The San Francisco 49ers will be playing the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs this Sunday. As of now the 49ers players vs Cowboys will be as healthy as last weekend. The game will be held at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, California. With the top defenses in the league about to face off against each other, here are three 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch.
49ers Players vs Cowboys: Charvarius Ward
49ers cornerback, Charvarius Ward has done well for the team this season. Last weekend, against the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round, Ward had to defend wide receiver, DK Metcalf. Aside from giving up one big play, which resulted in a touchdown, Ward did a great job going against a big receiver.
Ward has played every game for the 49ers this season. This year, Ward has had a total of 90 combined tackles, 62 solo, and three tackles for loss, according to Pro Football Reference. Ward has also had one interception and one fumble recovery this year. Hopefully this weekend he can increase his turnover stats.
What makes Ward one of the top 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch is that the Cowboys have two dominant receivers. Those players are tight end Dalton Schultz and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb. Ward and Lamb will most likely be lined up together, just as Ward was with Metcalf last weekend. This season, Lamb has had an average of 68 yards per game, according to ESPN. Last weekend, when Ward covered Metcalf, the receiver only had five catches for 88 yards and a touchdown. Also to be noted, the touchdown was 50 yards.
Charvarius Ward allowance vs DK Metcalf…
5 catches, 88 yards, 1 TD
Outside of that 50-yard TD, 4 catches for 38 yards.
So Ward was essentially beaten with significance only once. This after a full game of shutting down Metcalf in Week 15.
Helps to have perspective
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) January 15, 2023
If Ward can continue where he left off last weekend, and fix that one mistake he made that caused a 50-yard touchdown, he will be one of the top 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch.
49ers Players vs Cowboys: Nick Bosa
Last weekend the Seattle Seahawks offensive line did well holding star 49ers defensive end, Nick Bosa back. Bosa did not record a sack last weekend, which could potentially mean he is hungry for one this weekend. While many believe Bosa will be the one to win Defensive Player of the Year, some believe Cowboys’ Micah Parsons’ will get it. Bosa is one of the top 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch, as he demonstrates why he is the defensive player of the year.
While Bosa did not have a sack last weekend, he did have a fumble recovery. It was great that he was able to recover it before any Seahawks player, as it shifted the momentum of the game. This season, Bosa has had a total of 56 combined tackles, 44 of which have been solo, and 18.5 sacks, according to ESPN. He has also had two forced fumbles and one pass deflection.
Putting pressure on the Cowboys quarterback, Dak Prescott will be a key component of the game. While Prescott did not throw any interceptions against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the quarterback threw 15 in the regular season. The more turnovers the better for the 49ers, and if Bosa and the rest of the defense can put pressure on Prescott, that increases the chances he throws more picks. This makes Bosa a key 49ers player vs Cowboys to watch.
It should also be noted that in last year’s NFC Wild Card round, the 49ers faced the Cowboys. In the San Francisco win, Bosa did not play in the second half due to a concussion. While the 49ers still won the game, the difference between him playing and not playing was felt. Bosa will be one of the 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch to make a difference in the game.
49ers Players vs Cowboys: Christian McCaffrey
Recently, it came out that a radio station in Dallas made statements regarding 49ers’ running back Christian McCaffrey. In this radio show, one of the hosts on-air discussed that they’d like McCaffrey to get hurt. McCaffrey has been a stud for the 49ers since joining the team and that does make it harder for the Cowboys to win while he is playing. While McCaffrey may never hear about this, it is possible that many Dallas fans agree. With another potential piece of motivation, McCaffrey is one of the 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch on Sunday.
While on the 49ers specifically, McCaffrey has rushed for 868 yards and has scored 6 touchdowns, according to ESPN. He also has had 54 receptions for 481 yards and five touchdowns. McCaffrey has been a great offensive weapon and making the game a lot easier for rookie quarterback Brock Purdy.
The Dallas Cowboys have allowed an average of 129.3 rushing yards per game, according to ESPN. Last weekend, McCaffrey alone had 119 rushing yards. The running back has missed out on the NFL All-Pro team and Pro Bowl team, lighting a fire under him to prove everyone wrong. McCaffrey is one of the top 49ers players vs Cowboys to watch, being a huge difference-maker for the offense.
San Francisco will face Dallas this Sunday in Levis Stadium. Be sure to watch these 49ers players vs Cowboys. As of now, the 49ers are favorites to win, but not by much, as they look to move on to the NFC Championship Game.
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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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