The ages-old Dallas Cowboys vs. San Francisco 49ers rivalry takes center stage on Sunday night.
Both teams, though, aren’t quite up to contender form to this point in the season. The 49ers have been ravaged with injuries throughout the season, the latest blow coming to their wide receiver corps. Brandon Aiyuk will miss the remainder of the season with a brutal knee injury, while Deebo Samuel was hospitalized while dealing with a bout of pneumonia.
The Cowboys have dealt with their fair share of injuries, but their issues go beyond who’s not on the field. Head coach Mike McCarthy has drawn the ire of Dallas fans this season, as the team, particularly its defense, hasn’t quite played up to expectations. Entering Week 8, the Cowboys are fielding the 31st-ranked scoring defense, putting major heat under both McCarthy and new Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
Now, coming off a bye week, fans and analysts alike will witness whether the time off was beneficial for Dallas’ playoff push or if the devastatingly injured 49ers can take advantage of a reeling Cowboys squad on national TV.
USA TODAY Sports will provide live updates, highlights, and more for the Week 8 “Sunday Night Football” matchup between the Cowboys and 49ers below.
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For the second time in two offensive drives, CeeDee Lamb ended up wide open in the end zone at the end of a Cowboys possession. This time, it was because two 49ers defensive backs ran into each other. And for a second straight possession, Dak Prescott found him for a touchdown.
After back-to-back Dallas touchdown drives, this is suddenly a one-score game. It’s 30-24 49ers with 3:32 left in the game.
San Francisco’s star wideout suffered the injury at some point in the fourth quarter, and the 49ers say he is questionable to return.
49ers kicker Anders Carlson remained perfect on all kicking attempts during “Sunday Night Football” with a 41-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. He’s 3-for-3 on field goals and 3-for-3 on PATs.
It’s 30-17 49ers with 4:25 remaining.
Dallas has cut its deficit to 10 points after blown zone coverage in the secondary left CeeDee Lamb wide open in the end zone. Dak Prescott made the easy throw and Lamb hauled it in for his third touchdown of the season.
It’s 27-17 49ers with just under eight minutes to go.
San Francisco is rolling in the second half. Brock Purdy rushed up the middle for a touchdown on a 2-yard quarterback sneak to extend the 49ers’ lead to 17 points. Kyle Shanahan’s squad has scored a touchdown on three straight drives to open the third quarter and now hold a three-score lead after trailing at halftime.
It’s 27-10 49ers with 36 second left in the third quarter.
San Francisco was able to take full advantage of its good field position following Deommodore Lenoir’s interception. Quarterback Brock Purdy hit George Kittle on the right side of the end zone on a pick play for the touchdown. The officials initially threw a flag for offensive pass interference on receiver Chris Conley but picked it up after a short conversation.
The 49ers lead the Cowboys 20-10 halfway through the third quarter.
One week after snagging his first pick of the year against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, Deommodore Lenoir made a leaping play near the sideline to intercept Dak Prescott. The cornerback’s excellent play in coverage gave the 49ers the ball back at the Dallas 32-yard line with 11:30 left in the third quarter.
The 49ers lead for the first time since 3-0 after rookie running back Isaac Guerendo runs 4 yards up the middle for San Francisco’s first touchdown of the game. Tight end George Kittle helped set up the scoring play with a 43-yard reception one play prior.
It’s 13-10 49ers two minutes into the second half.
San Francisco marched into Cowboys territory on their fourth drive of the game before stalling right outside of the red zone. Anders Carlson knocked through his second field goal of the game from 44 yards out to cut his team’s deficit to four points.
It’s 10-6 Cowboys with 1:30 left in the first half.
Out of the two-minute warning, NBC’s broadcast showed Mason heading back to the 49ers’ locker room with medical personnel. He is being evaluated for a shoulder injury and is questionable to return.
In the meantime, rookie Isaac Guerendo will take over as San Francisco’s lead tailback.
Brandon Aubrey connected on a 29-yard field goal attempt to cap an eight-play, 46-yard scoring drive that put the Cowboys up seven with three and a half minutes left in the first half.
Aubrey missed practice in the week leading up to Sunday night’s game due to jury duty.
