'Dismayed' Cowboys drop to 3-4 following defeat against the 49ers.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — When the Dallas Cowboys kicked off the season, they never anticipated being in such a tough spot after seven games.

Following their 30-24 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the Cowboys now sit at 3-4, finding themselves closer to the bottom of the NFC standings than to Super Bowl contention.

"We're disappointed," head coach Mike McCarthy remarked. "The team had a solid week of preparation, and I believe we made some improvements. However, there's still a lot of work to be done."

The last time the Cowboys held a 3-4 record with a healthy Dak Prescott at the helm was in 2018. In 2020, they started at 2-5, eventually dropping to 2-7 after Prescott suffered a severe ankle injury in the fifth game of the season.

The 2018 squad turned their fortunes around thanks to a midseason trade for wide receiver Amari Cooper, ultimately finishing with a 10-6 record, winning the NFC East and a playoff game. Of the players active on Sunday, only five remain from that 2018 roster: Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott, right guard Zack Martin, cornerback Jourdan Lewis, and special-teamer C.J. Goodwin.

The Cowboys' next challenge is against the Atlanta Falcons, who currently lead the NFC South.

"We know what it takes to succeed in this league," Prescott said. "You just need to get hot and build momentum. It’s frustrating, but no one is giving up or panicking about where we are. We need to stay focused, prepare for this next road game against a solid team, and do everything possible to secure a win. We need to get back on track and then look ahead after this next match."

The upcoming schedule for the Cowboys features four opponents—Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, and Washington Commanders—who boast a combined record of 22-9 after their wins on Sunday.

"We need to take it one week at a time," Lewis added. "Our focus has to be on the next game and the opportunities ahead."

Frustration is mounting, however, as the Cowboys have now lost four consecutive games to the 49ers, including two in the postseason and three straight at Levi's Stadium.

Cornerback Trevon Diggs, visibly upset, confronted a reporter about a tweet questioning his effort during the game.

"It’s disappointing," wide receiver CeeDee Lamb expressed. "Especially since we’ve lost here three times in the last three years. It’s frustrating."

Despite falling behind 27-10 after being outscored 21-0 and outgained 167 yards to 16 in the third quarter, the Cowboys had a chance to stage a comeback. However, Prescott's four consecutive incompletions with 3:05 remaining sealed their fate.

Prescott would likely like to erase this game from memory. He did throw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Lamb, but he also became the first Cowboys quarterback to throw two interceptions in three straight games since Troy Aikman in 1992, according to ESPN Research.

Finishing the game 25-of-38 for 243 yards, Prescott was sacked twice.

"I'm personally frustrated," Prescott admitted. "It’s tough not to win, especially back-to-back losses and being at 3-4. But I can assure you that no one is shaken or ready to give up. The frustration is high, but it’s a long season. There are still plenty of divisional games ahead of us."

George Kittle shines as 49ers narrowly defeat Cowboys

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Coming into Sunday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers had won 72 consecutive games when leading by 17 or more points heading into the fourth quarter.

After forcing a three-and-out to start the fourth quarter, it seemed the Niners would easily extend that streak to 73. However, they had to scrape by with a 30-24 win, raising concerns for a team that has squandered double-digit leads in the fourth quarter twice already this season.

"I was frustrated," linebacker Fred Warner said. "We made it a game when it didn’t need to be, especially defensively. We can’t let that happen. We put ourselves in a tough spot and had to fight our way out. It was all about finishing the game."

In less than five minutes of game time, the Niners saw their lead shrink from 27-10 to 30-24. After Lamb scored a simple 20-yard touchdown, the Cowboys regained possession and had a chance to win with 3:05 left.

On the sideline, an upset Warner made it clear to his teammates that miscommunication and blown coverages were unacceptable, echoing the disappointment from previous losses to the Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams.

However, the 49ers defense held strong, forcing four straight incompletions from Prescott to secure the victory.

"Our captain [Warner] reminded us that this was not going to happen again; we were going to win this game on defense," cornerback Deommodore Lenoir stated. "That was crucial for us finishing strong, something we’ve needed to do all season."

For the 49ers to even their record to 4-4, the offensive burden fell heavily on them, especially with key players like running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles tendinitis), wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk (torn ACL and MCL), and Jauan Jennings (hip) sidelined.

Additionally, San Francisco lost running back Jordan Mason to a shoulder injury and receiver Deebo Samuel to a rib injury during the game. With Kittle’s sprained foot limiting his practice all week, he was listed as questionable entering the matchup.

Despite these challenges, Kittle stepped up, delivering a crucial performance on the "holiday" he created in 2019 to honor tight ends.

"He's a warrior," defensive end Nick Bosa said. "A lot of players wouldn’t play through what he deals with every year. For him to perform like the best tight end in the league on National Tight Ends Day speaks volumes about his toughness."

Kittle finished with six receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown, marking the 18th time in his career he reached the century mark—now the third-most in franchise history. He also hit 500 career receptions, climbing to fifth place in franchise history in that category and surpassing Gene Washington and Dwight Clark for third place in career receiving yards with 6,777, trailing only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens.

"I'm just grateful to be part of an organization that maintains such high standards in how we play football," Kittle said. "I'm thankful they've kept me around and that I strive to improve every day and prove I belong on this roster."

This victory was San Francisco's fourth straight over Dallas, marking their longest streak against the Cowboys since winning six consecutive games from 1981 to 1990.

Looking ahead, the 49ers anticipate a much-needed bye week, hoping to return key players like McCaffrey, Jennings, and kicker Jake Moody (sprained ankle) for their Nov. 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The extra downtime will also aid those who suffered injuries on Sunday, including Mason, Samuel, cornerback Renardo Green (ankle), and linebacker Dee Winters (concussion).

When they return to action, the Niners may also make some moves, as head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch have made at least one pre-deadline trade every season since taking over in 2017, except for 2018.

With the trade deadline looming on Nov. 5, the 49ers will likely seek reinforcements, especially along the defensive line.

Regardless, the 49ers are hopeful that Sunday’s narrow victory and the upcoming time off will be the key to another deep postseason run.

"We can be whoever we want to be," Warner declared. "Honestly, after the bye, it’s like starting fresh at 0-0. We’re currently at .500 and just one game back from the top of the division... everything is still within reach."