This is the live blog for the 49ers week 5 Sunday Night Football matchup with the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. I will provide updates and analysis throughout the game from the press box.
3:40 Former 49ers quarterback Trey Lance went through an extensive pregame workout. You can watch it by clicking here.
3:50 In case you missed it, here is my preview, prediction, and matchups to watch for in tonight’s game.
3:55 Inactive for the 49ers tonight are DE Randy Gregory, LB Jalen Graham, RB Elijah Mitchell, OL Nick Zakelj, QB Brandon Allen, TE Brayden Willis, DL Kalia Davis
4:05 Inactive for the Cowboys tonight are QB Trey Lance, S Israel Mukuamu, CB Eric Scott, OL Asim Richards, WR Jalen Brooks, TE Peyton Hendershot, DL Viliami Fehoko
5:15 There is a lot of blue inside Levi’s Stadium tonight. The Cowboys fans travel well.
5:20 Dallas won the toss and deferred. The 49ers will start on offense.
5:30 The 49ers offense with a machine-like 7 play, 75-yard drive to open the game. Christian McCaffrey with 3 carries for 12 yards, and Brock Purdy hit all 4 pass attempts including a 19 yard touchdown throw to George Kittle.
On the touchdown, Purdy felt a little pressure from DeMarcus Lawrence and escaped out to his right before finding Kittle.
Good protection from the 49ers offensive line on that opening possession.
5:35 Quick three and out by the 49ers defense. Nick Bosa with a good job coming down the line to stop Tony Pollard on first down, then Dak Prescott with a pair of overthrows. Drake Jackson had good pressure up the middle on the third down play.
5:41 After a pair of McCaffrey runs sets up 3rd and 2, Purdy’s pass to McCaffrey is tipped at the line of scrimmage and falls incomplete.
The 49ers caught a break there with the tip. The Cowboys defensive back made Purdy think it was zone pre-snap and was in position to get an interception.
5:45 Another quick three and out for the 49ers defense.
Dre Greenlaw dropped Tony Pollard for a loss after a catch on first down. After a completion to CeeDee Lamb, Nick Bosa and Arik Armstead get to Prescott for a sack. Isaiah Oliver had good coverage, forcing Prescott to hold onto the ball.
5:58 A solid start to the 49ers third offensive possession ends with a bad stretch from Brock Purdy.
He doesn’t get the snap off on first down, then missed high on first and 15 and 2nd and 15. Then Christian McCaffrey was stopped for a loss of five on a draw.
6:00 A huge turnover for the 49ers defense. Tony Pollard went around the left side, and Fred Warner knocked the ball out of his hand. The fumble was recovered by Kevin Givens along the sideline.
6:08 Christian McCaffrey turns the ball back over to the Cowboys on a run up the middle. Cowboys nickelback Jourdan Lewis took the ball away from McCaffrey as he was being run over.
6:11 Dallas has had four possessions and run just 10 plays.
Charvarius Ward with a terrific pass break up on a deep throw from Prescott to Michael Gallup. Fred Warner sacks Prescott on 3rd and 2 when coverage forces the quarterback to hold onto the ball.
6:14 Kyle Shanahan with the trickeration to put the 49ers up by 14. The 49ers made it look like a reverse to Deebo Samuel who then pitched the ball back to Purdy and the quarterback hit George Kittle down the right sideline for a 38 yard touchdown.
The play was set up by a 14-yard punt return from Ray-Ray McCloud.
6:19 Dallas center Tyler Biadasz is down. This was the first time since the 2021 NFC Wildcard game that Dallas had its top five linemen together. That lasted just 11 plays.
6:26 The Cowboys offense has arrived with an 11 play, 78 yard touchdown drive to make this a seven point game when KaVontae Turpin beat Isaiah Oliver on a deep corner route for a 26-yard touchdown.
The play was set up when Fred Warner was beat by Jake Ferguson for a 20 yard gain on 3rd and 7 near midfield.
6:38 San Francisco with their third touchdown of the first half on a 9 play, 75-yard drive. Christian McCaffrey scored the touchdown from a yard out.
A few plays earlier Purdy hit McCaffrey on a screen for a gain of 19. This was a beautiful play call by Kyle Shanahan to take advantage of the Cowboys pass rush.
6:44 Dallas facing 4th and 2 from its own 42 at the two minute warning.
Dre Greenlaw and Isaiah Oliver blasting Jake Ferguson on a short throw over the middle. Dallas is going to punt.
Perfect opportunity for the 49ers offense to put more points on the board before the half. The Cowboys will get the ball first after halftime.
6:52 Not a good possession for San Francisco. Deebo Samuel picks up 8 on a first down run, but McCaffrey is stopped for no gain and Purdy’s third down pass to Aiyuk is incomplete. Dallas will get another shot with 50 seconds to go in the half.
6:55 Drake Jackson is down. He walks off the field under his own power.
Prescott was pressured and his deep throw to Brandin Cooks was out of bounds.
6:58 It’s 21-7 49ers at the half.
Dallas had 7 offensive possessions in the first half. They did not pick up a first down on 6 of them.
Second Half
7:16 Dallas opens the second half with a 6 play, 39 yard drive. The big play was a completion from Prescott to CeeDee Lamb. Prescott was pressured but Lamb got away from Charvarius Ward and the quarterback hit him for a 29 yard gain. The 49ers defense held from there and Brandon Aubrey hit from 49 yards out to make the score 21-10.
7:27 San Francisco goes 75 yards in 7 plays and Brock Purdy hits George Kittle for their third touchdown connection tonight.
San Francisco opened the possession in 22 personnel (2 running backs and 2 tight ends) and Brock Purdy hit Brandon Aiyuk for 23 yards over the middle. They were in 22 personnel again on the touchdown to Kittle.
7:32 Dak Prescott just said, “YOLO” and threw it deep where Tashaun Gipson ran it down for an interception. This one is about to get out of hand.
Aaron Banks is out with a biceps injury. Jon Feliciano has replaced him at left guard.
7:47 Brock Purdy was 7-8, 118 yards and a touchdown. He opens the second half with his fourth touchdown pass of the night, a one yard toss to Kyle Juszczyk. Welcome to Brocktober.
7:51 Deommodore Lenoir with a great play, gets a hand on the pass to Michael Gallup and the ball bounces right to Fred Warner who comes up with the interception.
7:52 On the first snap after the turnover Jordan Mason goes 26 yards around the left side for a touchdown. It’s now 42-10.
Leighton Vander Esch is down after the play.
8:00 Oren Burks with the interception. That makes it three for Dak Prescott tonight.