Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Prediction Game Preview
Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Playoffs Divisional Round prediction, game preview, odds, how to watch, Sunday, January 22
Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers NFL Playoffs Divisional Round Prediction Game Preview
Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers How To Watch
Date: Sunday, January 22
Game Time: 6:30 ET
Venue: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA
How To Watch: FOX
Record: Dallas Cowboys (12-5), San Francisco 49ers (13-4)
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Why Dallas Cowboys Will Win the NFC Divisional Round
Dallas’s problem has been that it’s Dallas. It hasn’t found a big moment over the last 27ish years it hasn’t been able to gag away, but …
Dallas is the better team.
Oh sure, the San Francisco defense is No. 1 in the NFL – helped by not beating anyone with an attack like Dallas is bringing – and the offense ripped through Seattle last week like it wasn’t there, but yeah, overall Dallas has the talent, ability, schemes, and upside to really and truly be considered the better team.
It got sort of lost by all those blinded by the idea that Tom Brady is so good he could make up for how bad Tampa Bay was that Dallas might have been the best team in the NFL when everything was rolling.
There was the meltdown at Jacksonville late, but over the second half of the season when this thing was moving, forget it.
Minnesota got annihilated on its home field. Philadelphia gave up 40 points helped by a Cowboy defense that took it away four times. Even when Dak Prescott was banged up the Cowboys managed to find ways to win.
There was the strange opener against Tampa Bay, the strange Week 18 game that no one got up for, a reasonable Sunday night loss at Philadelphia, and two overtime losses that could’ve and should’ve gone the other way. That’s it for the gaffes.
The Cowboys won six times – counting two against the Giants – against teams that made the playoffs, they’ve been tested time and again in the toughest division in football, and it comes into this now as the underdog. That’s a very, very good thing.
San Francisco? Yeah, it blew out Seattle last week. Whoop-dee-doo.
Of course the 49ers are terrific, but again, they haven’t dealt with an offense this good since getting rim-rocked by Kansas City back in Week 7. It tore through a good Washington defense is Week 16, but that’s been about it for the nasty Ds they faced.
However …
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Why San Francisco 49ers Will Win the NFC Divisional Round
It’s Dallas. You know the epic meltdown is coming at some point.
To keep hammering on this, Tampa Bay wasn’t very good at football this year. Outside of being trapped inside its own head, Dallas shouldn’t have come close to losing that game and was supposed to come away from that with a win.
Don’t look too much into that.
Eventually Brock Purdy is going to be Brock Purdy … but maybe not.
The body of work is too strong now over the last several weeks to chalk up a potential bad performance to being the last player picked in the draft. He’s a solid mid-level passer who’s great at getting the ball in the hands of his playmakers, he’s getting time to work, and he doesn’t have to play hero ball – there’s no reason to take any chances.
Get it to Christian, George, and Deebo, and they’ll take care of the rest. Purdy has been brilliant at that so far.
Yes, the San Francisco resumé of great wins is a tad lacking, but it’s doing what it’s supposed to against mediocre teams – it’s drilling them. Eight of the last nine wins were by more than seven points. It’s doing something right.
As great as Dallas has been, turnovers have been a problem. It was clean against the Buccaneers, but before that the offense turned it over 14 times in the previous seven games. As Seattle showed last week, just one mistake can cause the avalanche.
But …
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NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going to Win Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers NFC Divisional Round
What’s Going To Happen, Who’s Going to Win Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers NFC Divisional Round
It’s about the Dallas running game. It’s been held under 80 rushing yards just three times, and two of those games were against Washington.
San Francisco is 12-0 when allowing fewer than 80 rushing yards and 2-4 – one of those wins was in overtime to the Raiders – when allowing more.
Lost in everything about being the Dallas Cowboys and all the glitz and attention and offense is one badass defense that allowed more than 24 points just six times. This group knows how to bring the pressure, it has the speed and athleticism to hang with the 49er skill guys, and it’s about to have a solid game.
There’s one giant problem, though.
Rest. San Francisco caught a monster break playing early Saturday morning. With Dallas playing Monday night, the 49ers will have about 2.5 days of extra time than the team that’s playing 3,000 miles from where it won its Wild Card game.
Dallas has to lean on its offensive line, and it has to get that running game going to control the time of possession battle a bit. Again, it’s going to be about that ground attack.
It’s going to come up with more than 80 yards.
Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers NFC Divisional Round Prediction, Line
CFN Prediction: Dallas 24, San Francisco 23
Line: San Francisco -4, o/u: 46
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers Must See Rating: 5
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Story originally appeared on College Football News
Source: News
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