Coming off of two straight losses to the Buffalo Bills and Washington Football Team in succession, the San Francisco 49ers will look to keep their playoff hopes alive in Arlington against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday afternoon. It’s rare for a 49ers-Cowboys game to be flexed out of a primetime slot, but that’s exactly what has happened for this Week 15 matchup. The rivalry game was originally scheduled to be this week’s Sunday Night Football contest, but due to the lack of playoff implications, the NFL’s hand was forced.
San Francisco 49ers
Amid the recent spike in Covid-19 cases, Santa Clara County banned all contact sports for three weeks, forcing the 49ers to play in Glendale, Arizona for its last two games. To call it an easy season for San Francisco would be an understatement. The injuries all across the roster have been well documented and the Niners have essentially been lost in the shuffle of a highly competitive NFC West division. With a loss against the Cowboys and an Arizona Cardinals win at home against the Philadephia Eagles, San Francisco will be officially eliminated from playoff contention.
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are coming off a dominant 30-7 win in Cincinnati against the Joe Burrow-less Bengals. The state of the NFC East has resulted in the 4-9 Dallas squad still be in the mix, but time is surely running out. Andy Dalton teamed up with wide receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb in Week 14 to throw for 185 yards and two touchdowns. The Cowboys’ signal-caller did not have to be spectacular to win the game for his team. Dallas’ defense forced and recovered three fumbles in the first half against Cincinnati. The underwhelming defensive group in 2020 will look to build off a rare, positive performance on Sunday against the Niners.
Game Info
Date: December 20, 2020
Start Time: 12:00 P.M. CST
Location: Arlington, TX
Stadium: AT&T Stadium
TV Info: CBS
Betting Odds Sponsored by Jazz Sportsbook
Points Spread: SF -3 (-110) | DAL +3 (-110)
Moneyline: SF -165 | DAL +135
Over/Under: O 45 (-110) | U 45 (-110)
For the second straight week in Cowboys land, their backup quarterback will battle another backup. Last week it was the Bengals’ Brandon Allen, and this week, it’s Nick Mullens. A matchup under center like this would make anyone lean towards taking the “under”. San Francisco hasn’t scored more than 25 points in a game since November 1 against Seattle.
Prediction
As much as the 49ers need to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, Dallas needs it just as much. The Cowboys’ defensive performance last Sunday wasn’t against an offensive powerhouse by any means, but it’s encouraging nonetheless. Despite whether it’s a lost season or not in Dallas, expect the team to fight until the end as last week’s game is proof. San Francisco is hurting and Dalton is getting more and more comfortable with the weapons he has to work with.
*Final Score: San Francisco 49ers 15, Dallas Cowboys 21*
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