San Francisco 49ers

Cowboys vs. 49ers: 5 Bold Week 4 Predictions for San Francisco

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

The San Francisco 49ers host the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium in Week 4. Niner Noise looks at five bold predictions for the red and gold as they get ready for the next installment of this old-time rivalry.

September 18, 2011; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Delanie Walker (46) celebrates in front of Dallas Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer (93) after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter at Candlestick Park. The Cowboys defeated the 49ers 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers find themselves limping home after a two-game losing streak entering Week 4.

Awaiting them will be the Dallas Cowboys, who stand at 2-1 after upending the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football last week.

Cowboys and 49ers matchups revive the stories of this once-great rivalry. While seemingly nowhere near what it used to be in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, it’s safe to assume this contest carries a little more meaning than just any average midseason bout.

So that opens the door for some bold predictions, right? Of course it does.

We’ll take a look at five bold predictions for San Francisco as the Niners get ready to square off against Cowboys rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott. Oh, and it’s a Dallas offense likely to be without Pro Bowl wide receiver Dez Bryant.

Stopping the Cowboys offense will be key. But getting the 49ers offense going is also an essential factor.

Will these two elements be a part of our predictions? You bet.

Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is pressured by Washington Redskins outside linebacker Preston Smith (94) during the first half at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5: 49ers Defense to Sack Cowboys QB Dak Prescott Multiple Times

Remember, these are bold predictions. Not the ho-hum ones where one states the defense will outperform the offense or whatever.

Rookie quarterback Dak Prescott has been pretty phenomenal his first three games so far. He’s completing 66.7 percent of his passes and has yet to throw an interception at the NFL level.

It wouldn’t be much of a shock to see that zero-turnover streak to come to an end in Week 4 — the Niners currently rank No. 3 in the league with eight turnovers — so we won’t consider that a bold prediction.

However, getting to Prescott is another story.

Dallas’ offensive line still remains one of the best in the NFL. Prescott has been sacked just four times this year, and all of those came in the Cowboys’ Week 2 victory over the Washington Redskins.

One particular matchup to watch here is Dallas right tackle Doug Free versus 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Free is the lone Cowboys starting offensive lineman with a Pro Football Focus grade below 70 (50.5). He’s also listed as questionable for Sunday’s contest.

Defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil will probably have to create some pressure, since the Niners aren’t exactly capable of generating sacks from a mere four-man pass rush.

If it works, the 49ers defense might be able to negate Prescott’s pocket presence.

Sep 25, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) leaps over Chicago Bears safety Chris Prosinski (31) in the fourth quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4: 49ers Will Hold RB Ezekiel Elliott to Less Than 75 Yards

Week 3 could easily be seen as rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott’s coming-out game. Against the Bears, the Cowboys’ first-round draft pick amassed 140 yards on 30 carries.

And plays like these show why Elliott can easily be a star in this league:

Ezekiel Elliott with the hurdle! pic.twitter.com/P6KpZEHMo8

— BuckeyesNews (@BuckeyesNews) September 26, 2016

One would figure Elliott could be in line for big numbers against a 49ers defense which was torched by Seattle Seahawks tailback Christine Michael a week ago. Yet the Niners defense plays much better at home. Just look at how Los Angeles Rams star running back Todd Gurley was bottled up in Week 1.

Factor this in as well — Elliott’s biggest game of the season came against a Bears defense ranked next to last against the run (428 yards allowed).

And no, the 49ers aren’t last in this category.

Prior to that, Elliott was averaging 67 yards per game. The sample size is small, but San Francisco’s defense will be able to ensure Week 3 isn’t repeated.

Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) runs with the ball against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3: RB Carlos Hyde Will Have Another 100-Yard Game

Running back Carlos Hyde is the 49ers’ best weapon on offense. He’s the current bell cow of head coach Chip Kelly’s uptempo scheme, so getting Hyde involved early and often will be critical for any San Francisco success.

Unfortunately for the Niners, other teams know this too. Hyde is essentially the lone offensive player against whom other teams have to scheme.

So look for Dallas to try and shut him down from the first snap.

The Cowboys have been respectable over three weeks against the run. Their defense currently sits at No. 12 with just 273 yards given up on the ground.

Digging deeper, Dallas’ defense is averaging 5.0 yards per rushing attempt — 29th in the league. Based on this stat, teams rushing against the Cowboys are capable of picking up some sizable gains.

Considering the 49ers want to feature the running game, it’s likely Hyde will be able to put up some big numbers.

Let’s just hope they won’t come in garbage time, as was the case last week in Seattle.

NFL: San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2: A 49ers Receiver Will Have a 100-Yard Day

What? No way. The 49ers’ passing offense ranks 30th in the league. How can this happen?

Hey, we’re going with bold predictions.