SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The San Francisco 49ers trailed throughout the game until the final 18 seconds. The Cowboys looked good overall and made the statement they needed to in their offense, but the Cowboys need to play four full quarters and keep the momentum throughout the game. The defense made careless mistakes with penalties that ended up costing the Cowboys the game.
The Dallas Cowboys came out strong scoring on their first series with a deep pass by QB Dak Prescott to WR Michael Gallup down the sideline for 30 yards and a Cowboys touchdown to take the lead 7-0. Dak was three for three with 39 yards. The defense stopped the 49ers throughout the first quarter with DT Antwaun Wood’s penetration and DE Dorance Armstrong’s relentless energy, along with big tackles on key plays by MLB Jaylon Smith and S Kavon Frazier.
The second quarter came off to another great start for the Cowboys, with DE Taco Charlton’s pursuit of QB C.J. Beathard and LB Joe Thomas’s interception. The Cowboys were forced to punt, but in the next drive, WR Tavon Austin had a great route getting in and out and creating separation. A great catch by TE Blake Jarwin led the Cowboys to the goal line, and RB Bo Scarbrough got the ball in on a one-yard rush to extend the Cowboys lead to 14-0. To end the second quarter, the 49ers scored on a one yard rush with RB Joe Williams to make it a one point game at the half 14-7.
Coming into the third quarter, the 49ers had a great start with a deep pass by Beathard to WR Dante Pettis, putting them at the 10-yard line. Cowboys’ DE Charles Tapper made a huge play with coverage and the 49ers had to settle with a 26-yard field goal to make the score 14-10. After a battle back and forth between the defenses with forced punts, RB Bo Scarbrough had back-to-back key plays and an unnecessary roughness helmet-to-helmet penalty put the Cowboys at the goal line with the first down. Second string QB Cooper Rush passed to WR Lance Lenoir in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown. Cowboys led 21-10 going into the third.
In the fourth quarter, things started to un-ravel for the Cowboys. Third string QB Mike White overthrew Lenoir down the sideline and the ball was almost picked off on the next play. The Cowboys had to punt and had several penalties throughout the rest of the quarter that caused them to beat themselves. Things began to look up for the Cowboys when CB Duke Thomas intercepted the ball, but the Cowboys could not make it into the end zone and K Brett Maher missed the field goal.
On the next drive for the 49ers, No.33, RB Jeremy McNichols, dominated the field. His explosiveness in their ground game, brought the 49ers to the one-yard line and he scored the touchdown with a one-yard rush, making the score 21-16. The Cowboys defense kept the 49ers from getting the two-point conversion, to keep their lead to five points instead of three, but could not stop them during the remainder of the game. With 18 seconds left, a pass interference call gave the 49ers the first down and they capitalized on the opportunity with a touchdown pass from their third string QB Nick Mullens to WR Richie James Jr. With another penalty, the 49ers got a second chance at a two-point conversion, to win the game 24-21 after White could not connect with an open receiver on the “Hail Mary” pass.
Several players stood out on the field and Prescott had a great first drive down the field and connection with Gallup. The problem that needs to be addressed are penalties. The Cowboys had the lead the entire game and gave it up in the last 18 seconds, by careless penalties that gave the 49ers the win.
