfield after the game to swap jerseys. With the loss, San Francisco fell to 1-3 on the year, but an even bigger blow than the loss itself would be the injury to Pro-Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman who left the game midway thru the 3rd quarter on a non-contact play. Bowman would be carted off the field with what later revealed to be a ruptured Achilles tendon which would rule Bowman out for the remainder of the season. While the injury opened the flood gates for Elliott to roam free through the middle in the second half, the bigger picture is that the 49ers will be without their emotional leader on defense going forward.

Week 5 Preview - Entering Week 4 with 8 takeaways thru the first three weeks (tied for 3rd most in the NFL), the 49ers failed to add a single takeaway in their loss to the Cowboys. They'll need to get back on track in the takeaway department if they plan to win on a short week when they host the (1-3) Arizona Cardinals on Thursday Night Football. After dominating their way to a division crown just a season ago, the Cardinals have resembled anything but a division champion this season while struggling to the tone of back-to-back losses to the Bills and Rams. Still seeking their first road win of the year, the Cardinals will be without QB Carson Palmer who suffered a concussion in Week 4 as backup Drew Stanton gets the start. As for the 49ers who had little luck against Arizona in both meetings a season ago, the Cardinals are one of the teams who have struggled just as much as they have to begin 2016 and might have a chance to come up with their second win of the year. The 49ers will also be helped out a bit on the defensive front with Aaron Lynch returning from a 4-game suspension served for violating the league's substance abuse policy. If the offense struggles, expect an appearance from 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick.

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More of the Same for 49ers in Seattle

Week 3 - With the 49ers and Seahawks both 1-1 on the year and coming off of their first loss of the season, Sunday saw the two division foes renew rivalries in Seattle where San Francisco hasn't had any luck since Alex Smith was the quarterback. But with Seattle entering the game having scored only one touchdown through their first two games, you would've thought Chip Kelly's team had a chance to steal one from the struggling Seahawks, right? Wrong. Instead, a return home to host one of their most hated rivals would awaken Seattle from their offensive slumber, scoring a touchdown just three plays into the game.

For the past six years, the 49er defense has had their hands full with trying to contain Marshawn Lynch who would almost always reek havoc against them before deciding to retire this past offseason. But even with Lynch no longer on the field to give San Francisco a headache, the Niner defense couldn't seem to find an answer for the Seattle run game as Christine Michael found hole after hole in the first half and collected his first two career touchdowns before finishing the game with a career-high 106 yards rushing. With both of his touchdowns coming in each of Seattle's first two drives, the 49ers allowed Michael to become the first Seahawks running back to tally a pair of first quarter touchdowns since Shaun Alexander in 2005. With the 49ers offense being no stranger to the three & out this year, they would add to their league-lead with five more on Sunday. Unable to generate any offense of their own in the first half, a field goal would be all San Francisco would have to show for thanks to Pro-Bowl linebacker NaVorro Bowman who forced a Jimmy Graham fumble to put kicker Phil Dawson in business. Unfortunately, Graham would redeem himself on Seattle's following drive.

With Seattle QB Russell Wilson playing through an ankle injury suffered in Week 1, the 49ers secondary was still unable to find a solution for the Seahawks' passing attack as Doug Baldwin hauled in a 59-yard reception in the second quarter followed by an 18-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Graham on the very next play. Though it would be all the points they would need, they would add a Steven Hauschka field goal before the half to take a 24-3 lead into the locker room. Wilson would torch the Niners thru the air for 243 yards before getting hurt in the third quarter when second-year linebacker Eli Harold sacked Wilson and landed awkwardly on Wilson's left ankle. And though he would only sit out for a play before returning to prove he was alright, Pete Carroll chose not to risk further injury to his franchise quarterback and elected to bring in the backup. Rookie Trevone Boykin would keep the route going by throwing for his first career touchdown just a few drives later when he connected with Baldwin for a 16-yard TD who went on to rack up a career-best 164 yards receiving. With his first career touchdown under his belt, Boykin would also be greeted with his first career interception as Niners linebacker Nick Bellore stepped in front of a pass to come up with the easy pick which would also be his first.

As for the 49ers, QB Blaine Gabbert would have another forget performance passing for only 119 yards and an interception to give the Seattle defense their first takeaway of the year. Carlos Hyde would be the lone bright spot on the day for the 49ers as he turned a would-be mediocre performance into a career day thanks to a strong fourth quarter. With only his second career 100 yard performance, Hyde became the first running back to rush for over 100 yards against the Seattle defense since Kansas City's Jamaal Charles did so on November 16, 2014. And though both of his touchdowns would both come during garbage-time in the fourth quarter with the game well out of reach, they would both come against Seattle's first-string defense as Carroll elected not to dump his starters for the bench late in the game. Hyde's late-game heroics would make the game look a lot closer on the scoreboard than it actually was as Seattle pulled off the 37-18 victory.

Week 4: With (1-2) San Francisco returning home to host the (2-1) Dallas Cowboys, Chip Kelly and company is hoping a return to Levi's Stadium will help ignite the defense which kept the opposition from scoring in their Week 1 win at home. But with Rookie QB Dak Prescott playing turnover-free football thru the first three games of his career, it'll be an intriguing match-up if the 49er defense can play anywhere near as dominant as they did in the Monday night opener. Coming off back-to-back wins following a season-opening loss to the Giants, the Cowboys appear to have struck gold with Prescott filling in quite nicely under center for the injury-riddled Tony Romo. Prescott isn't the only Cowboy the 49ers will have to keep a close eye on as Rookie RB and first round draft pick Ezekiel Elliott is coming off his first career 100 yard performance (140 yards on 30 carries) and is looking more and more like the dominant back we saw at Ohio State week after week. Having been torched in consecutive weeks, the 49er secondary could catch a huge break if Pro-Bowl wide-out Dez Bryant who is currently awaiting the results of an MRI for his knee, isn't able to play on Sunday.


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