49ers vs. Cowboys: Key Week 10 NFL Showdown Preview!

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49ers-Cowboys Matchup Puts Dallas at a Season-Defining Crossroads

The 7-1 San Francisco 49ers visit the 4-5 Dallas Cowboys at Jerry World in one of the week’s most anticipated games. The historic matchup comes with several injury concerns, including Mike Evans dealing with Achilles tendinitis, Trent Williams with a shoulder injury, Deebo Samuel with a hamstring issue and Dre Greenlaw with a knee injury.

Brandon Aiyuk is back in some capacity, although questions remain about what will happen with him. For Dallas, Jake Ferguson is out with a knee injury, while George Pickens was limited on Thursday.

This feels like a season-defining game for the Cowboys. Everything is in place for Dallas to raise its fans’ hopes, only to break their hearts again. Either this becomes the launching pad for Shadi’s career and the Cowboys turn their season around, or it is time to pack everything up and go home.

The 49ers may not be more vulnerable than they are this week. If Dallas cannot beat them now, it will be difficult to believe the Cowboys can defeat a meaningful opponent if they get close to the playoffs. Cowboys fans should enter the game knowing that if they get their hopes up, they are taking that risk themselves.

A victory would move Dallas within half a game of the Giants, but the expectation remains that the Cowboys will lose. If Dallas does win, it would say more about the 49ers than it would about the Cowboys.

San Francisco has been impressive, but its weak schedule creates questions about how it would compare with the stronger teams in the NFC or an AFC opponent in the Super Bowl. A loss to Dallas would make it much harder to believe in the 49ers going forward.

If the Cowboys win, they could realistically set their sights on the division. Philadelphia has fallen away, while the Commanders have shown they can give games away in the final two minutes. Dallas would then need to take care of business against the Giants while seeking redemption for its Week 1 loss.

The opportunity is there, but the Cowboys are not expected to capitalize. San Francisco still has Kyle Shanahan, Brock Purdy and CMC, which could be enough against a Dallas defense that has struggled to stop anyone.