The Week 5 matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers on “Sunday Night Football” was hyped as a battle between two of the best teams in the NFC. Dallas was seeking revenge for two straight postseason losses at the hands of a rival dating back to the 1990s.
But the Niners used their 42-10 drubbing of the Cowboys to show they are currently playing in a class of their own. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Niners — the matchup of last year’s NFC championship game — are the two remaining unbeatens in the NFL.
Tight end George Kittle caught three passes — all touchdowns — from Brock Purdy, who finished with four passing scores and moved to 10-0 as a starter in the regular season. Kittle’s second touchdown catch of the game was on a trick play that went for 38 yards.
The Cowboys' offense looked very much like it did in last season's playoff exit -- uncomfortable and out of sorts. Dallas was sluggish through the first half of the game, and the night unraveled quickly when Dak Prescott threw three interceptions in the second half. It got out of hand so quickly that Sam Darnold entered the game for the 49ers with more than 12 minutes remaining.
For Prescott and the Cowboys, questions about whether they can get over the hump against the class of the NFC will persist. While their wins have been dominant, Dallas already sits two games behind the Eagles in the NFC East.
San Francisco took that turnover and turned it into a 12-play, 62-yard drive that ate up 6:42 of clock, the score coming two plays into the final quarter. Purdy gave Kittle a break and instead let Kyle Juszczyk record his first touchdown of the season, dumping a 1-yard pass off to the wide open fullback to increase the lead to an insurmountable 25 points.
Yet there was still nearly a full quarter to play, meaning things only got worse. Another Prescott interception on the Cowboys' next series was immediately followed by running back Jordan Mason darting off left tackle 26 yards to the end zone for the touchdown.
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