2 weeks Ago
The Dallas Cowboys are fresh off their bye week and are ready to face their nemesis, the San Francisco 49ers, at Levi's Stadium in Week 8. The Cowboys' form through six games resembled a yo-yo, so the bye week came at the right time. Changes were made to the offensive scheme, and Dalvin Cook has even received the green light for his debut .
But how do the Cowboys, who have been underwhelming this season, slay the 49ers in their own building? By doing these five things. ..
. as detailed below. But first, the inactives: Micah Parsons (DE), Trey Lance (emergency third QB), Caelen Carson (CB), Rico Dowdle (RB), Andrew Booth (CB) and Matt Waletzko (T).
Now to thosee keys. 1. Establish run game with Dalvin Cook : It is Dalvin's first crack at it, and the Cowboys clearly see a need for him in the backfield, but McCarthy can't do what he recently did to Rico Dowdle and give the Pro Bowler four first-half carries.
Dallas brought him up to the practice squad for a reason: he needs to get into a rhythm. The 49ers' defense isn't the "same" as previous units, and it can be gashed on the ground. Already this season, it has given up 146, 169, and 184 yards, which ironically has resulted in three losses.
Get Dalvin touches, Dallas. ..
. especially as Rico is too sick to help. 2.
Value the ball : While the 49ers give up yards on the ground, they are one of the better defenses at getting turnovers, snagging 13 in seven games. The one thing Dak Prescott can't do is gift an injury-riddled 49ers offense extra possessions. With Prescott turning the ball over multiple times in three of Dallas' six games in 2024 (six interceptions in total), that must stop, especially in the red zone.
There are going to be spots where a risk/reward is worth it. But McCarthy stated the turnover ratio isn't where it needs to be, and with the world watching, can Dak avoid those back-breaking turnovers? Kyle Terada-Imagn Images 3. Take advantage of red-zone opportunities : With the Cowboys currently one of the worst red zone teams in football, only scoring a touchdown on 37 percent of drives (ranks 31st) against San Francisco, those risk/reward opportunities have to be mined smarty.
Given Dak's recent increase in red-zone turnovers, the Cowboys can't have self-inflicted wounds if they want to get what could be a defining win. While Dallas hasn't played well through six games, it has shown an ability to move the ball between the 20s ..
. before too often self-destructing in the red zone. With the bye week used to tweak the offensive style, when the Cowboys get a chance to punch it in for six, it must be taken.
4. Limit the laundry : While the Cowboys only rank 13th for penalties through six games (47), it has been the timing of them that has been crippling. False starts on offense or special-teams missteps all add up to a team that consistently gets in its own way.
Given what is at stake against San Francisco, Dallas, which will have enough trouble beating Kyle Shanahan's team without penalties, can't afford to shoot itself in the foot. Related: Source Reveals Cowboys ‘Envision’ Dalvin as 1st-Team RB 5. Curtail Nick Bosa : The Cowboys know exactly what kind of game-wrecker Nick Bosa is, and while he only has 3.
5 sacks on the year, he has 11 quarterback hits and six tackles for loss. What's more, in the win over the Seattle Seahawks, Bosa had 14 pressures, the most by a pass rusher in a game in the last four seasons per Next Gen Stats . Bosa affects the quarterback in ways few do, so Tyler Guyton and Co.
will have their hands full to give Prescott time to get the ball out. If Bosa can't be slowed down, this will get ugly and fast. Our Mike Fisher's prediction? Not "ugly'' - 49ers 21, Cowboys 20 - but an extension to four straight games losing to this team.
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