49ers vs. Cowboys playoff game: Why Niners have all the advantages
By Peter Panacy
Advantage No. 2: 49ers don’t throw interceptions, Cowboys do
OK, so there might not be a total edge for either team in turnover differential. The Niners are No. 1 in the NFL at plus-13, whereas the Cowboys are No. 2 at plus-10.
In the grand scheme of things, that’s pretty close. Especially when considering Dallas ranked tops in the league at forcing turnovers with 33. San Francisco was directly behind at 30 defensive takeaways.
However, the 49ers do hold an advantage in the interception department. In short, quarterbacks (including rookie Brock Purdy) haven’t tossed too many interceptions this year.
#49ers interceptions-thrown per game is 3rd in the NFL (good) while Cowboys rank 28th (bad).
— Steph Sanchez (@Steph49K) January 18, 2023
Purdy didn’t toss a pick in the win over Seattle, and he threw only four during his regular-season efforts.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, meanwhile, was tied for a league-most 15 interceptions thrown on the year. And his interception percentage of 3.8 was the highest among qualifying signal-callers, too.
For a Niners defense that recorded an NFL-best 20 interceptions this year, this trend is awfully juicy.
Advantage: 49ers