Past matchups between the 49ers and Cowboys have been full of animosity. Are the Cowboys buttering up their rivals this time?
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — There’s probably no quicker pathway toward establishing a rivalry than frequent playoff meetings. The and have faced off in the postseason two straight seasons now, so that antagonistic fire of the past between the two teams — which burned so hot in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s — might indeed be warming back up ahead of Sunday night’s showdown at Levi’s Stadium. Advertisement That’s not to say a pregame war of words between the 49ers and Cowboys has made a roaring return.
Given how prolifically running back has powered the 49ers’ ground attack — their efficiency on early downs is pairing with Purdy’s stellar play to spearhead tremendous consistency on that side of the ball — this week’s pregame discourse has returned to Square 1: Does Dallas have what it takes to stop the 49ers’ run game for a full 60 minutes? 1st and 10 rush rates and success rate on those runs in non-garbage time situations for every team so far this year.