The Dallas Cowboys versus the San Francisco 49ers.
Just the mention of those two longtime National Football League powerhouses creates excitement in a football fan's mind. Tonight, these two longtime rivals square off at Levi’s Stadium to complete the Sunday schedule of NFL Week Eight action.
Powerhouses?
Really?
Would it surprise you to know that neither of these teams has won a Super Bowl this century? The last time the 49ers ended their season in a hail of winning confetti was 1994, the Cowboys last Vince Lombardi winning effort came the following season. This year, the 49ers and Cowboys come into this Week 8 matchup without winning records.
Both San Francisco and Dallas have won three games this season, but the 49ers have lost four and the Cowboys three.
What gives?
In San Francisco’s case, the 49ers have had more injuries than a month of M*A*S*H episodes. The injury problems continue to mount today with sturdy George Kittle questionable with a bum ankle. I get the feeling it will take more than that to keep Kittle off the field today … he loves to bang on the Cowboys.
As for Dallas, the problems run deeper.
They may have figured out by now that having a running game in the National Football League is a good idea. Unfortunately, realizing that and having a running game are two different things. This is a concern that would have been better addressed during the offseason instead of midseason.
So, are we to say the Cowboys and 49ers just aren’t that good?
Well, the Cowboys are less able to handle a key injury, without Micah Parsons in their lineup they are a sieve on defense. He is out today. The 49ers have a row of backups behind the front-line players that are missing, and from a long-term perspective on this season, they are much more capable of putting together a late season run and solid showing in the postseason.
As for today, laying more than a field goal with a San Francisco team carrying a losing record doesn’t seem wise. Backing a Cowboys team on the road without their primary defensive plug isn’t something that sends me rushing off to the window to get a bet down.
The 49ers and Cowboys, yes it conjures up greatness from the past. But for the present, it is just a game between two teams without a winning record and a point spread that makes a wager on either side dicey at best.