What a week! Sure has been a busy one for Cowboys fans, and at the center of it all is the Cowboys star WR, Dez Bryant. If you’ve somehow managed to miss out on the chaos of this week, then by all means, remain out of the loop. After all, ignorance is bliss.
All I’ll say is Bryant is likely to miss this week after discovering a hairline fracture in his knee. Nothing shows it’s a serious injury, not sure sure, at least as far as breaks go, but the team appears to be playing it safe. That means everybody’s favorite Cowboy to hate, Terrance Williams, along with Cole Beasley and Brice Butler will get more opportunities, and we’re going to need them.
Staff Writer RJ Ochoa broke it down for us yesterday on #OchoLive. The rivalry between the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers goes all the way back to the merger, and was drenched in drama year after year. That all sort of wound down in the mid-to-late 90s, but those of us who witnessed the rivalry first-hand still have some special thoughts for the 49ers.
Cowboys at 49ers Watching Party in Dallas
Before we get to the staff picks, I want to shout out to Bobby Belt, Cami Griffin, and Jonah Tuls over at Cowboys Blitz.
They’re throwing a game watching party today at the Go 4 It Sports Grill in Dallas, TX. There’ll be drinks, food, and (hopefully) some smash-mouth Cowboys football, starting just before the game. I’ll be there (Bryson Treece), along with @bmagg86 (Bethany) and anyone else who wants to have a beer with us.
The address is 10677 E Northwest Hwy #400, Dallas, TX 75238 in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas (click the previous link for the Google Map lookup). All are welcome!
Alright, let’s get to it.
Inside #TheStar Staff Notes And Predictions
Brian Martin | @bmart0204
This is a particularly difficult game to predict because of all the injuries and banged up key players for the Dallas Cowboys. We know Dez Bryant isn’t going to play, so the entire offense will need to step up their game against the 49ers. On defense, it’ll be all about containing Carlos Hyde. I don’t think it will be pretty but I still have the Cowboys coming out on top on the road against the 49ers Sunday afternoon.
Cowboys 24 – 49ers 13
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Kevin Brady | @kevinbrady88
This game is going to be a lot closer than others seem to think. Going on the road, the Cowboys will potentially be without Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, and Dez Bryant on offense, and Orlando Scandrick on defense. That’s 4 Pro Bowl-quality players, so this game will be no joke. In the end, Dallas squeaks it out on the road, getting an ugly win and improving to 3-1.
Cowboys 23 – 49ers 17
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John Williams | @john9williams
Dallas continues to move the ball well on offense, led by their explosive rushing attack. The defense makes enough plays to take home their third straight win.
Cowboys 27 – 49ers 17
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Ian Koplowitz | @BleedingTheStar
The Cowboys offense is good at running. The 49ers defense is bad at defending the run. The Cowboys like to run the ball. Catch my drift? In all seriousness, I expect the Cowboys to take the air out of the ball all afternoon, leading to a solid showing from Ezekiel Elliott as he runs to another 100-yard game.
Cowboys 24 – 49ers 17
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Justin Grohowski | @grohowknowhow
Dallas will most likely be without their three best players Sunday (Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, and Tyron Smith). Throw in other injuries to Orlando Scandrick and La’el Collins, and you have to wonder if a rookie quarterback can truly overcome all of these hurdles. Speaking of hurdles, it will help to have Ezekiel Elliott against a weak San Francisco front that conceded 100-yard days to backup running backs the past two weeks. Facing Blaine Gabbert and a lackluster offense doesn’t hurt either. Dallas will key in on Carlos Hyde, and pick off Gabbert twice here, as the secondary shines. Brice Butler plays well, and Lucky Whitehead gets more touches. In the end, Dallas pulls off a an ugly win despite struggling to stretch the field.
Cowboys 20 – 49ers 17
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Sean Martin | @ShoreSportsNJ
A win for the Dallas Cowboys in San Francisco would go beyond the 3-1 start that it would secure through four games without Tony Romo. The Cowboys could also be playing without Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith, yet I still think they have enough to get the job done. This defensive line turns in their best performance of the season to slow down Carlos Hyde, as Maliek Collins adds his first career sack. From there, Dak Prescott and the Dallas running game keep the winning streak alive.
Cowboys 17 – 49ers 13
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Jess Haynie | @CowboysAddicts
The 49ers and Cowboys defenses are ranked 20th & 22nd. The game will be decided by offenses; Cowboys 8th, Niners 29th. Dallas will use their same clock-domination formula and superior offensive firepower to get the road win.
Cowboys 30 – 49ers 20
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RJ Ochoa | @RJOchoa
The Cowboys showed us last week they’re capable of dominating an inferior team, and the 49ers are an inferior team. I expect San Francisco’s Carlos Hyde to look good and keep things spicy for a while, but Zeke Elliott is going to break this game open and put it away when it matters.
Cowboys 23 – 49ers 16
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Bryson Treece | @BrysonTreece
Momentum is the word of the day. The Cowboys will either keep it going with three in a row, or lose it along with this game. The injuries are stacking up, from the secondary to the offensive line, but the rookies have been finding a groove these last two weeks. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott have looked better each week of the season, gaining confidence and building momentum. I don’t consider this game the gimme that the Bears game was, but I do see the ‘Boys beating the 49ers.
Cowboys 20 – 49ers 10
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And that’s all she wrote, folks.
Kickoff is in less than four hours and we’re all decidedly against the 49ers winning today. Do you agree? Drop us a line in the comments and tell us your win/loss and score prediction.
And don’t forget to join me and some other great Cowboys fans at Go 4 It Sports Grill in Dallas. Everyone have a safe, happy game-day, and as always — GO COWBOYS!
