- Protection prevails in Santa Clara. As they’ve stated for many years, protection wins championships, and the top-rated unit in San Francisco held out on Sunday. San Francisco compelled two Duck Prescott Turnovers held Dallas underneath 300 yards of complete offense whereas additionally denying the Cowboys on 10 of 15 third down makes an attempt. The low-scoring challenge did not end in a lot fireworks, however there have been highlights scattered all through the sport, beginning with Diodorus LenoirA just-timely Prescott interception, which led to the 49ers’ first factors of the sport. Sir Lamb discovered success (10 catches for 117 yards), however Dallas struggled to get something happening the bottom, and completed with a 76-yard drive produced by a badly missed mixture. Tony Pollard After he was discharged with an unpleasant ankle harm. The San Francisco protection harassed Prescott all through the sport, recording 17 mixed pressures between them Samson Abukam (Seven), Nick Bosa (six) f Eric Armistead (4). every representing a pressure-induced turnover, and Ebukam was liable for San Francisco’s lone sack. Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans is getting a whole lot of consideration with head teaching openers for good cause. He has confirmed to be a wonderful coordinator enjoying this protection at an elite stage at an ideal time of 12 months. The distinction proved to be on Sunday.
- Duck Prescott returns to Earth on the worst of occasions. We spent the complete week marveling at Prescott’s Tremendous Wild Card efficiency over the weekend, which was among the best performances of his profession. It was additionally an encouraging signal that when the stakes are at their highest, he can overcome crushing errors made in earlier matches. What we discovered on Sunday is that we have been mistaken. Prescott made a number of errors that ended Dallas’ lead and put the 49ers in place to attain. San Francisco took each of Prescott’s interceptions and produced six factors from them, constructing nearly all of their ultimate profitable margin. That was removed from the entire story, in fact, however in a recreation the place Dallas confronted the NFL’s premier protection, the Cowboys wanted a star quarterback to play prefer it. He did not, finishing 62% of his passes for 206 yards, one landing, two interceptions, and one lengthy landing with Lamb that was missed when Mike McCarthy determined to kick on fourth-and-fifth from the San Francisco 40, delaying the sport from the 49ers ’45. Prescott’s title and the controversy over his incapacity to carry the Cowboys to the NFC Championship Recreation will characteristic prominently throughout the sports activities discuss present circuit Monday, if not longer. And whereas this weekend was excess of Prescott struggled, it deserves criticism for a quarterback who does not carry a group that many see as ok to legitimately compete for the title.
- Kyle Shanahan’s pace assault remains to be ferocious. I had a full level on the San Francisco protection, however the Dallas group can be very sturdy. Brooke Purdy She discovered this within the first half Sunday, as she struggled to get comfy and set up rhythm within the passing recreation, ending the primary two quarters 12 of 19 for 129 yards. Shanahan spent the break regrouping and adjusting, and when the 49ers took a 16-9 lead within the first recreation of the fourth quarter, it was time to formally transfer on to the operating recreation and get the win. San Francisco adopted up their 10-play, 91-yard drive with a 13-play, 64-yard drive that took practically eight minutes off the clock and produced a depend Ruby Gold A subject purpose, draining the dear minutes remaining for Dallas to come back again. She did this by chopping again on her passing and run capturing recreation, catching 4 first downs and methodically transferring into purpose vary. Christian McCaffrey And Elijah Mitchell Mixed for 86 yards and 1 landing on the day, which is not an incredible output, however it got here at a time when the 49ers wanted success on the bottom probably the most. Mitchell’s ultimate huge carry picked up a primary inside two minutes, and though he by accident popped out and stopped the clock, the achieve allowed the 49ers to eat time beyond regulation and drive the Cowboys to behave with urgency. Shanahan has all the time been often called a wonderful coach of the sport and timed his choices completely inside the movement of the sport. As we discovered the final time the 49ers reached the Tremendous Bowl, operating the ball will likely be important to San Francisco’s probabilities of profitable. He helped them win once more on a day Purdy did not gentle up the scoreboard along with his arm.
- Dallas’ shedding streak continues to separate the groups. The Cowboys constructed a ton of constructive momentum down the stretch in 2022, overcoming Prescott’s early season harm to make the leap to the Lombardi Trophy. Sunday ended with a moan. The Cowboys matched the 49ers to the road within the first half, and stored issues shut till their protection started to crumble underneath sustained strain within the second half. Extra importantly, although, the Cowboys’ explosive offense flatly failed to supply sufficient factors and capitalize on alternatives on Sunday. The final play was bizarre and ugly for positive, however this one was a lot extra (and greater than that). Dalton SchultzTwo errors within the ultimate drive). The Cowboys’ narrative of postseason failure added a brand new chapter Sunday, and as Crew America, there is not any escaping actuality (and the criticism that follows). We spent months questioning if Dallas would add expertise in receiver for Prescott, and the addition ended up being TY Hilton. Ezekiel ElliotHis future is unsure after his position is barely lowered with the appearance of Pollard. And Prescott, whereas excelling in Tremendous Wild Card Weekend, wasn’t ok to get the Cowboys on an vital hump. Prescott and the opposite Cowboys can gush about their potential in one-on-one interviews and sit outs within the offseason, but when they can not dig deeper in later seasons, it should once more be meaningless. This season should really feel at the very least a little bit misplaced after the best way it ended.
- Brock Purdy’s magical run is heading into the NFC Title Recreation. The ever-present darling of up-and-coming storytellers wasn’t so nice on Sunday. It is truthful to confess that. However Purdy was ok to keep away from important errors and full the occasional slick recreation, akin to calling a George Keitel It requires the tight finish to carry out a juggling act appropriate for a three-ring circus. He is enjoying within the NFC Championship Recreation in his first skilled season, and that is as a result of he is been capable of survive Dallas’ relentless go rush that is made plenty of passers look dangerous all season. Shanahan deserves a whole lot of credit score for placing Purdy in good positions to succeed, and Purdy deserves much more credit score for staying inside himself and never letting a second devour him. Typically that’s simply as vital as expertise in these video games. With a key protection backing him up on the opposite facet of the road of scrimmage and a gradual stream of playmakers ok to raise this offense past the pure powers of a younger quarterback, Purdy is in nice form. All he has to do is proceed to be himself – and possibly take a highlight or two subsequent weekend. A Tremendous Bowl look is at stake for Mr. Irrelevant. That is what I name relevance.
Subsequent-gen stats for the sport: The 49ers turned to space protection nearly solely on Sunday, counting on it for 94.7% of their protection pictures and recording two interceptions in space protection. The 2 have pushed their complete to 21 in space protection this season (together with the playoffs), probably the most within the NFL.
NFL Analysis: The 49ers have gained 12 straight video games, the longest lively profitable streak within the NFL, which additionally ties the longest single-season profitable streak in 49ers franchise historical past, set in 1984. In that season, they gained their final 9 video games Within the common season and all three playoff video games, they capped it off with a win over the Dolphins in Tremendous Bowl XIX.