Cowboys News: How to beat 49ers, encouraging injury report, special special teams
The latest injury report has encouraging news for Cowboys fans heading into their biggest game yet and maybe one of the most important of the 2023 season. As Dallas prepares to welcome the offensive line they’ve been waiting a year and a half for, one Cowboys insider does a deep dive into the stats and comes up with a solid plan for handing the 49ers their first defeat of the season.
Meanwhile, the players speak on the significance of this early-October showdown, Dak Prescott takes responsibility for how the last two meetings ended, and we learn what Trey Lance has been sharing with his new team about his old team’s tendencies. All that, plus a look inside the Cowboys backfield, how Mike McCarthy uses all that GPS info, John Fassel’s special relationship with his guys, and how cheering on the Cowboys last week at AT&T Stadium gave one couple the gameday souvenir of a lifetime. News and Notes, coming right up.
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Science Lab: How to perform exorcism of the 49ers :: The Mothership
Patrik Walker has cracked the code for beating San Francisco. It involves Dak Prescott getting the ball out quickly and going directly at 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. On defense, the pass rush needs to get home, because Brock Purdy has shown to be prone to putting the ball on the ground… and the Cowboys defense has shown a knack for stealing possessions via the turnover. If they do, the 49ers also give up a fair number of red-zone touchdowns, something Dallas has come closer than you think to doing several times. It won’t be easy, but this game is absolutely winnable.
Report: Cowboys' preferred OL practices, could take field together for first time vs 49ers :: Cowboys Wire
Good news for Dallas as Tyron Smith, Tyler Smith, Tyler Biadasz, Zack Martin, and Terence Steele all practiced together for the first time in a regular-season padded practice. This is expected to be the starting five- for the first time ever- in Santa Clara on Sunday, finally fulfilling the hopes Dallas had when they drafted Tyler Smith in the opening round last April.
Cowboys-49ers duel could come down to left tackle :: Cowboys Wire
Tyron Smith and Trent Williams both win over 95 percent of their battles when left on an island; extra blockers tend to help out in other places as opposing teams move their game-wreckers around. If San Fransisco can occupy Micah Parsons while Dallas struggles to control Nick Bosa, that may be all that’s needed to tip the balance of this game. Success for both teams will be tied to their LT play in this one.
Thursday report encouraging for Cowboys' Dowdle, Martin after Week 4 nicks :: Jess Nevarez
Cowboys Thursday practice report shows:
-Zack Martin and Tyron Smith were upgraded to being full participants
-Rico Dowdle was upgraded to being a full participant pic.twitter.com/84seM27Umk— Jess Nevarez (@JessNevarez_) October 5, 2023
Trey Lance 'very helpful' in helping prep for SF :: The Mothership
Despite 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan downplaying Lance’s grasp of his former offense’s playbook, Dak Prescott says QB3 has been a big help this week. “Just in the way their defense can move, certain calls they may have to make if we put them in certain positions,” he explained. “Things you kind of see on film, but getting some definitive answers from him on how they did things. He’s been very helpful.”
Prescott: 'I wasn't my best' in previous 2 playoff losses to 49ers :: Todd Archer
Dak Prescott on Sunday’s game: pic.twitter.com/FECjXKtZNv
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) October 5, 2023
'Something has to give': Cowboys, 49ers players amped up for showdown in Santa Clara :: Cowboys Wire
No one has to remind the Cowboys of how things went the last two times they faced San Francisco. They know this Week 5 rematch- on the huge stage of a primetime TV slot- presents a massive opportunity and could have major ramifications later in the season. “It’s a huge measuring stick to show where we are,” Jayron Kearse said. Tony Pollard is looking forward to making up for his early exit from January’s playoff game due to injury, saying a win Sunday “would be a big one for me.”
Cowboys vs 49ers: 6 things to know about Week 5 opponent :: Cowboys Wire
The high-powered 49ers offense is much more than Christian McCaffrey. Don’t forget about the dynamic tandem of Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel at wide receiver, and so far, they’ve turned the ball over just one time through four games. Of course, the defense is just as exceptional. Looking for a silver lining? While the 49ers have dominated in postseason meetings of late, Dallas has won every regular-season tilt but one when playing San Fran over the last two decades.
How Cowboys use GPS tracking to protect player health, improve gameday performance :: Dallas Morning News
Mike McCarthy regards the technology- which measures speed and distance, change of direction, movement patterns, and overall workload- as an integral component in optimizing his players’ performance on game day. When he schedules a lighter practice on Wednesday so he can push the team harder on Thursday, as he did ahead of the Cowboys showdown with San Francisco this weekend, it’s tied to what the numbers indicate about getting his team ready. “We don’t want to turn weight rooms and practice fields into laboratories,” he said. “But we do want to get data that can help with workload management and setting up weekly rhythm scheduling that maximizes readiness and performance.”
How Pollard, Cowboys 4 other RBs stack up thus far in 2023 :: Cowboys Wire
Pollard is on pace to set career highs in most categories and up until last week, he was leading the entire NFL in carries and overall touches. But it’s been mainly a one-man show thus far in the Dallas backfield. Rico Dowdle has looked fairly good as the primary backup but has durability questions. Deuce Vaughn has not lived up to preseason expectations, although he has been thrust into spots he’s not suited for. Hunter Luepke has performed well but with very limited opportunities.
Pride, a leaderboard and ‘ubuntu’: Cowboys’ special teams has become critical X-factor :: The Athletic
John Fassel has his unit flying around on the field and flying high off it. A locker room leaderboard tracks participation and production. It’s a competition to see who can make a difference on one of about 28 special-teams snaps per game. Points are tallied and even argued over; prizes from Fassel are handed out and treasured by the players who receive them. “Everything he does is really special,” said C.J. Goodwin. “If I’m ever a coach, I want to do it like that.”
Here's why the Cowboys are underdogs for the 1st time in 2023 :: Cowboys Wire
In terms of DVOA, the 49ers have the edge over Dallas. They also dominate the EPA offensive numbers, but the Cowboys turn the tables and win in defensive EPA. Toxicity metrics favor San Francisco on both offense and defense, but quarterback play is a toss-up, depending on which set of figures you use to compare Dak Prescott to Brock Purdy. Add it all up, and the Cowboys are playing the underdog.
Dallas Cowboys fan goes into labor during Sunday’s game against the Patriots :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Last Sunday’s win over New England was extra-special for one Cowboys fan. Haley Waterman suddenly went into labor after CeeDee Lamb’s touchdown catch in the second quarter and was escorted out by paramedics, to the sound of her section at AT&T Stadium cheering her on. Daughter Delaney was born shortly thereafter. Haley’s husband Tyler is a die-hard Patriots fan and added he was only too happy to leave that game early.
