Cowboys fans have had a great weekend except for one thing. The race for the NFC One Seed is over and the 49ers have secured the First Round Bye. This really was inevitable as everyone expected the Niners to secure the conference, it was just all a matter of time.
The 49ers were coming off of a game where their MVP candidate, Brock Purdy threw interception after interception, finishing the game with 4 picks. The offense needed to play well today to regain their momentum that was building before the Ravens game.
PURDY. WHAT A PLAY.
📺: #SFvsWAS on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/sFjqknZtA5 pic.twitter.com/Fr3771Jvca— NFL (@NFL) December 31, 2023
Brandon Aiyuk is becoming a “household name” with another great performance. He had 7 catches, 114 yards and a Touchdown in the fourth quarter that put the game more out of reach, giving the Niners a 17 point lead. The unfortunate part of the game was that star running back, Christian McCaffrey left early with a calf injury, he never returned, but thanks to the bye, he has 2 weeks now to recover.
What This Means for the Cowboys
Their playoff race is far from over even though the First Round Bye has already been clinched. The Cowboys control their own destiny thanks to the Philly loss to the Cardinals earlier. If Dallas wins the final game with the Commanders they would win the division and secure home field advantage throughout every playoff game unless they match with the Niners.
The way that San Fran beat Washington today was through the rushing game. Mike McCarthy should take note of this and really try to emphasize the run game. In the past two games alone, Washington has allowed the Jets and 49ers to have 80+ yard rushers.
Bold Prediction for Next Week
My bold prediction for this game is that Tony Pollard will rush for over 100 yards and will have the best game of the season. Washington’s defense is one of the worse in the league. To make matters better, the Commanders traded two of their top defenders midway through the season.
As long as the line blocks at least halfway decent, it should open up some lanes for Pollard to run through. Most of his carries this season have resulted in 3 or less yard gains, however he has had a few 15+ yard gains when a lane opens up. With quality blocking, Pollard can show us fans how explosive he is, what we have been waiting for all season