Cowboys carry two-game winning streak into matchup with 49ers

Arlington, TX - The Dallas Cowboys return to AT&T Stadium with consecutive victories and a chance to continue their recent climb against a San Francisco 49ers team sitting at .500. Dallas enters the Week 10 matchup at 4-5 after wins over the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts, while San Francisco is 4-4 following a home loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The contrast between the Cowboys’ improving results and their No. 29 ranking in total offense helps frame a matchup between teams separated by only a half-game.

Dallas has won three of its last four games, but sustaining that run may require more production from an offense averaging 304.9 yards per game. The Cowboys rank 25th in scoring at 22.7 points per game and 26th in passing offense at 167.4 yards per game. Their more productive route has been on the ground, where 137.4 yards per game ranks sixth. That rushing attack will meet a San Francisco defense ranked 14th against the run at 123.1 yards allowed per game.

Javonte Williams has been at the center of the Cowboys’ rushing production, totaling 817 yards and four touchdowns on 154 attempts this season. His ability to keep Dallas moving on the ground could ease the burden on Dak Prescott, who has completed 171 of 273 passes for 1,607 yards, 10 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. San Francisco allows 343.5 total yards per game, ranking 16th, and gives up 29.9 points per game, which ranks 22nd. That creates an opportunity for Dallas to test whether its recent results can be paired with a more productive offensive performance.

The Cowboys also face uncertainty surrounding one of Prescott’s primary statistical leaders. Jake Ferguson, who has 35 receptions for 378 yards and two touchdowns, is listed on the injury report with a broken collarbone. His availability has not been established, but the injury adds an important variable for a Dallas passing game trying to improve on its No. 26 ranking. How the Cowboys structure their attack around Williams and Prescott will be central to their effort against San Francisco.

The 49ers arrive with stronger overall offensive numbers. They average 364.8 yards per game, ranking 15th, and score 26.6 points per game, ranking 14th. Brock Purdy has completed 186 of 269 passes for 1,971 yards and 16 touchdowns, though his 13 interceptions match Prescott’s total. Dallas allows 196.6 passing yards per game, ranking 16th, setting up a closely aligned matchup against San Francisco’s 15th-ranked passing offense, which averages 230.4 yards.

San Francisco can also turn to Christian McCaffrey, who has rushed 126 times for 781 yards and four touchdowns. The 49ers average 134.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 12th, while Dallas allows 118.4 rushing yards per game and ranks 19th in that category. Ricky Pearsall gives Purdy another established option in the passing game with 36 catches for 539 yards and three touchdowns. Dallas’ defense, ranked 15th in scoring at 25.4 points allowed per game, will be asked to contain both phases of that attack.

The previous meeting offers Dallas a favorable memory but not a guarantee for this matchup. In Week 8 of Season 35, the Cowboys defeated the 49ers 35-13. Williams rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries in that game, while Purdy completed 26 of 35 passes for 295 yards without a touchdown. Pearsall finished with four receptions for 87 yards. Those numbers belong to last season, but they underscore the potential importance of the same featured players in this meeting.

For San Francisco, the challenge is turning its statistical edge in total offense into a response after the loss to Las Vegas. For Dallas, the central question is whether its sixth-ranked rushing offense can again establish the terms of the game while the passing attack navigates Ferguson’s injury. The Cowboys have the momentum of a two-game winning streak; the 49ers bring the higher scoring and total-yardage averages. Which side can impose its preferred offensive approach will shape the matchup in Arlington.