Cowboys vs 49ers: Debunking the biggest myth about Week 5 showdown

This week on Sunday Night Football, we get to watch a clash with Game of the Year potential. The Dallas Cowboys will visit the San Francisco 49ers for another episode of one of the NFL's biggest rivalries, one that has been built up for decades but renewed in the last couple of years. The Cowboys […]

Mauricio Rodriguez — Dallas Cowboys News Writer
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws during the first quarter of a NFC divisional round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY

This week on Sunday Night Football, we get to watch a clash with Game of the Year potential. The Dallas Cowboys will visit the San Francisco 49ers for another episode of one of the NFL's biggest rivalries, one that has been built up for decades but renewed in the last couple of years.

The Cowboys will try to avenge back-to-back playoff losses to the Niners while for San Francisco, it will be all about gatekeeping the big kids table of the NFC. 

"You dream about these kinds of games," Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters earlier this week. "You don’t want to make it bigger than it is, but the reality is it’s not just another game.”

In a way, the upcoming game between these two teams is directly related to what happened in January of this very year and the year before that. It's about the Cowboys overcoming their past to prove they can take the next step. To prove they are, indeed, a Super Bowl contender. To prove, all kidding aside, that this might just be this year after all. 

This has caused many to perceive this game as a repeat of what happened in the Divisional Round of last year's playoffs. Some expect to see the same exact kind of game in San Francisco. That's nothing but a myth.

In reality, the game will feature a very different Cowboys squad that doesn't resemble last season's roster as closely as many would expect. That was honestly my biggest takeaway from my rewatch of the last Cowboys-49ers game. There's been so many changes that I didn't fully realize to what extent Dallas had evolved. Let's dive in.

What's changed since January's game between the Cowboys and the 49ers?

  • Completely different OL: Tyler Smith played at left tackle. Tyron Smith played at right tackle. Connor McGovern was the starting left guard. Conversely, the Cowboys could line up in their actual starting OL for the first in over two years. Tyler and Tyron at guard and tackle respectively is a dominant combo. Good news the latter is trending toward making a return on Sunday night.
  • The WR Room: Allow me to paint you a picture. Noah Brown and T.Y. Hilton played 45 snaps in the Divisional Round loss to the 49ers. CeeDee Lamb had 13 targets and no other WR had more than 3. Michael Gallup, Brown, and Hilton combined for six targets. Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, and a healthier Gallup will make a difference.
  •  Dak Prescott's footwork: It has been well-documented that the Cowboys quarterback would hammer down his footwork under Mike McCarthy's West Coast scheme. The results have been evident. But re-watching that playoff loss drove home the point for me. Dak's feet look much more comfortable, leading to a smoother offense.
  • Quick Game! Last year, I felt like the Cowboys offense didn't really have an identity, one of the biggest knocks on offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. This time, although we have only seen the offense in blowout wins and down three O-linemen, it's clear they're leaning heavily on quick game concepts. Dak is getting rid of the football quickly and his intended air yards per attempt is the lowest in the league. The 49ers can be attacked like this and I expect the Cowboys to try to do it.
  • Nickel defender: Last year, the Cowboys played Jayron Kearse, Israel Mukuamu, and Donovan Wilson the most at nickel while DaRon Bland took on outside responsibilities. This year, Jourdan Lewis will give them more flexibility. Of course, Trevon Diggs isn't around this time. 

As you might've noted, the big changes are all on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, changes are smaller. For the 49ers, most changes come on defense with DeMeco Ryans gone. Offensively, although there were some personnel changes at the offensive line, they want to do the same things they did last year.

It won't be an easy game and the coin is in the air to determine the winner. But let's not act like this is the same situation as last year because truthfully, it isn't. 

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