The bye week felt like an eternity for the Cowboys, thanks in no small part to the dour way they handled things against the Lions the last time they took the field. Now that they’ve taken some time to rest and adjust their approach, the Cowboys head to San Francisco to take on their bitter rivals. Can they beat a 49ers team that is also struggling at 3-4? Our writers have some thoughts.

When San Francisco has the ball

Eye discipline, eye discipline, eye discipline

The 49ers offense, led by Kyle Shanahan, is built on confusing defenses. The run and pass game are perfectly married, and Shanahan provides enough movement to wreak havoc in the minds of opposing defenders. Only two teams currently have more movement than the 49ers.

The Cowboys, meanwhile, have fought vigorously against movement. When opposing offenses use motion, Dallas gives up seven yards per play and allows 0.22 EPA/game, both of which are the worst in the league by a wide margin. To have a chance against this offense, even with so many skill players injured, Dallas must play with perfect eye discipline and avoid getting caught up in all the moves and miscues.

When Dallas has the ball

Attack the edges

The 49ers have taken a noticeable step back on defense this year, and their run defense has been the biggest problem. They have been particularly vulnerable against runs outside the tackles, with San Francisco giving up the second-most yards per rush in the league. They also have the second-worst run stunt percentage on outside runs, only ahead of — you guessed it — the Dallas Cowboys.

For whatever reason, teams don’t run the ball outside against San Francisco. The Cowboys don’t run much outside the tackles either, even though Rico Dowdle ranks second among all running backs in success rate on runs outside the tackles. However, it seems likely that Dalvin Cook will make his Cowboys debut in this game, and Cook has historically been a better outside runner in his career. All signs suggest Dallas will need to deviate from its usual game plan and attack the edges, but will they?

Now on to your BTB writers’ predictions…

Tom Ryle (3-3):

I wish I could pick the Cowboys, but there are troubling signs the wheels are coming off. Jerry Jones keeps making very unhelpful comments and I don’t have a good feeling about the morale in the locker room. The most important thing is that I just don’t see the performance on the field.

I think Mike McCarthy and company get outcoached and Dallas loses 24-16.

Matt Holleran (2-4):

If there was ever a time for the Cowboys to finally slay the dragon that is the San Francisco 49ers, it would be this Sunday. San Fran comes into this game with a 3-4 record and has injuries throughout its ranks. The 49ers are as vulnerable as they will ever be, and this would be the perfect time for the Cowboys to finally get the monkey off their backs and beat the team that has given them so much trouble over the years.

Unfortunately, I don’t see how anyone can trust that this will happen. Despite all their injuries, the 49ers simply have the Cowboys number. Somehow, Fred Warner and the San Francisco defense will produce several impressive results and Brock Purdy will find wide open receivers like he did last fall. The 49ers are Dallas’ kryptonite, and that won’t change on Sunday.

Give me the 49ers, 27-17.

Jess Haynie (4-2):

The Cowboys technically have a better record than the 49ers, but the Niners have posted more impressive wins and more respectable losses. They are the better team by most measures, not to mention the way they have dominated Dallas in recent years. Both are dealing with injuries, but the Cowboys’ weakness in the run defense will allow San Francisco to mitigate some of their own injuries.

49ers 27, Cowboys 20.

Brandon Loree (3-3)

The Cowboys are historically good after the bye week under Mike McCarthy’s 10-year head coach. In games after their bye week on the road, McCarthy’s record is two and one in Dallas. However, they have a hill as tall as a mountain to climb to beat the 49ers for the first time since 2020. Dalvin Cook’s presence may be enough to jump-start the game, but it won’t be enough to carry Dallas to a win.

San Francisco defeated this one 25-17.

Mike Poland (3-3):

The Cowboys have allowed three passing touchdowns on the road this season, which is the fourth-fewest in the league this year. As for the 49ers offense, they have scored two passing touchdowns at home this season, the second fewest. Add to that the fact that the team can be limited by injuries, which makes a big difference in their attack.

Cowboys win 24-20 this week. Let’s get the season back on track.

Dana Bartholomew (4-2):

Both teams are extremely conflicted, so it’s a bit difficult to judge this game on historical performance between the two. I was hoping the Cowboys would get an advantage in healing a lot of injuries during the bye week, but as it stands, that wasn’t the case. Parsons and Bland have both been ruled out. Carson and Kendricks are both still questionable. With so many key players still on defense, I’ll have to give the edge to the 49ers in San Francisco.

49ers win 30-20.

Brian Martin (3-3):

With both teams currently dealing with a host of injuries to key starters, this Week 8 matchup between the Cowboys and the 49ers is a strange one to predict. Dallas is coming off their bye week, which could give them a slight advantage with the extra time to prepare. On the other hand, San Francisco has easily gotten the better of the Cowboys in their last meetings.

I hope I’m wrong, but I’m going with the hometown team and predicting SF to win 17-13 in no time.

RJ Ochoa (5-1):

Even as the Cowboys haven’t looked like an all-out disaster so far in the season, there’s simply nothing that has happened in recent history that would indicate that pitting them against this team specifically is a good idea. Until the Cowboys prove they can beat the 49ers by any means necessary, I will have no hesitation in taking San Francisco against them. When you take into account all the funk of this season and the chaos off the field, it becomes all the easier.

Give me the Niners along the lines of 33-23.

David Howman (3-3):

Surprisingly, there are factors pointing to a Cowboys victory on Sunday night. Mike McCarthy usually has his team ready to play coming out of the bye, the 49ers are the worst they’ve been in years even before all the injuries they’re now facing, and Dallas is seemingly only capable of winning at the road this year.

That said, I’m not ready to believe yet. While it would be peak Cowboys finally beating the 49ers but leaving it feeling completely empty due to the circumstances, it would also be peak Cowboys getting extra rest against a depleted 49ers squad and still getting beaten by them . Unfortunately, I think this is the most likely outcome.

49ers win, 38-20.