The 49ers have beaten the Cowboys 30-24 on Sunday Night Football in a game that both teams desperately wanted to win. Dallas rallied from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to give themselves a chance down six with three minutes to go, but Dak Prescott threw four straight incomplete passes on their final possession to seal the result. San Francisco improves to 4-4 while the Cowboys fall to 3-4.
49ers' Defense Stifles Cowboys
The 49ers' defense was dominant all night, holding the Cowboys to just 24 points and forcing three turnovers. The Cowboys offense struggled to find a rhythm all night, and Prescott was sacked four times. The Cowboys' defense wasn't as impressive. They struggled to slow down the 49ers' offense, particularly the run game. Rookie running back Isaac Guerendo, who stepped up in a big way after Jordan Mason's early shoulder injury, rushed for 85 yards and his first career touchdown. The Cowboys' defense was especially bad stopping the run, with the sixth-worst average of rushing yards surrendered per game.
49ers' Offensive Stars Shine
While the numbers might not pop off the page, Brock Purdy bounced back nicely after throwing three interceptions last week against Kansas City. He completed 18 of 26 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. More impressive, however, was his decision making and using his legs to pick up extra yards. Purdy rushed for 56 yards on six carries and scored a touchdown in the third quarter on a QB sneak. George Kittle had a massive performance on National Tight Ends Day, the holiday that he created, going for six catches, 128 yards and a touchdown. With Brandon Aiyuk done for the year and Deebo Samuel struggling to stay healthy, Kittle showed up in a huge way.
Cowboys' Offensive Woes
Dallas' slide is more confounding, because the cast of characters is largely the same. But the Cowboys have gone from having the NFL’s top scoring offense a year ago to its 20th this season, averaging nearly nine points per game less. CeeDee Lamb had a monster game on Sunday Night Football. He finished with 13 catches for 146 yards and two scores. In the fourth quarter alone he had five catches, 92 receiving yards and two touchdowns. There must be a few Fantasy Football owners out there feeling lucky right now.
Dak Prescott's Struggles Continue
Prior to the touchdown drive, Dak Prescott had posted only 0.54 fantasy points. That was the second-lowest fantasy point total in his career. With the yardage points and the points from the touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb, Prescott now has 6.82 points. That gives him only 10.04 points over the past two games, meaning fantasy managers still have to wonder if they can place him into starting lineups for the Week 9 matchup against Atlanta.
What's Next for Cowboys and 49ers
After falling to 3-4 tonight, Dallas will on the road once again in Week 9 as they travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons, who currently sit atop the NFC South. Then, in Week 10, the Cowboys will host the Eagles in a pivotal divisional clash. Improving to 4-4 with the win, San Francisco finds themselves in a three-way tie atop the NFC West alongside Arizona and Seattle. After a bye in Week 9, they will travel to Tampa Bay to face the Buccaneers in Week 10 before returning home in Week 11 to face the Seahawks.
Is a Turnaround Possible?
It’s still early enough in the season for either team to rebound and make the postseason. But for either the Niners or the Cowboys to reach the heights of their last three seasons would require a miraculous climb. Then again, considering how all that regular season success hasn’t manifested into a championship yet, maybe this path will prove to be more fruitful for two franchises who can’t quite fully run the NFL like they used.
