The Cowboys want to overcome the 49ers challenge that terminated their previous two seasons.
As soon as the Dallas Cowboys’ last triumph was complete, questions about getting past the San Francisco 49ers were hurled at them.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The questions about getting past the San Francisco 49ers hurdle were directed at the Dallas Cowboys as soon as their latest victory was complete.
Quarterback Dak Prescott bristled at the premise, but the only way for the Cowboys to change that story will be to start beating the team that knocked them out of the postseason the past two years.
Dallas gets another shot at doing that Sunday night when the Cowboys (3-1) visit the 49ers (4-0) in a game with much less meaning than the losses the past two Januarys, but could impact where a rematch is played this season if the teams meet again in the playoffs.
“This is not all about what happened last year,” Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said. “This is not walking down the street and get in a fight with a guy and then every time you turn the corner you’re looking for him. This is about winning the game. This is about winning the next game. But we know who we’re playing.”
That’s due to what transpired in the previous two seasons. Last season, the Cowboys lost 19-12 at the Niners in the divisional round, following a 23-17 setback at home in the wild-card round the year before.
Prescott and the offense struggled in both games, and the Cowboys committed too many errors on both sides of the ball to win.
Winning on Sunday will not soften the blow of those losses, but it will serve as evidence of progress in Dallas. The Cowboys have already won three games by at least 20 points this season, but they did suffer a setback in a Week 3 loss to Arizona.
“You just use it as a game like this is where we were at last year, this is where we’re at now,” star edge rusher Micah Parsons said. “I’m all about now and how can we define ourselves now and how can we say this is who we are and get a statement win and come back here and show how good we really are?”
The playoff meetings the past two seasons have revived a rivalry that was the most important in the NFL in the 1990s when the teams met in three straight NFC title games with the winner capturing the Super Bowl each time
Neither franchise has won it all since the 1990s with both still seeking a sixth title. This is the first time since 1994 that they meet in the regular season with both teams multiple games over .500.
“It’s a huge test,” Niners linebacker Fred Warner said. “To say that it isn’t would be naïve and downplaying the moment.”
NEAR-PERFECT PURDY
San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy was nearly perfect last week, setting a franchise record for completion percentage by completing 20 of 21 passes in a win over Arizona. Purdy improved to 9-0 as a starter in the regular season and has won all 12 games when he has played at least three quarters. The Cowboys provided his biggest challenge as he threw for only 214 yards with no TDs in the game.
Purdy has overcome every challenge he has faced. But he hasn’t had to lead a team from behind in the clutch. Since taking over for Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 13 last season, Purdy has completed only one pass when trailing in the fourth quarter. That was a 1-yard pass to George Kittle in the NFC title game loss at Philadelphia when Purdy had a torn ligament in his elbow.
