Niner Noise
FanSided

San Francisco 49ers: Revisiting the Franchise’s NFL-Leading Week 1 Winning Streak

By Peter Panacy

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Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) catches a touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis (85) catches a touchdown pass in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /

2014 — at the Dallas Cowboys

49ers 28, Cowboys 17

The 49ers window was coming to a close in 2014, although no one knew it at the time.

And San Francisco’s Week 1 stomping of the Dallas Cowboys certainly indicated head coach Jim Harbaugh’s squad was poised for yet another deep playoff run.

The Niners never trailed in the game and carried a 28-3 lead into halftime. San Francisco’s scoring got off to a great start, thanks to a 35-yard fumble returned for a touchdown by cornerback Chris Culliver.

But this Week 1 performance was highlighted by Vernon Davis, whose two touchdown receptions seemed to reaffirm his presence among NFL elite tight ends at the time.

Unfortunately, those two TD grabs turned out to be all Davis would have that season. And his 245 total yards in 2014 marked the lowest in his 10-year career.

Dallas crawled back in the second half and managed to score 14 unanswered points. In many ways, this was an indication of the times to come.

Trouble was brewing within the 49ers organization, and the team would finish with an 8-8 record. Harbaugh and the Niners “mutually” parted ways the following offseason, and the disastrous 2015 campaign was just beyond.

Next: 2015 versus the Dallas Cowboys