Niner Noise
FanSided

Cowboys vs. 49ers: Previewing Week 4 for San Francisco

By Peter Panacy

August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the line of scrimmage during the first quarter between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the line of scrimmage during the first quarter between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 7
Next
August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) runs past Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Kyle Wilber (51) during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) runs past Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Kyle Wilber (51) during the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers Offensive and Defensive X-Factors

As a unit, the 49ers will need to get a lot out of the offense. It’s a group struggling on third downs so far, and the Niners’ 35.71 3-and-out percentage mark is the second highest in the NFL so far.

So who can turn the page for San Francisco on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball?

RB Carlos Hyde

By this point, it’s pretty clear the 49ers will live and die by how well their running game is going over the course of 60 minutes.

Running back Carlos Hyde didn’t exactly get things going until the fourth quarter in Seattle but still managed to gain over 100 yards and add another two touchdowns to his season total of four.

Yet so much of head coach Chip Kelly’s offense is predicated on the ability to move the ball on the ground. The Cowboys know this too.

August 26, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium. The Packers defeated the 49ers 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 26, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Torrey Smith (82) warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium. The Packers defeated the 49ers 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

WR Torrey Smith

We shouldn’t expect quarterback Blaine Gabbert to have a signature game in Week 4 — or maybe any game for that matter — but the Niners could do worse than try to involve No. 1 wide receiver Torrey Smith more frequently.

Smith has been targeted just 20 times this season and is averaging just 34.3 receiving yards per game.

But Smith is the 49ers’ lone big-play threat through the air. And his ability to draw pass-interference calls makes him an ideal weapon against a questionable Dallas secondary.

LB Ahmad Brooks

Niner Noise took a look at the Week 4 matchup between veteran linebacker Ahmad Brooks and Cowboys right tackle Doug Free already.

Free is the lone member of Dallas’ offensive line with a Pro Football Focus ranking below 70 (49.1), so perhaps the best way to get pressure on quarterback Dak Prescott will be to rush from this side of the line.

Brooks is a opportunistic pass-rusher at best, at this point of his career. And he’ll need some help from the guys up front too.

LB NaVorro Bowman

Despite Prescott’s notable maturation this season, the Cowboys running game will be a pinnacle against a suspect 49ers run defense.

So this means tailback Ezekiel Elliott. A lot of him. Elliott put on a show — literally — in Week 3. And we all know how opposing coaches love to run the ball against a Chip Kelly-led defense.

Plugging up running lanes, and setting the edge, will fall on plenty of Niners defenders’ shoulders. But look for linebacker NaVorro Bowman to be a key run-stopping plug at the point of attack.