The San Francisco 49ers bring a share of the NFL’s best record (7-1) into a visit Sunday to their longtime rivals, having beaten Dallas four times in a row, the first two of those in the playoffs.
asserted
49ers → bring → playoffs
The Cowboys (4-5) sagged under the weight of the expectation in meetings with Arizona and Indianapolis, allowing an improbable rally in a loss to the Cardinals before overcoming an undisciplined performance to beat the Colts, who had already signaled they were sellers in the trade market.
asserted
they → sag → market
It’s the opposite against the Niners, with talk of quarterback Brock Purdy and linebacker Fred Warner leading a blowout of Dak Prescott and a leaky defense that is at least showing signs of improvement.
asserted
that → ’ → improvement
“Our guys are excited about embracing the challenge,” said Schottenheimer, whose only winning streak was a three-game run last November with what ended up being a 7-9-1 team.
asserted
what → embrace → challenge
“So our guys will be ready to do that.”
asserted
guys → do → that
Last week: 49ers beat Raiders 38-17; Cowboys beat Colts 27-23.
asserted
Cowboys → beat → Colts
Last meeting: 49ers beat Cowboys 30-24 on Oct. 27, 2024, in San Francisco.
asserted
49ers → beat → Francisco
Series record: 49ers lead 21-19-1.
asserted
49ers → lead → ?
This is set to be a rare circumstance of a player facing the same opponent in consecutive weeks.
asserted
This → set → weeks
Allen had four catches for 26 yards for the Colts last weekend before getting traded on deadline day to San Francisco.
asserted
Allen → have → Francisco
The Niners are decimated at receiver, although Deebo Samuel could return after missing three games with a hamstring injury.
uncertain
Samuel → decimate → injury
The 34-year-old Allen’s best game against the Cowboys came with the Chargers in 2017 — 11 catches for 172 yards and a touchdown.
asserted
game → come → yards
Dallas had its best game of the season defending the pass last weekend, giving up 166 yards.
asserted
Dallas → have → yards
Stats and stuff
— The 49ers seek their second 8-1 start to a season in the last 15 years.
asserted
49ers → seek → years
They also did it in 2019 on the way to the Super Bowl.
asserted
They → do → Bowl
— The Cowboys are trying to win consecutive games for just the second time in two seasons under coach Brian Schottenheimer.
asserted
Cowboys → try → Schottenheimer
Dallas had a three-game winning streak last November.
asserted
Dallas → have → streak
— QB Brock Purdy threw two TD passes last week to give him 101 in 57 career games, becoming the fastest player in San Francisco history to reach that mark.
asserted
Purdy → throw → mark
Frankie Albert did it in 65 games.
asserted
Albert → do → games
— Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb is the first player in NFL history with at least 70 catches and 900 yards receiving in each of his first seven seasons.
asserted
Lamb → receive → seasons
— San Francisco RB Christian McCaffrey caught his 37th TD pass last week to pass Marshall Faulk for the most by a running back in the Super Bowl era.
asserted
McCaffrey → catch → era
McCaffrey also extended his record with his 18th career game with at least one touchdown run and catch.
asserted
McCaffrey → extend → run
— Dallas RB Javonte Williams joined two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott as the only players in franchise history with 20 rushing touchdowns in their first 25 games with the club.
asserted
Williams → join → club
— The 49ers are the only team that hasn’t allowed a run of at least 20 yards this season.
asserted
that → allow → yards
They allowed 24 yards rushing against the Raiders for their lowest total in a game in 11 years.
asserted
They → allow → years
Dallas is averaging 159 yards per game on the ground over the past three games, about 100 more than the previous three.
asserted
Dallas → average → three
— Dallas might be turning the corner in third-down defense, although the Cowboys are still the worst in the NFL this season, with an opponent conversion rate of 48.3% after finishing last a season ago at 47.3%.
uncertain
Cowboys → turn → %
The Cowboys have held three straight opponents under 50% after four of the first six were above that mark.
asserted
six → hold → mark
— San Francisco LB Fred Warner has 77 tackles and a career-high five forced fumbles this season.
asserted
Warner → have → tackles
He is the only player since 2000 with at least 75 tackles and five forced fumbles in an eight-game span.
asserted
He → force → span
— Quinnen Williams, the NFL leader with 14 tackles for loss, is the first Dallas defensive tackle with multiple games of at least three TFLs in a season since the league began tracking the stat in 1999.
asserted
league → begin → 1999
The Aporia
