Cowboys News: How to beat Brock, Bosa stock, Sunday’s ref … rocks?
Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys have adopted an “it is what it is” approach to having two fewer days of rest than their upcoming playoff opponent, but everyone else sure is talking about it. Tony Dungy weighs in on what the short week and double travel means for a team, even as 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan tries to downplay any advantage an extra 52 hours might give his squad.
Previewing Sunday’s game, we look at how Dak Prescott can put the pressure on Brock Purdy, and last week’s San Francisco tape shows how a fast start from the Cowboys defense could rattle the rookie early. We’re looking at injury news for both teams (including a new development on Christian McCaffrey over past weeks), sizing up a big challenge for the Dallas offensive line, and judging how referee assignments may affect the Cowboys more than the Niners.
All that, plus news on the Cowboys’ new kicker, Rob Gronkowski eats crow over some words he shared Monday night, how the Cowboys forced Tom Brady into unfamiliar territory, and which Cowboys players would get MVP votes on a 100-player ballot. That’s all up in a jumbo-sized News and Notes.
Dungy explains why Cowboys have 'little chance' to beat 49ers :: NBC Sports Bay Area
The ex-Bucs and ex-Colts coach pointed out that there are very few examples of teams winning a Monday night road game and then a Sunday road game, in the playoffs or otherwise. “52 hours difference in rest plus two plane rides. Tough to overcome,” he tweeted.
Kyle Shanahan: Extra time in playoffs doesn’t mean anything :: ProFootballTalk
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan downplayed any advantage his team might have come Sunday thanks to two extra days’ rest. “By this time, I don’t think it is about recovery. It’s about detail and it’s about executing and it’s about playing at a high level.”
Cowboys add kicker to practice squad as insurance for Brett Maher :: Cowboys Wire
Tristan Vizcaino has bounced around with multiple teams over his four NFL seasons. He’ll now join Dallas for a second stint on the practice squad, as a backup to Maher. Maher is expected to start Sunday in San Francisco, but Vizcaino- who is 11-of-12 on field goals and 15-of-20 on PATs- provides some level of insurance.
Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin: Is Brett Maher's issue 'technique' or a 'brain tweak?' :: USA Today
The Playmaker says four missed points could prove fatal if it happens again this week. “You can get away with it with the Buccaneers, that only average 15 points. You can get away with it if it was the Minnesota Vikings,” Irvin said. “You know they will not have the same kind of margin for error,” he explained of San Francisco. “When something goes so bad, now I gotta wonder if it’s technique – something I’ve got to fix in my swing – or is this a brain tweak, where something’s going wrong in my head? That’s the concern.”
Injury Report: Cowboys, 49ers sit Hall of Famers to begin divisional round prep :: Cowboys Wire
Jason Peters sat out Wednesday’s work with his hip injury. DeMarcus Lawrence was limited (as customary), as was Jayron Kearse. For the 49ers, cornerback Ambry Thomas was a DNP with an ankle injury, while Jimmy Garoppolo missed, and tackle Trent Williams took a rest day. Javon Kinlaw, Jauan Jennings, and Samson Ebukam were all limited.
Christian McCaffrey off injury report for first time since Week 12 :: ProFootballTalk
McCaffrey is apparently completely past his knee injury. He was healthy enough to practice in full in the 49ers’ first work session of the week on Wednesday. For seven straight weeks, he had either limited work or none on the first two practice days of the week before finally being listed as a full participant on the final practice day.
Why Dak Prescott – not the Cowboys defense – is key to slowing down Brock Purdy, 49ers :: Dallas Morning News
Brock Purdy hasn’t played like a rookie, and he sure hasn’t played like the very last player taken in the draft. But if Dak Prescott can play like he did Monday night, he can pressure Purdy into having to match him point-for-point. Prescott was 6-0 this season when he had a better passer rating than the opposing quarterback.
Kyle Shanahan not concerned with Brock Purdy's rocky start in 1st playoff game :: Niners Wire
While he finished last Saturday’s game strong, the San Francisco passer struggled in the team’s first half against Seattle. Purdy completed just 9 of his 19 first-half throws for 147 yards and one touchdown. Of his 10 incompletions, some were easy throws that he simply missed; others were balls he tried to fit into windows that weren’t open. At least two could’ve easily been intercepted.
SF defense the latest test for Cowboys O-line :: The Mothership
The Cowboys’ front five has exceeded expectations, especially since it’s seemingly been a different five from week to week. But this next challenge will be steep: the 49ers defense was best in the league in points allowed per game, yards allowed per game, and interceptions, as well as second in rushing yards surrendered per game, all to go along with 44 sacks as a team. Oh yeah, and they have Nick Bosa. “We basically have to gameplan around him a little bit more,” Connor McGovern admitted. “So let’s put the target on [Bosa] this week. If that means sliding him a little bit more or changing the game plan up a little bit, but we’ll give him his respect.”
Game Theory: Every team's chance to make the Super Bowl - Divisional Round 2022 :: NFL.com
Ahead of their divisional-round meeting, the Cowboys stand just a 19.4% chance of reaching Super Bowl LVII, according to Cynthia Frelund’s mathematical model. The 49ers are pegged at a 33.0% chance, and the Eagles are given a 39.4% chance.
49ers screwed by ref assignment for Cowboys game :: FanDuel
Bill Vinovich is known as a referee who lets teams play; his crews assigned 70 fewer penalties in 2022 than the flag-happiest crew. The Dallas Cowboys are the most penalized team remaining in the postseason, at 5.9 per game, and they got hit with 14 calls in last year’s playoff meeting with the 49ers. But if San Francisco was hoping for another flagfest this time around, they will likely not get it from Vinovich.
Cowboys-Bucs wild-card game sets ESPN record with 31.2 million viewers :: Yahoo Sports
Sunday’s wild-card matchup was the most-watched non-Super Bowl playoff game the Worldwide Leader has ever broadcast. The 31.2 million viewers represented a figure up 35% from last year’s Cardinals-Rams wild-card tilt on the network.
'We were all over them': Cowboys defense sinks 66-pass effort from Tom Brady :: Cowboys Wire
The greatest to ever play the position threw more passes than he ever had before in a single game. But the Cowboys defense had a few new wrinkles in place to not only hold Brady in check… but possibly also seal the end of the TB12 era in Tampa.
Rob Gronkowski apologized to the Dallas Cowboys … kind of :: Fansided
The former Bucs tight end had said before Monday night’s game that the Cowboys were “pretenders.” He backtracked Wednesday on-air with Kay Adams, saying, “They proved me wrong this year … I gotta give it to the Cowboys.” But then he went on to pick the 49ers in this Sunday’s game, calling their roster “too stacked.”
More Cowboys-Buccaneers postgame coverage :: Cowboys Wire
Luminaries: 3 Cowboys who shined brightest in victory over Bucs
Position grades, snap counts from Cowboys’ dominant dispatching of Tampa Bay
Watch: Goat comedian clowns GOAT Brady in Cowboys-Bucs recap
Cowboys place 4 on ESPN's 100-player MVP ballot :: Cowboys Wire
AP voters will now rank five players for the league’s Most Valuable Player Award. ESPN took it further by ranking the top 100 candidates. Micah Parsons barely missed the top 10; Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Zack Martin were all listed in the top 60.
