The 49ers have a chance to get back to .500, but must beat one of their oldest rivals, the Dallas Cowboys. With both teams starting this season below expectations, this game is the 49ers’ chance to get into the swing of things. What do the Niners need to do to become contenders and not pretenders?

This is the game for the 49ers. As we’ve seen this season, the 49ers’ redzone was poor. So far, they rank 26th in expected points added (EPA) while in the red zone. That’s bad. But the good news is that the Cowboys defense is worse in the red zone. The Cowboys’ Defense has posted the worst EPA in the NFL’s red zone. Additionally, once teams get into the red zone against Dallas, they get a touchdown 70% of the time. It feels like the Niners should score at will in the red zone, but with the way they’re playing, nothing is guaranteed. What is a guarantee is that allowing points in the red zone every time will make it difficult for teams to win, which should be the Niners’ goal.

Nick Bosa was one of the best edge rushers in the league this year. Bosa has had 39 pressure points through the left and right tackle this season. No matter who is lined up against him, he bypasses them and puts some pressure on the QB. Now Bosa will have the privilege of being lined up against some tackles who can’t stop him. Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele will be the starters for Dallas, and both have PFF block grades under 50. This should be a treat for Bosa, who has a chance to get some free sacks on his stat line. Even if the Cowboys try to double-team Bosa, it will lead to Maliek Collins and Leonard Floyd getting some 1v1 matchups they can win. The Cowboys’ OLine will have to be sharp if they want to stop the 49ers’ DLine.

I feel like Dr. now. Strange. Of all the possibilities, it appears there is only one realistic way for the Cowboys to win this game. When it gets emotional. If the 49ers come out this cocky and with their “F Dallas” shirts, the Cowboys have a chance. They will hit harder, talk louder and possibly startle the Niners with their attitude. The Niners can’t let them do that. They need to keep this simple, it’s a football match they want to win. I don’t want to see someone get in Trent Williams’ face and throw a punch. I don’t want to see the Niners push the Cowboys players away and start a fight. All that will do is give the Cowboys momentum. The Niners need to start the game with a good drive to pile on the pressure, and once they do, the Cowboys should fall apart. They don’t have the talent to stop this 49ers team, so don’t give them any hope that they can win.

I’m tired of watching this team take a late lead. So far this season, the 49ers have blown fourth-quarter leads twice. These came against the cardinals and the rams. That can’t happen again. If this team blows another fourth-quarter lead this week, it seems like it will cement the change in the entire team. Maybe Shanahan gets fired at the end of the year, maybe they decide to become salespeople. Whatever happens, it won’t be good. As much as this should depend on the players’ in-game performance, it will be on Kyle Shanahan. He has consistently shown himself to be a bad coach in late games, so don’t give yourself the opportunity to screw up again. Get a big lead early and put the game well out of reach. I’m talking three scores out of reach. No lead of 10 points, we have shown that this is not enough. I need to see a 13 point lead going into the 4th to feel confident.

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