49ers Hold On

The San Francisco 49ers were expected to be one of the most formidable Super Bowl contenders entering the NFL season. Instead, it has been a roller coaster by the Bay, one that continued in their 30-24 victory over Dallas on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 8.

Unable to summon the full force of their dynamic offense for weeks because of attrition to its offensive line, receivers and MVP candidate and running back Christian McCaffrey, the 49ers (4-4) sputtered through a six-point first half and trailed, 10-6, to the Cowboys entering the third quarter.

But in the third, the 49ers scored 21 points behind the play of tight end George Kittle while holding Dallas (3-4) scoreless to jump to a 27-10 lead that lasted until eight minutes remained in the fourth quarter.

Ballgame? No — because it was nearly Dallas’ game. Consecutive touchdown passes from Dak Prescott — who had thrown two interceptions earlier — to CeeDee Lamb pulled the Cowboys within 30-24 with 3:32 remaining. After a stop, Dallas had the ball and a chance for a go-ahead score, but its drive went literally nowhere over four plays, and San Francisco had held on, finally.

Lamb finished with 146 yards on 13 catches; of Prescott’s 38 pass attempts, 17 went Lamb’s direction. Kittle, meanwhile, was targeted just seven times, but he turned them into six catches for 128 yards and a touchdown. A balanced 49ers offense also ran for 223 yards (to just 56 for the Cowboys, continuing their one-dimensional and pass-heavy offense for the season) and two touchdowns.

The 49ers now go into a bye week. They have yet to win consecutive games this season and will next get their chance Nov. 10 at Tampa Bay.

Dallas is in a dire position at 3-4 entering next week’s road game at Atlanta. Prescott is the first Cowboys quarterback to throw multiple interceptions in three consecutive games since 1992.