After a huge road win in week 18 against the Rams, the 49ers clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2019 and are set to face their long-time playoff rival Dallas Cowboys on the road. This won’t be an easy matchup as the Cowboys have had their best season since 2016, finishing with a 12-5 record and securing the number one seed in their division. Let’s break down how each team can win this game. 

49ers

The 49ers had a rough start to the season but drastically turned it around finishing with a 7-2 record over their last 9 games. There have been questions surrounding Jimmy Garoppolo’s future all year and while he hasn’t looked great at times, he got them to the playoffs and will be starting this Sunday. The 49ers have always been able to run the ball effectively but the offense appears to have fully clicked through the emergence of wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Deebo has allowed the offense to open up numerous holes for other players like star tight end George Kittle and running backs Elijah Mitchell and Jeff Wilson Jr. The 49ers established a great run defense throughout the season which will make it hard for running backs Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard to get going on the ground. One weakness on the defensive front is the Niners pass defense which has had injuries and some lackluster performances by a few rookies so the front four and linebacking core will need to put pressure on Dak Prescott or it could be a long day. 

Cowboys

Who would have thought the Cowboys defense would be their forte this season after ranking 28th just a year ago. Rookie Micah Parsons has been a flat out problem for offenses all across the league finishing with a dominating 13 sacks. Second year cornerback Trevon Diggs is the definition of a ball hawk leading the league with 11 interceptions. The defense is the glue to this team and has to show up this Sunday. The Cowboys’ offense has looked sharp at times and mediocre on numerous occasions. This offense has the potential to be great with star wide receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb and will need to utilize their weapons against a beatable 49ers pass defense. In order for the pass game to thrive, the offensive line will need to win the battle upfront to get Ezekiel Elliot and Tony Pollard going or we could see another inconsistent day from Dak Prescott. 

If the 49ers lose, the future of Jimmy Garoppolo’s career in the Bay Area will certainly be in doubt. If the Cowboys lose, there will be the continual questions surrounding why Dallas can’t move through the playoffs to win another Super Bowl.