The Dallas Cowboys had an extra week to heal from a severe beating but now travel to play a team that brings up bad memories.
San Francisco has won the past three meetings, including playoff victories to end Dallas’ 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Cowboys hope for a different result when they face the 49ers on Sunday night at Santa Clara, Calif.
Last season’s meeting was one-sided as San Francisco clobbered the Cowboys 42-10 behind four touchdown passes from Brock Purdy, three to George Kittle.
That beatdown might not have been as bad as the one Dallas (3-3) just experienced — a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions before the team’s much-needed bye.
Frustrated Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a message for his teammates before they all took time off.
“Look in the mirror. Go watch these six games over the bye week. Take a few days off. Reset. And be ready when we get back in that building to refocus and do every single thing that you can to help this team,” Prescott told reporters. “And everybody has a role, whatever that role may be. Make sure you understand what it is, and if it’s bigger than what it was a few weeks ago, if it’s smaller, whatever it may be, figure out a way to be the absolute best in it.
“Eleven games left. We’re going to take it one at a time. San Fran’s next, so as we watch these six games, go ahead and get a jumpstart on a couple of their games and be ready, as I said, to refocus after this reset.”
Prescott has passed for 1,602 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions entering the latest showdown with the 49ers.
But perhaps what Dallas could really use is seeing star linebacker Micah Parsons (ankle) and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) on the field.
Parsons has missed the past two games while Bland has yet to play this season. Neither practiced Wednesday.
Parsons didn’t like what he witnessed in the loss to the Lions.
“I think we’ve gotta go into these games and say, ‘We’ve gotta step on somebody’s neck,'” Parsons said. “It’s just the simple things: being disciplined, can’t kill each other on red-zone trips. Can’t kill each other on third downs.”
The 49ers (3-4) are battling a slew of injuries and lost star wideout Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending right knee injury during last Sunday’s 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Wideout Deebo Samuel (pneumonia/wrist) played just a few snaps and was later hospitalized and released on Tuesday. Though he sat out Wednesday’s practice, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said Samuel might play.
Receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) missed the Kansas City contest. He also didn’t practice Wednesday, nor did Kittle (foot), receiver Chris Conley (ankle), running back Jordan Mason (shoulder), defensive end Nick Bosa (elbow), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin), safety George Odum (knee) and kicker Jake Moody (ankle).
Of course, Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) remains on injured reserve and hasn’t played a down this season.
“The guys in the building are really talented, so we have to figure that out,” Kittle said of the shortages. “It’s on our vets to pull them along, whether they’re ready or not. … (The injuries) impact you to an extent but you have to have the three-foot mindset and just attack what’s in front of you.”
Mason has been superb while replacing McCaffrey and ranks second in the NFL with 667 rushing yards.
Purdy has passed for 1,841 yards, nine touchdowns and seven interceptions for the 49ers.
San Francisco star linebacker Fred Warner has heard the critiques of the 49ers being a team in trouble and he isn’t interested in the rhetoric.
“You can listen to what people say about you in the outside world,” Warner said. “All the stories can be written that we’re not good enough and all these sorts of things. For us, it’s about just continuing to focus on what we do.”
