Final Score: 49ers 28, Cowboys 17
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San Francisco came out firing against Dallas, scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter in a 28-17 win over the Cowboys.
After the dominant first quarter, Dallas’ defense stiffened to keep the 49ers to only one more touchdown but San Francisco’s defense also kept Dallas out of the endzone until the game was well in hand.
Here’s how it happened.
49ers Defense Returns Fumble for TD
Less than a minute into the game, Dallas running back Demarco Murray fumbled the ball, and San Francisco capitalize, as cornerback Chris Culliver returned the fumble 35 yards for a touchdown.
2 plays in…Cowboys fans already be like… pic.twitter.com/ZDcxgIjpKk
— SportsNation (@SportsNation) September 7, 2014
Cowboys Respond With FG
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Dallas kicker Dan Bailey capped off a long Dallas drive with a field goal to cut into San Francisco’s lead.
The Cowboys had the ball at the 2-yard line on second-down, but San Francisco defensive end Justin Smith sacked Dallas quarterback Tony Romo for a loss, (pictured) and Romo’s third-down pass fell incomplete.
49ers Offense Strikes Fast
So much for San Francisco not being a quick-strike offense.
Just three plays after Dallas scored its field goal, San Francisco capped off an 80-yard drive when quarterback Colin Kaepernick somehow stayed on his feet and avoided falling down after being tripped by a blitzing Dallas defender. Once Kaepernick got his balance, he hit a wide-open Vernon Davis in the end zone to extend the 49ers’ lead to 14-3.
VIDEO: Colin Kaepernick avoids the sack and shows off his arm on this TD pass to Vernon Davis http://t.co/WJVZqEQcCs pic.twitter.com/a2yC4DByVS
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 7, 2014
On the play before that, Kaepernick found Anquan Boldin for a 37-yard pass.
Romo Throws Interception, 49ers Capitalize
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San Francisco has only run four offensive plays, and Dallas is already in trouble.
Eric Reed picked off Romo and ran it back to the Dallas two-yard line before Kaepernick hit Davis for the duo’s second-touchdown play.
On the play before Reed’s interception, San Francisco appeared to return a second fumble for a touchdown when they stripped Dallas tight end Jason Witten on the first play after the 49ers last score, but Witten’s knee was ruled down after a replay.
Dallas’ offense is getting rocked by the 49ers’ defense though, including in this video.
VIDEO: Dez Bryant gets rocked by #49ers safety Antoine Bethea http://t.co/blU6lf0gMG pic.twitter.com/qv9HBkL0jr
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 7, 2014
49ers Add One More TD Before Half
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San Francisco added to its big-lead with just 39 seconds left in the first half when running back Carlos Hyde scored his first career touchdown from two yards out.
RB @elguapo has two carries in the #NFL and 1 touchdown. He’s just getting started… #SFvsDAL
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 7, 2014
Earlier in the second quarter, Dallas nearly scored, but Romo’s pass to the back of the end zone was picked off by Patrick Willis (pictured).
Cowboys Score First TD
DeMarco Murray, who has rushed for 118 yards, scored Dallas’ first touchdown of the game on 4th-and-1 from the two-yard-line for the Cowboys’ first touchdown of the game.
At the end of the third quarter, San Francisco leads the Cowboys 28-10.
Cowboys Add Late TD
With less than two minutes in the game, Tony Romo hit Terrance Williams across the middle of the endzone for a touchdown pass. But despite scoring 14-unanswered points, it’s too little, too late for the Cowboys.