The Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers are two teams in need of a statement victory. Both will play for the fourth time in four seasons in the feature game in Week 8 of the NFL’s prime time schedule Sunday night.
The recent meetings have been all San Francisco. The 49ers have won the last three, eliminating Dallas from the playoffs in one-touchdown games in 2021 and 2022 and blowing out the Cowboys 42-10 on Oct. 8, 2023.
Neither team looks the same this time. The 49ers have been beset by injuries. Running back Christian McCaffrey has not played this season because of an Achilles injury, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury in last week’s 28-18 loss to Kansas City and wide receiver Deebo Samuel was hospitalized last week.
The usually staunch 49ers’ defense ranks in the middle of the pack in total defense and scoring defense, in part because of injuries to linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga. The Cowboys have given up 28 points per game, 31st in the NFL in scoring defense, and could welcome the return of Pro Bowl linebacker Micah Parsons.
