Getty Dak Prescott and the Cowboys will face off against the Niners in Week 5.
The Dallas Cowboys have a big game entering Week 5.
While the Cowboys are riding high following their dominant 38-3 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 4, Dallas will visit the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last year’s divisional round playoff matchup. The Cowboys lost that game to the Niners, 19-12, in large part due to quarterback Dak Prescott’s two interceptions. It capped off a season in which Prescott threw a league-high 17 interceptions (including playoffs).
Although the Cowboys will have a chance at a dose of redemption when they match up with one of the NFL’s two remaining unbeaten teams, Prescott is downplaying the rematch, stressing that the team has moved on.
“It’s obvious,” said Prescott on Sunday, October 1 following the team’s win over the Patriots. “I mean, we’re so far past that, to be honest with you, that’s obvious. You just want to p*** me off going into this week, and I appreciate that. I do actually. I do. I appreciate that. I appreciate that.”
However, when asked if that playoff loss to the Niners — it was actually the second straight year the Cowboys were eliminated by San Francisco in the playoffs — drives the team, Prescott had another blunt message.
“Every day,” said Prescott.
Cowboys Enter Week as Slight Underdogs vs. 49ers
It’s no secret that if the Cowboys are to advance to their first Super Bowl in 28 years, they’re going to need to advance past the divisional round — something they haven’t done since the 1995 season.
In order to accomplish that objective, they’re going to have to learn how to beat the Niners. It won’t be an easy objective considering the Niners have the NFC’s second-best point differential at plus-67 points. The Cowboys actually have the NFL’s best point differential at plus-83 points.
As noted by Jon Machota of The Athletic, the Cowboys will open as a 3.5-point underdog, according to BetOnline’s betting odds.
“Cowboys open as a 3.5-point underdog against the 49ers next week at San Francisco, via
betonline_ag,” writes Machota.
Prescott isn’t the only Cowboys player who’s aware of how big the team’s matchup against San Francisco is.
Micah Parsons, Jerry Jones Comment on Matchup vs. 49ers
Linebacker Micah Parsons went so far as to call the 49ers the “NFC’s top team.”
“This is the top NFC team,” said Parsons. “I think (it’s) us, Philly and the 49ers. This is a playoff game. This is something you look forward to. … It’s going to be a test. It’s going to be back and forth. It’s going to go down to the wire.”
Team owner Jerry Jones also had a message for his team as they look to start out 4-1 and hand the 49ers their first loss of the season.
“A win in San Francisco would be magnificent,” said Jones. “I just think a win against that team would feel like you’re playing for the marbles in the NFL. We’re gonna come in there and try to stay on the field with them.”
While it’s early in the season, a win over the Niners would give the Cowboys their first victory over a contender this year. Furthermore, it would give Dallas some confidence that they can beat this current roster of the Niners led by the likes of young quarterback Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey, who was acquired midway through the 2022 season by San Francisco.
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Dak Prescott Sends Strong Message on Cowboys’ Rematch vs. 49ers