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The NFL Divisional Playoff Round ends Sunday at 6:30 PM ET when the San Francisco 49ers host the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium. San Francisco has his NFL-high 11 straight wins dating back to Week 7 of the regular season.
Brock Purdy of the Niners is set to become the 10th rookie quarterback to start a divisional playoff game since the 1970 merger. The 49ers’ offense was a wild card last week when he gained 505 total yards in a 41-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco had the most points and the widest margin of victory of any team in the wild card round.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott amassed 305 passing yards and four touchdowns, posting a 143.3 passer rating in last week’s 31-14 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Cowboys defense shut out Tampa Bay in the first half. The Dallas defense is led by linebacker Micah Parsons, who recorded 65 tackles, 13.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and three forced fumbles during the regular season.
These two franchises know each other well in the postseason. The 49ers and Cowboys tie his NFL record in his ninth matchup in the postseason. San Francisco recently defeated Dallas in the 2021 playoffs.
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The three keys to Sunday’s divisional playoff finale are:
fighting in trenches
The 49ers have one of the best offensive lines in football, led by All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams. San Francisco’s stout O-line helped the offense make him his eighth-best rushing offense in the NFL, and the unit ranked him fifth overall offense.
On the other side of the ball, San Francisco’s defensive front 7 is arguably the best in the NFL. They are led by NFL Defensive Player of the Year nominee Nick Bosa and All-Pro his linebacker Fred Warner. The 49ers’ offensive line and defensive front sevens overwhelm opponents physically.
San Francisco dominated the trenches in the final playoff meeting between the two clubs. The 49ers gave Dallas 169 rushing yards and his two touchdowns on offense, while the San Francisco defense sacked Prescott his fifth and recorded his QB hits 14 times.
The 49ers offense had 181 rushing yards (5.5 yards per carry) while the defense sacked Genno Smith three times and pressured him with 16 against Seattle last week.
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense vs. the NFL’s top defense
Led by first-team All-Pro Bosa, Warner and safety Talanoa Hufanga, the 49ers defense finished the regular season ranked first in total defenses (300 yards per game) and points allowed (16 points per game). , was tied for first place. Total number of interceptions (20). The 49ers also had a league-best plus 13 turnover differential.
Bosa led the NFL with 18.5 sacks, Warner had a team-high with 130 tackles, his fifth straight season with at least 100 tackles, and Hufanga had 97 tackles in the regular season, nine. pass deflection and four interceptions.
The Prescott and Cowboys offenses were able to pull away from the Tampa Bay defense last week, but San Francisco poses a tougher challenge.
If the Cowboys can slow San Francisco’s pass rush and contain the team’s front seven, they could gain some matchup advantage on the outside. The 49ers’ corners are the weak point of an overall solid defense.
Dallas wide receivers Sheedy Lamb, Michael Gallup and tight end Dalton Schultz combined for 16 catches, 209 receiving yards and four touchdowns against the Bucks. Prescott and the Cowboys pass his catcher needs a similar performance to pull off a big upset at Levi’s Stadium.
49ers offense against Cowboys defense
Purdy had 332 passing yards and three touchdowns in his first playoff start. He earned the most passing his yards by a rookie in his first playoff game since 1937. San Francisco’s three best playmakers (wide his receiver Devo Samuel, running his back Christian McCaffrey, and tight end George Kittle) totaled his 338 yards from scrimmage, against Seattle. scored his two touchdowns.
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the smartest offensive minds in the NFL. He designs plays that bring out the best in the talents of Samuel, McCaffrey and Kittle. At the same time, the 49ers are not dependent on Purdy. The 49ers want him to manage the game, make timely and accurate throws, and minimize costly mistakes. He did everything the team asked for and in the starting lineup he went 6-0 (including the playoffs).
Can Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn design an exotic blitz package and a defensive game plan that can upset the rookie quarterback and limit production from San Francisco’s three major playmakers? The answer to the question can make or break the game.
Bonus: Cowboys have to make as few mistakes as possible
Cowboys kicker Brett Maher missed four extra-point attempts in the team’s 31-14 wildcard win over Tampa Bay. Last season, the Cowboys tied an NFL playoff record as he took 14 penalties in the playoffs before he lost to the 49ers. Dallas just can’t make that kind of mistake against San Francisco in this year’s divisional round.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on Twitter @TylerDragon.
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