In Week 5, the Cowboys travel to Santa Clara to take on the 49ers for what is possibly the game of the 2023 season. The early season matchup carries more gravity than most non-divisional games. It was San Francisco who ended the Cowboys’ postseason in the past two consecutive campaigns.
Dallas knows the road to the NFC championship runs through San Francisco. They are atop most power ranking and have been a virtual boogieman to the Cowboys. Both teams know each other well and with many carryover players and coaches facing off again in Week 5, it will be more than a grudge match but also a chess match.
The blueprint for the 49ers defense is clear: They want to slow down opposing offenses to a crawl and make them grind out drives.
The blueprint for the Cowboys offense is also clear: They want to methodically move down the field and grind out drives.
It’s strength against strength and the winner of the game will likely come down to who best handles a few key matchups. We look at three of those key matchups today.