The final score of 30-24 sounds like Dallas came close to winning a road game against a Super Bowl team from a year ago. If you watched it, you saw something else. The Cowboys’ halftime lead vanished in the 49ers’ 21-point third quarter and only a flurry of plays by a wide open CeeDee Lamb made the outcome sound respectable.
Offense
There should almost be one grade for Lamb and one for everyone else although tight end Jake Ferguson made a couple of nice plays. Dak’s two interceptions and the usual absence of real running threats limited Dallas to 10 points until things perked up when the 49ers played soft zone coverage. But when Dallas’ offense needed to shine at 30-24, four-and-out with no yardage gained told the story.
Grade: D
Defense
Somehow giving up 469 yards didn’t seem so bad while it was happening. But the undermanned unit got crushed by George Kittle and even the third-team rookie tailback had a big night. The pass rush tried to rely too heavily on the blitz and got burned more often than not.
Grade: C
Special teams
The team had two weeks to get ready for this game and began by lining up in an illegal formation on the opening kickoff. Then a lateral was actually a forward pass (another penalty) on a kick return. Nothing to brag about here.
Grade: F
Coaching
The surprise loss of Rico Dowdle forced Zeke Elliott back into the starting lineup, and an 11-yard run probably had him dreaming of past glory. But it just meant the Cowboys were even more handicapped than usual. Mike McCarthy still doesn’t seem convinced he has the worst running game in the league, and that’s a problem when you’re calling plays.
Grade: D
Overall
It got mildly interesting in the fourth quarter, but it was another loss to a team that, like Dallas, is a shell of what it was a year ago. The difference is the 49ers leave this game tied for first and the Cowboys are 2 1/2 games behind Washington, so it’s about as damaging an October loss as Dallas can afford.
Grade: D
Tim Cowlishaw’s 2024 season report cards
― Cowboys-Browns report card: Dallas has thorough, convincing Week 1 effort
— Cowboys-Saints report card: Did any unit grade higher than ‘D’ after loss?
— Cowboys-Ravens report card: Another home loss, another failing grade
— Cowboys-Giants report card: Dallas did what it had to do
— Cowboys-Steelers report card: Don’t minimize importance of this road win
— Cowboys-Lions report card: an appalling showcase of ineptitude
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