The San Francisco 49ers are heading to Arlington this Sunday to face the Dallas Cowboys, and let’s be real, this ain’t a rivalry. Not anymore. Not when one team consistently doles out beatdowns while the other just, well, yaps about ‘having something next time.’ The Cowboys, despite players like Micah Parsons sounding off, haven’t snagged a win against the Niners since 2020. Yep, you read that right. One side does the winning, the other does the complaining.
When the Playoffs Become a Punching Bag
Remember 2020? That’s when Dallas last tasted victory against a Nick Mullens-led 49ers squad. Since then? Pure red and gold dominance, especially when it matters most.
In the 2021 Wild Card round, these two clashed in the playoffs for the first time since the 49ers knocked Dallas out in the 1994 NFC Championship to advance to the Super Bowl. It was tight, a 23-17 escape for Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niners. Dallas had a chance, but Dak Prescott had a mental lapse that allowed the game to end before an attempted spike. Deebo Samuel was the absolute engine of the offense, famously telling Kyle Shanahan to get him the ball, and he “put the ball in the box.” You just love to see it.
Then, in a back-to-back playoff nightmare for Dallas, the teams met again in the 2022 Divisional Round at Levi’s Stadium. That game was tense, going right down to the wire. Dallas even tried one of the wildest play calls ever on the final play, with Ezekiel Elliott snapping the ball alone and being asked to block the pass rush. It didn’t work. Brock Purdy and the 49ers did just enough, winning 19-12 to advance to the NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia. That 49ers victory actually tied the all-time series at 19-19-1, which just shows how much ground the Niners have covered.
Dominance Goes Nuclear
The regular season has been no different. The 2023 49ers were a flat-out juggernaut, and Dallas stood absolutely no chance in Week 5. George Kittle completely torched the Cowboys for three touchdowns, then proudly showed off a shirt that screamed what every 49ers fan thinks about Dallas. That 32-point margin? It was the largest victory ever over the Cowboys. And Parsons? Instead of stopping Kittle, he ran to his podcast to complain. Classic Cowboy behavior.
The beatings continued into 2024. In Week 8, Dallas actually held a 10-6 lead at halftime. For about five minutes, you might have thought something was different. Nope. The third quarter saw the 49ers offense explode for 21 points, turning the game on its head. Kittle found the end zone again, and even though Dallas tried to close the gap with just over three minutes left, the 49ers still prevailed. Anders Carlson, the Niners’ kicker, even added three field goals to seal the deal.
So, when Sunday rolls around in Arlington, don’t expect a sudden turnaround. The 49ers now lead the all-time series 21-19-1 over 41 meetings. Recent history isn’t just a trend here, it’s an avalanche. Unless Dallas can finally, somehow, actually punch back, this isn’t a rivalry. It’s just target practice for the Niners.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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