Cowboys 27 49ers 24

The San Francisco 49ers were handed multiple opportunities to pull off an upset over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.  It all started with Cowboys cornerbacks Terence Newman and Orlando Scandrick, and wide receiver Dez Bryant all out for the game with injuries.  During the game Cowboys RB Felix Jones was out for a big portion of the game with an injury, as was QB Tony Romo.  Romo looked like he was out for good after 49ers CB Carlos Rogers laid a hit on him that cracked a rib.  Backup QB Jon Kitna was having mixed results for the Cowboys when Romo returned to the game late in the third quarter.  The 49ers offense missed opportunities to score in the second half with numerous three-and-outs. 

Shortly after the start of the fourth quarter the 49ers made a field goal to pull ahead 24-14 but the Cowboys were called for a 15-yard penalty.  Instead of taking the penalty and a new fresh set of downs, Jim Harbaugh took the three points with 14 minutes left in the fourth quarter and a ten-point lead.  Alex Smith and the offense continued their pattern in the second-half of three-and-outs and did not score the rest of the game.  The 49ers defense could not hold off Romo’s hurt rib and the Cowboys offense as they scored 10 unanswered points to force overtime.  The final opportunity presented to the 49ers to pull off the upset was winning the coin toss and starting overtime with the football.  Smith passed for a 12-yard gain on the first play but then the 49ers went three-and-out in the next set of downs.  After the punt Romo needed just one play, a 77-yard pass to WR Jesse Holley, to set up the game winning field goal.  Game. Set. Match. 

Let’s hand out some Game Gold Nuggets.

GGN Scale: 

 = OUTSTANDING

= VERY GOOD

 = GOOD

= AVERAGE

= HORRIBLE

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As a Niner fan you cannot ask for anything better than having your first two opponents of the season be a division rival and a long hated rival.  The 49ers rode the defense and special teams to victory over the Seahawks last week but this week against one of San Francisco’s biggest and most hated rivals, Cowboys, the offense will need to produce touchdown drives.  With Alex Smith at quarterback and a new offense, producing multiple touchdown drives against DeMarcus Ware and the Cowboys defense is easier said than done. 

The 49ers and Cowboys have a long storied history especially in the NFC championship.  The 49ers and Cowboys had memorable matchups in the 1971, 1981 and 1992-94 NFC Championship games.  Both teams today are nowhere near those classic teams of the 80’s and 90’s but that does not make the rivalry any less intense as it is always feels good to beat the Cowboys. To preview the Cowboys vs. 49ers game Niner Noise hooked up with Steven Mullenax, Editor of Cowboys blog The Landry Hat, to answer some questions in order to get to know the Cowboys.  Enjoy!

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This post was written by Matt Hamm

I have an annual tradition of re-watching our beloved 49ers games each Tuesday and Thursday night.   I will continue that tradition this season and share with you 10 key takeaways from each game all season long.

1)      Earl Thomas is an absolute BEAST and that’s bad news for 49er fans and will be for a long time.  Thomas was everywhere on the field Sunday providing excellent run support and coverage.

2)      Aldon Smith is also an absolute BEAST and that is of course great news for 49ers fans.  He didn’t make many plays in this game other than one pass deflection.  His athletic ability is evident on almost every snap, even when he’s beat on a play, laying on the ground the guy seems to utilize that unreal wingspan and pop back up and get himself back in the play.

3)      Braylon Edwards is going to have a huge year for the 49ers and is clearly their #1 WR right now.  Smith and Edwards seem to have a chemistry he and Michael Crabtree have yet to establish.  With Edwards size and ability look for the 49ers to try and get him the ball more vs. Dallas.

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