The 4-5 Dallas Cowboys have a big opportunity to narrow the gap for first place in the NFC East when they take on the 7-1 San Francisco 49ers at AT&T Stadium this week. Here are three keys to a Cowboys victory.
Flip the script
Dallas ranks near the bottom of the NFL in run defense. The 49ers possess one of the league’s best rushing attacks behind Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, and the mobility of quarterback Brock Purdy.
The Cowboys defense has the NFL’s worst third-down defense at nearly a 50% conversion rate
allowed. San Francisco has the second highest third-down conversion rate. If Dallas is to stand a chance this week, something has to give.
This defense can make an impact on their third-down conversion rate by limiting the run on first and second down. Forcing Brock Purdy to throw the ball on third-and-long throughout the day is one of the reasons Atlanta was able to steal one against this team.
The largest reason for the 49ers success on the ground is due to the brilliant scheme put together by Kyle Shanahan. One of the keys in beating this scheme is to watch fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
The defensive line and linebackers cannot allow all of the movement before and after the snap confuse them. The 49ers love to run the ball behind their beloved fullback. He’ll line up wide at the X, move into the backfield, and end up at the wing all in the same play before the snap. They’ll also motion him out of the backfield out wide to use him as a blocker on a screen.
If Dallas is to stand a chance at flipping the script, they’ll need to pay full attention to Juszczyk.
Play the cleanest game of the year
This key may be obvious, but it’s perhaps the most important one of the day.
When this team finds success on offense, defense and special teams, they simply cannot afford to gift those plays back to the 49ers. Dallas has to deliver consistent jabs throughout the day and connect on the big swings when the opportunities are there.
What could already be a long day for the Cowboys will undoubtedly be compounded by self-inflicted mistakes if they can’t get out of their own way. When the all-too-often third-down offsides penalties, holding calls on big run plays, and untimely personal fouls crop up, the 49ers will not hesitate to capitalize. Dallas has to avoid those situations at all costs.
The good news is they may have hit the quota for blue sweatpants and stocking cap unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for the season, so we can probably rule those out moving forward.
Pressure Purdy
In 2026, getting consistent pressure on Brock Purdy has proven to be nearly impossible. According to SumerSports, Brock Purdy has been sacked at the lowest rate in the league this season (3%) and pressured at the third lowest rate (32.7%). The fantastic offensive line play, anchored by left tackle Trent Williams, paired with a scheme designed to get receivers and running backs open quickly has made life difficult on opposing pass rushers.
In the 49ers lone loss of the year, Purdy was sacked twice (25% of their 2026 total). They also turned the ball over four times, losing two out of three fumbles and throwing two interceptions. It’s possible to force this team into mistakes, as tall an order as it may seem. Will the Cowboys be up to the task?
