ARLINGTON, Texas – Another one and done. In the Cowboys’ first playoff berth since 2018 in the NFC Wild-Card Game, Dallas fell to San Francisco, 23-17. The Cowboys’ promising season came to an abrupt ending on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium due to an ungodly number of penalties and undisciplined/unprepared play.
Despite a desperate comeback effort in the fourth quarter, too many unforced errors by Dallas sealed the team’s fate. San Francisco dominated time of possession, 33:57 to 26:03 and the Cowboys failed to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the football. As a result of poor run blocking, Ezekiel Elliott finished with 31 yards on 12 carries and Tony Pollard totaled just 14 yards on four carries. Prescott faced relentless pressure in the pocket – granted, many instances were prompted by holding onto the ball too long – and was sacked five times (even without Nick Bosa for most of the ballgame). Dallas had no answers for DeMeco Ryans’ four-man rush. Conversely, the 49ers put up 169 yards on the ground and did not allow a sack.
The Cowboys were forced to play catchup and in a high-stakes game often dictated by the play of the quarterback, Dak Prescott did not meet the lofty standard. He completed just 53.5 percent of his passes for 254 yards (69.3 rating), a touchdown and an interception. For context, a good portion of the stat line came in the fourth as the team tried to rally from behind.
First Quarter
The Cowboys had a horrendous start on their home turf. The 49ers methodically marched down the field on a seven play, 75-yard drive. The drive consisted of four straight gains of 17 yards, 11, 13 and 15 prior to Elijah Mitchell racing to the end zone around the right end for a speedy 7-0 lead.
Their lead soon expanded. The Cowboys went three-and-out on their opening drive, courtesy of Ezekiel Elliott getting tackled in the backfield to make it third-and-13, then Prescott was sacked on the ensuing play to stall the drive. The 49ers then started at their own 42-yard line and advanced enough for Robbie Gould. He knocked a 53-yarder through the uprights to make it a 10-0 ballgame.
The next possession was a microcosm of the team’s struggles during the duration of the contest. Luke Gifford was flagged for a block in the back penalty on the kickoff return that pushed the Cowboys to their own 9-yard line. Then on the next two plays, both Amari Cooper and Ezekiel Elliott dropped passes. After, a holding penalty on Connor Williams negated a 32-yard gain to CeeDee Lamb. Prescott rolled out and connected with Lamb over the middle of the field against zone coverage. However, the play was taken back, and Cedrick Wilson tossed a would-be lateral to Tony Pollard out of bounds. Not the statement a team wants to make in the single-elimination tournament.
Second Quarter
Needing a crucial stop, the Dallas defense did not surrender a touchdown, but the 49ers still came away with three points on the possession after converting three third downs. San Francisco elected to kick the field goal from fourth-and-one, with Gould making the 40-yarder in a drive taking 7:58 off the clock.
On the next drive, the Cowboys went with an up-tempo offense and ran the ball seven times (29 yards). Wilson picked up 18 yards on an out-breaking route off a play-action pass that set up Amari Cooper’s touchdown. Prescott found Cooper in the back right corner of the end zone for the Cowboys’ first score of the game.
San Francisco responded with a field goal. Jimmy Garoppolo threw a deep 37-yard bomb to Brandon Aiyuk that put the 49ers in favorable field position and moved the chains. Gould hit a 52-yard field goal to extend the 49ers’ lead, 16-7.
The sun seeping through the windows at AT&T Stadium impeded Wilson’s catch and a holding penalty on La’el Collins stalled the Cowboys drive before the half.
Third Quarter
Needing to add to their point total and build some momentum, the Cowboys fell short. Dallas was flagged for back-to-back false start calls and on the ensuing play, Prescott was sacked on third-and-long. Then, even with a gifted roughing the kicker penalty that produced 15 yards and a fresh set of downs, Dallas could not cash in or make it past their own 45-yard line.
The defense forced a punt and on the following offensive drive, things continued in a downward spiral. Cedrick Wilson was penalized for an illegal block and then Prescott was sacked for a loss of 13, that pushed Dallas back to its own 19-yard line. However, just when it seemed things could not get any worse – a turnover. Prescott was picked off by cornerback K’Waun Williams, placing the 49ers at the Cowboys’ 26-yard line.
Then in one play elapsing :08 seconds, Deebo Samuel went around the right end and cut inside for an open shot to the end zone. The 49ers held a 23-7 lead heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
As the game continued into the final frame, things shifted in the Cowboys’ favor. Bryan Anger connected with C.J. Goodwin on a fake punt which kept the drive alive and resulted in a 51-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
When the team desperately needed it, the defense got a turnover. Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew his intended target, Sherfield, and Anthony Brown was in prime position. The Cowboys’ corner returned the pick 23 yards to the 49ers’ 28-yard line. Dallas was able to capitalize five plays later. An 11-yard gain by Cooper and a 10-yard gain by Lamb led to the score. Prescott ran it in himself from five yards out to trim the deficit, 23-17.
On the 49ers next drive, Leighton Vander Esch stopped Deebo Samuel a yard short of the first on third-and-five. A delay of game penalty against San Francisco forced the punt and the Cowboys took over at their 16-yard line with 2:42 remaining.
Just before the two-minute warning, Prescott connected with Dalton Schultz for a 38-yard gain. The drive came down to the fourth-and-11 play. Prescott scrambled, trying to evade pressure, and heaved the ball downfield just out of reach of a tripped-up Wilson. San Francisco took over on downs.
The defense made a stop on the following drive and the Cowboys had one more chance with 32 seconds left at their 20-yard line. A pass from Prescott to Wilson, who lateraled to Lamb picked up 11 yards. Then a short pass to Pollard added 10 yards. An out-breaking route by Schultz moved the chins nine more yards to put Dallas at San Francisco’s 41-yard line with 14 seconds left on the clock. However, when Prescott ran a designed QB draw up the middle for a gain of 17 with no timeouts left, the Cowboys could not get lined back up in time for one more play. Prescott had hoped to spike the ball with a second remaining, but umpire Ramon George collided with Prescott and had to spot the ball and time did not permit.
That play ended the Cowboys 2021 campaign after a 12-5 regular season finish and NFC East crown. Another year passes without the team hoisting the coveted Lombardi Trophy.
