NFL Wild Card Round - Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys are two of the most historically successful franchises in NFL history. Here, they will look to get a win over one another with a spot in the Divisional round on the line. The winner of this game will need to slow down a potent offense on the other side, as both of these teams are more than capable of lighting up the scoreboard.

San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco clinched their spot in the playoffs in Week 18 with a win over the Los Angeles Rams. The 49ers went behind 17-0 in the first half of the game before they took the game over in the final 30 minutes. In overtime, the Niners kicked a field goal with the opening possession to take a three-point lead, then picked off a Matt Stafford pass to clinch the victory and a spot in the postseason at the same time.

This week, the Niners will have to slow down another potent passing attack as they face Dak Prescott and the Cowboys. After slowing down Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham, and company in the second half last week, things won’t get any easier against the likes of CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, and the rest of the Dallas offense. If the Niners can pass this test, they just might be a Super Bowl contender.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys crushed the Philadelphia Eagles last week, though they were aided by the fact that the Eagles played their backups in that contest. Dallas put up 51 points in their Week 18 win, as their offense looked sharp ahead of the postseason. This week, the Cowboys will take on the starters of the 49ers and will look to take advantage of the inconsistent play of Jimmy Garoppolo.

The Cowboys will need to slow down the main playmakers of the 49ers, especially Deebo Samuel. Samuel is a player who is extremely versatile, as he can make plays in the passing game or as a rusher. Dallas’ defense will need to remain disciplined and maintain their assignments to avoid being caught off-guard by Samuel and the rest of the unpredictable 49ers’ offense.

Keys To The Game

For the 49ers, the key to this game will be the play of Jimmy Garoppolo, who will have to avoid some of the issues he’s faced throughout this season if the Niners are to win. Garoppolo did enough to get the 49ers a win over the Rams in Week 18, but he threw a red zone interception and made things much more difficult than they needed to be. If he isn’t at or near his best this weekend, the Niners could be going home in the first round.

The biggest key to this game for the Dallas Cowboys will be its running game. Dallas can move the ball through the air without any problems behind Dak Prescott and all of their receivers. If Zeke Elliott and Tony Pollard can’t get the Cowboys moving on the ground, San Francisco at least has a fighting chance at stopping Prescott and the Cowboys in long yardage passing situations.