Bring on the Cowboys.
That was one surefire way for the injury-stung 49ers to snap out of an October funk. They bullied Dallas the last three times, including two playoff contests. So, why not again?
Done.
The 49ers (4-4) withstood a late rally and again handled the Cowboys, 30-24, at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday night to breathe a sigh of relief with a victory that will lessen stress during a much-needed bye week.
“After the bye it’s 0-0,” 49ers linebacker Fred Warner said. “We are at .500 right now. We are a game back from being first in the division. We have everything ahead of us. We can be whoever we want.”
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On Sunday night, the 49ers needed a few things to solidify their identity.
Somebody had to leave a mark with a monster game. That would be tight end George Kittle, who had his first 100-yard game of the season (6 catches, 128 yards) with a touchdown. On “National Tight Ends Day” at that. Check.
“Happy holiday!” said Kittle, with a big persona to match his skill. One of his biggest plays, for 43 and 27 yards, set up short touchdowns in the third quarter that proved to be vital to the big picture.
“I think I’ve lost on the last two holidays,” he added, speaking of the tight tribute day that he helped create. “To get a win is very helpful.”
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Someone else needed to come off the injured list and return to form. Hello, Deebo Samuel. The multi-tasker had 86 yards from scrimmage and produced the game’s longest play after he lined up in the backfield and sprinted downfield a 47-yard catch. His temperature’s good. Check.
Another key player needed a bounce back performance. Brock Purdy answered that bell. A week after a three-pick outing against the Chiefs, the 49ers quarterback was hardly flawless. But he was efficient enough in passing for 260 yards, posting a 114.3 passer rating and scrambling for 56 yards. Check.
A boost from an unexpected contributor? Speedy rookie Isaac Guerendo, filling in after Jordan Mason went down with a shoulder injury, had over 100 yards from scrimmage. In rushing for 85 yards, he averaged 6.1 per carry. Check.
And, well, just like the last three times, the 49ers could use some help from Dak Prescott. He threw two interceptions to run his tally to eight picks in the four losses to San Francisco since 2021. Double-check.
That wasn’t the only pattern that continued as Dallas (3-4) sank further in the NFC East race. The 49ers rushed for 223 yards, shredding one of the league’s worst run defenses.
No, this wasn’t another classic in the storied series between two of the NFL’s signature franchises. Yet the Cowboys, who entered the fourth quarter trailing 27-10, were determined to make the 49ers sweat.
Two Prescott touchdown passes to CeeDee Lamb (13 catches, 148 yards) made it a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter. Then the Cowboys forced a punt.
Another dramatic ending, like something authored by Roger Staubach or Joe Montana in previous versions of this series, was not to be.
In the end, San Francisco prevailed when the defense forced a turnover on downs with four straight Prescott incompletions. They ran out the clock with Guerendo providing the finishing blow with a 14-yard run on which he slid at the 3-yard line to keep the clock running rather than scoring a touchdown.
Now comes a bye week at .500, with the chance for some R&R and perhaps a return from an injured player or a few.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” veteran offensive tackle Trent Williams said. “We’re not hanging our hat on anything.”
A week ago, the 49ers got a reality check a week earlier from the Chiefs, who handed them another Super Bowl loss in February. They are not on Kansas City’s level.
But they have confirmed again they at least have the Cowboys numbe