Cowboys vs. 49ers: Previewing Preseason Week 1 for San Francisco
By Chris Wilson
Preseason Week 1 by the numbers
After boasting one of the NFL’s top offenses in 2016 — both through the air and on the ground — the Cowboys were a mid-tier offense in 2017, ranking 14th in both points scored and total yards, after ranking fifth in both measures the previous season.
The main reason for Dallas’ offensive decline was the team’s decrease in passing efficiency. While the Cowboys’ rushing game ranked second per Football Outsiders’ advanced metrics in both 2016 and 2017, the team’s passing attack dropped from third to 18th in the league.
Dallas’ star quarterback Prescott shoulders some of the blame, although injuries to the offensive line and declining play from aging receivers didn’t help the second-year QB.
Luckily, the Cowboys have former All-Pro running back Ezekiel Elliott, who led the NFL in rushing yards per game in both of his seasons in the league. Zeke only missed his second-straight Pro Bowl due to a six-game suspension which haunted the team throughout the 2017 season:
| Game | Game | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rush | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Tota | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Tm | G | GS | Rush | Yds | TD | Y/A | Y/G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | Y/G | Ctch% | YScm | RRTD |
| 2016 | DAL | 15 | 15 | 322 | 1631 | 15 | 5.1 | 108.7 | 39 | 32 | 363 | 11.3 | 1 | 24.2 | 82.1% | 1994 | 16 |
| 2017 | DAL | 10 | 10 | 242 | 983 | 7 | 4.1 | 98.3 | 38 | 26 | 269 | 10.3 | 2 | 26.9 | 68.4% | 1252 | 9 |
| Career | 25 | 25 | 564 | 2614 | 22 | 4.6 | 104.6 | 77 | 58 | 632 | 10.9 | 3 | 25.3 | 3246 | 25 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
When Elliott is on the field, he’s one of the best dual-threat backs in the game, which the 49ers quickly learned in Week 7 last season. Outside of a crushing hit by 49ers linebacker Reuben Foster, Zeke single-handedly defeated San Francisco’s makeshift defense, racking up 219 total yards and three touchdowns.
The good news for the 49ers is Zeke is likely to spend today’s game on the Dallas sideline, as the Cowboys have historically played their stud RB in just one of the team’s preseason games each year.
In 2017, the 49ers ranked in the bottom half of the league in most offensive metrics — until Garoppolo was inserted into the starting lineup. Suddenly, San Francisco’s offense became one of the NFL’s best, with Garoppolo averaging over 300 passing yards per game, and the Niners defeating three straight playoff-bound teams.
The 49ers’ new QB also helped the team’s defense by sustaining drives and keeping key defenders rested on the sideline, thanks to Garoppolo’s quarterback rating of over 100 on both third and fourth downs.