The San Francisco 49ers have defeated the Dallas Cowboys in a close Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. In this 49ers divisional round, both teams’ defenses had themselves a day, but this was a team win. The 49ers will advance to the NFC Championship next weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are the top 3 San Francisco players in the 49ers Divisional Round.
49ers Divisional Round: Fred Warner
The San Francisco defense played their heart out during the 49ers Divisional Round. Aside from a couple of big plays, they only allowed the Dallas Cowboys to score one touchdown. This defense is led by linebacker, Fred Warner, who was one of the game’s top players.
One of the highlights of Warner as a football player is how is all over the field no matter the play. He is also the communicator on the defense. Against the Cowboys, Warner had a total of nine combined tackles, seven of which have been solo, according to ESPN. He also had one tackle for loss and one pass deflection. What should have been Warner’s top play is his interception in the first half of the game, which he returned for 16 yards.
What actually was his top play was in the second half of the game. Warner lined up on the line and managed to run downfield to block a deep pass by the Cowboys. This was a play that is rarely seen by a linebacker but was a big one. Between that play, the interception, and being all over the field, Warner was a top player in the 49ers Divisional Round.
49ers Divisional Round: George Kittle
The 49ers’ offense definitely struggled against the Cowboys. They had a difficult time keeping up with the speed of the Cowboys’ defense, putting quarterback Brock Purdy under a lot of pressure. In the second half of the game, tight end George Kittle pushed to get open, even by improvising, making him a top player in the 49ers Divisional Round.
Kittle was the leading receiver for the 49ers against the Dallas Cowboys. Throughout the game, Kittle had just five receptions, but for 95 yards, according to ESPN. He was also only targeted five times, making it better for him that he caught each one, which were all important plays. The biggest play of the game by Kittle came in the second half.
Purdy took a deep shot to Kittle down the middle, for a 30-yard reception. This was not a planned play, but Kittle was able to find an opening for Purdy to find him. It was not that easy though, when the ball got to Kittle’s hands, it bobbled for quite some time. Luckily, Kittle made the catch and that was the only drive of the game that the 49ers scored a touchdown. Kittle being able to create these big plays is a reason that he was a top player in the 49ers Divisional Round game.
49ers Divisional Round: Jimmie Ward
49ers cornerback, Jimmie Ward did a strong job defending whichever receiver he was lined up against. Ward’s coverage was a large factor in some of the top plays by San Francisco’s defense. The cornerback was also tasked with defending Cowboys’ wide receiver CeeDee Lamb much of the time. While Lamb got a couple of big plays, Ward was still a top player in this 49ers Divisional Round.
Ward was unable to convert any turnovers himself, but he was a big help. In the play that Warner made his interception, it was due to a pass deflection by Ward. Initially, it even looked as though Ward had the ball until Warner began running with it. Although he was not the one to secure the catch, this was a big moment for San Francisco.
According to ESPN, Ward had seven total tackles, six of which were solo. Ward also had one tackle for loss and two pass deflections. Ward’s pass deflections and ability to lock up receivers made him a top player in the 49ers Divisional Round.
After this 49ers Divisional Round Win, the team will head to Philadelphia to face the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.
For more NFL Content:
Be sure to look back on the history of the 49ers vs Cowboys in the playoffs here, ahead of their divisional game this weekend. Also, check out this article on where defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans will coach in the 2023 season.
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