One play after 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, Ezekiel Elliott took a handoff up the middle for a one-yard score. It was the running back’s second touchdown of the season and gave his team a 7-3 lead.
San Francisco will take over after the kickoff about four minutes into the second quarter.
Following a Mitch Wishnowsky punt with under three minutes left in the first quarter, Cowboys and 49ers players got in each others’ faces. The players were separated before a bigger fight began, but there were two, offsetting unnecessary roughness penalties with one against each team.
Dallas takes over after the punt on its own 35 with 2:33 left in the first quarter.
The Cowboys had just entered 49ers territory 10 minutes into the first quarter when Dak Prescott tried to hit KaVontae Turpin with a deep pass down the left sideline. Ji’Ayir Brown, the safety, was helping in coverage over the top and cut underneath the throw to pick it off.
San Francisco takes over from its own 8-yard line with 4:27 left in the first quarter.
The 49ers’ opening drive of the game stalled at the Cowboys’ 32-yard line and kicker Anders Carlson was brought on for the 50-yard field goal attempt.
The kick was good and the 49ers grabbed an early lead. The big play on the seven-play, 55-yard drive was a 47-yard pass play from quarterback Brock Purdy to receiver Deebo Samuel.
Carlson, along with safety Adrian Amos, were elevated from the practice squad for Sunday night’s game. Jake Moody, the 49ers’ regular kicker, is nursing a high-ankle sprain.
The 49ers vs. Cowboys “Sunday Night Football” matchup will get underway at 8:20 p.m. ET (5:20 p.m. PT). The Cowboys travel to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to take on the 49ers.
The game will air on NBC and Peacock. The game is also available to stream on Fubo.
Mike Tirico (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) will be on the call, with Melissa Stark adding reports from the field for NBC.
Here’s how the USA TODAY Sports staff feel the 49ers vs. Cowboys matchup on “SNF” will shake out:
The 49ers are favorites to defeat the Cowboys, according to the BetMGM NFL odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NFL betting promos in 2024, including the ESPN BET app and Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.
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The running back had not been listed on the Cowboys’ injury report all week. According to multiple reports, Dowdle started to feel ill after arriving at Levi’s Stadium ahead of Sunday night’s game. After the Cowboys’ medical personnel evaluated the starting running back, the team ruled him out for the prime-time matchup with the 49ers.
Two-time All-Pro Micah Parsons will miss a third consecutive game as he continues to recover from a high ankle sprain he suffered in the Cowboys’ Week 4 game against the New York Giants. The linebacker had not practiced all week as Dallas returned from its bye week.
Here are the Cowboys’ inactive players:
Deebo Samuel had been dealing with a “pneumonia-like illness” for a couple of weeks, according to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. The star wideout played just four snaps in San Francisco’s Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and was in the hospital as recently as Tuesday. Samuel did not practice on Wednesday, but was a limited participant on Thursday and Friday and is active against the Cowboys on Sunday night.
George Kittle, who Shanahan had announced was “day-to-day” on Monday, will also be active Sunday night. The All-Pro tight end had been dealing with a sprained foot that also kept him limited in practice this week.
Here are the 49ers’ inactive players:
On Monday, Oct. 21, MRI testing confirmed what the 49ers initially feared when he was injured vs. the Chiefs: Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL during the hit. His season is over.
Aiyuk took the hit to his right leg from Chamarri Conner, a Chiefs safety, after making a catch in the second quarter.
According to AccuWeather, game time temperatures at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, will be a comfortable 70 degrees with intermittent clouds. There is no chance for precipitation.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are tied with the New England Patriots for the most Super Bowl wins with six.
Pittsburgh and Dallas have the unique distinction of playing each other more than any other team combination in Super Bowl history with three matchups.
The 49ers have made eight Super Bowl appearances and have five rings to show for it, the most recent coming in the 1994 season. The Cowboys own five Super Bowl wins, with the most recent coming during the 1995 season.
Dak Prescott signed a record-breaking contract extension with the Cowboys on eve of the NFL season. The terms of the deal were as follows, per Spotrac.com:
The deal was tacked onto the one year remaining on the four-year, $160 million contract he signed with the Cowboys ahead of 2021 free agency. That will tie Prescott to the Cowboys through the 2028 campaign, his age-35 season.
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