The Dallas Cowboys are back from their bye week and heading into a crucial test against a familiar foe: the San Francisco 49ers. This matchup has been a thorn in the Cowboys’ side over the past few seasons, with three consecutive losses to the 49ers under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
While rookie linebacker DeMarvion Overshown wasn’t on the field for those defeats, he understands the magnitude of this Week 8 clash. Both teams are struggling with injuries, but Overshown insists the Cowboys won’t lean on that as a reason for underperformance.
“We just got to trust our training and trust the brothers that we play with out on the field,” said Overshown. “We’ve got a lot of players down and so do they, but we can’t use that excuse [for not] playing good football.”
The Cowboys sit at 3-3 and are desperately looking for a win to stay competitive. Meanwhile, the 49ers are reeling after dropping to 3-4, adding even more urgency to this Sunday night matchup.
Stopping the 49ers’ rushing attack will be key for Dallas, a task that has haunted the Cowboys in past meetings. It’s a strategy the Cowboys’ defense is determined to execute to give themselves a fighting chance.
“If we force them into a one-dimensional game, it could work in our favor,” said Overshown, pointing to the importance of containing Brock Purdy and the 49ers’ ground game.
Overshown also emphasized the importance of starting fast, a point that defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has driven home.
“We’ve just got to be about our business and we have to hold ourselves accountable,” he said. “Once we start off slow, we’re not picking it back up. We’ve got to come out there and start off fast — attacking them and not getting attacked.”
This will be the 41st meeting between the two storied franchises, with San Francisco currently holding a 20-19-1 advantage in the all-time series. A victory for the Cowboys would not only even things up but could also shift momentum as both teams push toward a strong second half of the season.
“We’ve got to get going,” said Overshown. “Those first six weeks — September football, early October football — you’re still trying to figure it out. We know this is a good opponent that we’re looking forward to.”
Sunday’s game promises to be a battle, and the Cowboys know they’ll need four solid quarters of football to come out on top.
“They’re going to [give] their all, and we’ve got to do the same thing.”
