The Dallas Cowboys will square off against the San Francisco 49ers for the first time since a gut-wrenching defeat in the Divisional Round of the 2022-2023 NFL Playoffs.

Let's dive into how to watch the game, the biggest storylines, injuries to watch, and of course, a prediction for the game.

Dallas Cowboys (3-1) vs San Francisco 49ers (4-0)
Date: Sunday, September 8th, 2023
Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
Location: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
Betting odds: Cowboys +3.5, Over/Under 45
How to watch on TV: NBC Sports
Streaming: FuboTV, YouTube TV, Network apps, etc.
Radio: KRLD-FM – 105.3 The Fan, KMVK-FM 107.5 La Grande (Spanish)

Trey Lance shoots down major storyline

Make no mistake about it: There will be no inside secret that third-string quarterback can offer the Cowboys to bring down the 49ers. Such a narrative has taken on a life of its own given Lance's past in San Francisco.

But even he denied it would carry as significant of a weight as many on the outside would assume. 

"I’m doing everything I can to help, but at the same time, these guys have done a lot of prep on the Niners with those big games the last two years, so they know a lot about the offense," Lance said earlier in the week. 

Emmitt Smith's unique record is on the line

Some running back history is on the line in this game. 49ers superstar Christian McCaffrey has scored a touchdown in 13 consecutive games. The only man since 1990 to do it in more games? Emmitt Smith.

Sports can really be poetic sometimes. In order to beat San Francisco, Dan Quinn's defense will have to hold McCaffrey down. If they can keep him out of the end zone and protect Smith's legacy, even better.

Cowboys Injury Spotlight

This week, the Cowboys will have their full offensive line and that's enough to be this week's injury spotlight. Why? It's the first time the team will field its best five linemen since the 2021 season.

Tyron Smith and Zack Martin, who started out this week as limited participants in practice, carry no game designation on the team's final injury report.

Cowboys' Keys to beat the 49ers

• Attack the right side of the OL: The Cowboys have a clear-cut advantage in the trenches when they're on defense. Right guard Spencer Buford and right tackle Colton McKivitz can be beaten by Micah Parsons and friends. Against T.J. Watt's Steelers, McKivitz allowed five pressures and three sacks. Buford has given up 12 pressures four weeks into the season.
• Yards after the catch: This goes both ways. The Cowboys defense needs to tackle better than they usually do as the Niners notoriously live off of YAC. On offense, it'll be a key way to generate explosive gains as the Cowboys are expected to focus on quick passing concepts. They'll need to break one or two tackles for those big plays.
• Turnover battle: A cliché. But one that rings particularly true considering the Cowboys didn't win that battle in January. Dak Prescott has thrown for the fourth-lowest turnover worthy play percentage. Brock Purdy ranks 26th in the league. If that translates into Sunday, expect the Cowboys to have a hidden edge. 

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3 Cowboys Players to watch 

• WR Brandin Cooks: Obviously, CeeDee Lamb is the top WR. But I wonder if this is the first week where we see Cooks explode on the statsheet. He's made an under-the-radar impact on offense and has been close to hitting on some big plays when you review the film. 
• LB Leighton Vander Esch: The Cowboys need LVE to be at his absolute best on Sunday. The defensive line has done a good job stuffing the run this season but the issues that came up against the Cardinals in Week 3 happened at the second level. That's got to be fixed if the team wants to hold McCaffrey to 35 yards again.
• RT Terence Steele: Nick Bosa moves around a lot, which means he can face Tyron Smith or Steele in this game. My bet is they'll want to keep him lined up against the latter for the most part. It'll be a big game for the man who recently signed an $87 million contract.

Score prediction and betting pick 

I'm tempted to grab the Cowboys and the points on this one, but I see more value in targeting the total. Give me the over for 45 points. I expect more of an offensive showdown in this year's version as the 49ers have a slightly weaker defense, particularly in the secondary. The Cowboys struggled to move the ball in January but this is a different offense with a fully healthy O-line. 

• Score prediction: DAL 27, SF 24
• Cowboys bets record this year: 3-1

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