Cowboys NFL Rank: 'Demoralizing' Dallas Same as Bills, As Good as 49ers? Week 5 Preview
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys are flying high after handing Bill Belichick the worst loss of his NFL career, in a 38-3 dominating win over the New England Patriots. The Cowboys extended their home winning streak to 10 games and moved to 3-1 on the season.
After the blowout victory, Dallas rose from No. 6 to No. 5 in Pro Football Network's power rankings, which zeroed in on the Cowboys' speedy defense and compared the team to the Buffalo Bills.
"The Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills are the same team," writes PFN. "They’re both supremely talented rosters that can absolutely demoralize even other impressive rosters. However, they can also each lay eggs against bad teams, struggle intermittently in critical areas, and struggle once the playoffs roll around."
"The Cowboys embarrassed Mac Jones and the Patriots offense. Their lack of speed did not pair well with the Cowboys’ speed, which is almost never-ending on the defensive side of the ball."
Dallas' No. 1-ranked defense uses its speed to creating havoc and score (three TDs in four games this season.) The Cowboys defense sits atop the league in points allowed-per-game (10.3.)
Next up is the date circled in red for most Cowboys fans. The Cowboys hit the road for a prime time showdown against the San Francisco 49ers, the team that has knocked Dallas out of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
A true road test between two of the top teams in the NFC Conference, the Cowboys face a tough test in getting after Quarterback Brock Purdy. Purdy hasn't thrown an interception yet in a 49ers offense that ranks third in the league for scoring (31.3 points per game).
micah parsons
Here are the details for the Sunday Night showdown:
RECORDS: Dallas Cowboys (3-1) vs. San Francisco 49ers (4-0)
ODDS: Dallas is a 3.5-point underdog vs. the Niners
GAME TIME: Sunday, October 8, 2023 at 7:2o p.m. CT
LOCATION: Levi's Stadium - Santa Clara, California
TV/RADIO: NBC, 105.3 The Fan
THE FINAL WORD: Asked to reflect on the feeling from last season after a second straight playoff loss to the 49ers, Prescott paused and said:
“It’s obvious,'' Prescott said. "You just want to piss me off going into this week, and I appreciate that. I do actually. I do. I appreciate that. I appreciate that.”
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