San Francisco 49ers – Dallas Cowboys
USA - NFL
09/10/2023 - 02:20 CET
The San Francisco 49ers are arguably the best team in the NFL at this moment. They are at 4-0 and have shown dominance in all their games so far. Christian McCaffrey has brought a new dimension to this offense, although they were already one of the best offenses in the league before his arrival. Now, they are simply unstoppable. The defense is also one of the best in football, and Kyle Shanahan finally has a team that can and should go all the way. In previous years, injuries at crucial times of the season were a problem, as were weak quarterbacks. For now, they are healthy, and Brock Purdy is the best quarterback Shanahan has had so far. Until the situation changes, the 49ers will be favorites in every game, especially at home.
The Dallas Cowboys' defense is statistically the best in the NFL. They allow the fewest points on average (10.3), with only the Cleveland Browns' defense allowing fewer yards to opponents. However, the Cowboys haven't played against any elite offense in the first four weeks. Moreover, all four opponents fall into the top 10 worst offenses in the league. Now, they will be truly tested for the first time. Also, one of their two best defenders (Trevon Diggs) tore his ACL, and his season is over. Without Diggs, the Cowboys' defense is at least 30% weaker. If not more. This was best seen against the Arizona Cardinals two weeks ago when they lost by 28:16.
These two teams played against each other in the NFC semifinals last season, and the San Francisco 49ers won by 19:12 at their home field. The 49ers are even a better team than they were back then, primarily healthier and without injury problems. The Dallas Cowboys without Diggs won't apply any pressure, and Purdy will have enough time to make the best decisions. Also, every matchup between Shanahan and Dan Quinn carries a certain weight. The two of them led the Atlanta Falcons, who squandered the biggest lead in Super Bowl history, and to this day, opinions are divided on who bears more responsibility between them. Shanahan will surely find a way to outsmart Quinn's defense here, and the 49ers will confirm that they are the best team in the NFC and in football overall.