Following the bye week, the Dallas Cowboys got back on track dropping the San Francisco 49ers to 0-7 with a wire-to-wire 40-10 win to move to 3-3.
After a three and out to start the game the Cowboys special teams would come up huge as safety Kavon Frazier forced 49er wide receiver Trent Taylor to fumble the punt return and was recovered by safety Xavier Woods giving the Cowboys the ball at the 49er 20-yard line. Three play later running back Ezekiel Elliot would punch it in from one yard out to give the Cowboys an early 7-0 lead.
After a stop, the Cowboys offense would strike again as Elliot would take a handoff and bounce outside for a 25-yard touchdown run to cap off a seven play, 74-yard drive to give the Cowboys a 14-0 lead middle of the first quarter. The 49ers would respond with a score of their own as kicker Robbie Gould hit a 42-yard field goal to cut the Cowboys lead to 14-3. After a series of stops, the Cowboys would go on an impressive 12-play, 86-yard drive that culminated with a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone by tight end Jason Witten to make it 20-3 early second quarter after the two-point conversion pass to wide receiver fell incomplete in the back of the end zone after kicker Dan Bailey pulled his groin on the previous kickoff.
The 49ers would mount an impressive drive before the half getting as far as the Cowboys 19-yard line before defensive end Demarcus Lawrence came from the left side of the field and hit quarterback CJ Bethard from behind forcing a fumble that he recovered to end a 9-play, 41-yard drive the best of the first half for the 49ers to take a 20-3 lead into the half. The Cowboys defense had a great first half forcing a turnover and registering four sacks. Elliot had arguably his best half of the season punching in two touchdowns to go with 89 yards on 15 carries.
The Cowboys defense would start the second half strong stopping the 49ers on fourth down on their own 28-yard line. On the following play, quarterback Dak Prescott would fake a handoff and a reverse and roll to his right where he dumped the ball off to Elliot who took it 72-yards for a touchdown and safety Jeff Heath hit the extra point to make it 27-3 early third quarter. The Cowboys would follow that score with another as Prescott would score from 2-yards out on a quarterback draw to cap off a 13-play, 80-yard drive that took 7:44 off the clock to take a commanding 33-3 lead after Heath missed the extra point late third quarter. On the same drive, wide receiver Dez Bryant moved into third all-time in receptions in franchise history.
The Cowboys defense would continue to flex its muscles as linebacker Jaylon Smith would come up with a strip sack of Beathard to give the Cowboys offense the ball at the 49er 29-yard line to close out the third quarter. Eight plays later Prescott found Bryant in the back of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown giving Bryant 71 career touchdown passes which ties him with “bullet” Bob Hayes for most career receiving touchdowns in franchise history to increase the lead to 40-3 early fourth quarter.
The 49ers found the end zone with 6:14 in the fourth quarter as Beathard ran it in from 4-yards out for his first career rushing touchdown making it 40-10 that would hold until the final whistle. The Cowboys dominated both sides of the ball rolling up 25 first downs and 501 total yards of offense while only surrendering 290 total yards of offense. Prescott finished 16-of-25 for 234 yards and three touchdowns through the air and 26 yards and one touchdown on four carries on the ground. Elliot finished his impressive day gaining 147 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries on the ground and had one catch for 72 yards and a touchdown. Bryant hauled in seven catches for 63 yards and one touchdown and Witten snagged four catches for 54 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively the Cowboys registered five sacks by five different players and forced three turnovers. Linebacker Anthony Hitchens led the way with eight tackles. The Cowboys will look to keep the winning momentum going as they take on division rival the Washington Redskins next Sunday.
