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Interactive: 7-1 at 4-5, and 41 games of history — the 49ers go to Dallas, step by step

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San Francisco brings the NFC’s best record to Arlington on Sunday. A 58-16 first-quarter margin, Brock Purdy’s 17 touchdown passes and eight sacks allowed, a Cowboys team that has not won two in a row, and a rivalry the 49ers lead 21-19-1 after four straight wins.

w.
WhyNFL Sports DeskPublished
49ers player points to the crowd at Levi's Stadium
A 49ers player points to the crowd at Levi’s Stadium during the 38-17 win over Las Vegas, Nov. 8, 2026. Photo by San Francisco 49ers, resized.
A 49ers player points to the crowdA 49ers player points to the crowd at Levi’s Stadium during the 38-17 win over Las Vegas, Nov. 8, 2026. Photo by San Francisco 49ers, resized.
Interactive · 49ers at Cowboys, Week 10

7-1 at 4-5, and 41 games of history: the 49ers go to Dallas, step by step

San Francisco brings the NFC’s best record to Arlington on Sunday. A 58-16 first-quarter margin, Brock Purdy’s 17 touchdown passes and eight sacks allowed, a Cowboys team that has not won two in a row, and a rivalry the 49ers lead 21-19-1.
49ers fans at Levi’s Stadium49ers fans at Levi’s Stadium during the win over the Raiders, Nov. 8, 2026. Photo by San Francisco 49ers, resized.
Chapter 1

The NFC’s best record

The 49ers are 7-1 after beating the Raiders 38-17 on Sunday, coming out of their bye. They share the league’s best record with Buffalo and lead the NFC by half a game over 7-2 Chicago.

On Sunday they visit the Cowboys, who are 4-5, at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is 4:25 p.m. ET, 11:25 p.m. in Cairo.

0-1record, best in the NFC
+0point differential
0points per game
0allowed per game
Raiders and 49ers in Week 9A still from the official Raiders-49ers Week 9 highlights. Image by NFL (YouTube video still), resized.
Chapter 2

Eight games, one loss

The season opened in Melbourne, Australia, with a 27-7 win over the Rams. The only loss came in Atlanta in Week 7, when Purdy threw two interceptions and the 49ers turned it over four times.

  1. W 27-7 vs. the Rams in Melbourne.
  2. W 35-13 vs. Miami. Purdy goes 20 of 22.
  3. W 36-30 vs. Arizona. Four touchdown passes.
  4. W 24-14 vs. Denver.
  5. W 32-29 at Seattle.
  6. W 23-17 vs. Washington.
  7. L 29-20 at Atlanta.
  8. Bye.
  9. W 38-17 vs. Las Vegas, with five second-half takeaways.

The fast starts stand out. San Francisco has scored 58 points in first quarters and allowed 16, and it has trailed after the first quarter only once, 3-0 to Denver in Week 4.

Point margin by quarter, eight games

1st quarter (58-16)+42
2nd quarter (62-44)+18
3rd quarter (58-41)+17
4th quarter (57-55)+2
Brock PurdyBrock Purdy on Nov. 5, 2026. Image by San Francisco 49ers (YouTube video still), resized.
Chapter 3

Purdy, quickly

Brock Purdy has completed 69.1 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. He has been sacked eight times in eight games.

0passing yards
0touchdown passes
0interceptions
0sacks allowed
“Guy’s got incredible awareness, very quick processor. His athleticism’s real.”
— Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, on Wednesday

Receiving yards, 2026

George Kittle (38 catches)483
Mike Evans (27)420
Christian McCaffrey (36)270
Jordan Watkins (10)224
Deebo Samuel Sr. (16)206

Christian McCaffrey has 457 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns. Kittle has five touchdown catches.

“Brock keeps his mind very clear and doesn’t add any clutter into it. I think that’s why he’s so consistent in what he does.”
— Kyle Shanahan, on Wednesday
CeeDee Lamb 195-yard game graphicCeeDee Lamb’s 10-catch, 195-yard game in Indianapolis, Nov. 8, 2026. Photo by Dallas Cowboys, resized.
Chapter 4

The Cowboys have not won two in a row

Dallas has alternated all season. It has never followed a win with another win. The last try ended in a 33-30 overtime loss to Arizona at home, a week after a 38-21 win in Philadelphia.

  1. L 28-20 at the Giants.
  2. W 37-20 vs. Washington.
  3. L 34-31 to Baltimore in Rio de Janeiro.
  4. W 34-30 at Houston.
  5. L 24-16 vs. Tampa Bay.
  6. L 23-13 at Green Bay.
  7. W 38-21 at Philadelphia.
  8. L 33-30 in overtime vs. Arizona.
  9. W 27-23 at Indianapolis.
0-2record at AT&T Stadium
0-2record on the road
+0point differential

The passing game is not the problem. Dak Prescott has 2,381 yards, 16 touchdowns and five interceptions, and CeeDee Lamb has 70 catches for 904 yards, including 195 in Indianapolis on Sunday. The run defense has allowed 1,327 yards, 147.4 a game.

“When you talk about this team, you talk about Kittle and McCaffrey. They’re not tight ends and running backs; they’re weapons.”
— Brian Schottenheimer
A 49ers player before kickoffA 49ers player before kickoff at Levi’s Stadium, Nov. 8, 2026. Photo by San Francisco 49ers, resized.
Chapter 5

41 games, 21-19-1

The teams first met on Nov. 20, 1960, a 26-14 49ers win at the Cotton Bowl in the Cowboys’ first season. Sunday is the 42nd meeting. San Francisco leads the series 21-19-1, and 17-14-1 in the regular season.

The playoffs belong to Dallas, 5-4, and six of those nine games decided the NFC championship.

  1. NFC title game: Cowboys 17-10.
  2. NFC title game: Cowboys 14-3.
  3. Divisional round: Cowboys 30-28.
  4. NFC title game: 49ers 28-27, decided by Dwight Clark’s catch.
  5. NFC title game: Cowboys 30-20.
  6. NFC title game: Cowboys 38-21.
  7. NFC title game: 49ers 38-28.
  8. Wild-card round: 49ers 23-17 in Arlington.
  9. Divisional round: 49ers 19-12.
0-19-149ers’ series lead
0-4Cowboys in the playoffs
0NFC title games between them
A 49ers player on the sidelineA 49ers player on the sideline at Levi’s Stadium, Nov. 8, 2026. Photo by San Francisco 49ers, resized.
Chapter 6

Four straight for San Francisco

The 49ers have won the last four meetings, the first two in the playoffs. The most recent was 30-24 at Levi’s Stadium on Oct. 27, 2024. The teams did not meet in 2025.

The last four meetings, 49ers margin

Jan. 2022, at Dallas (23-17)+6
Jan. 2023, at SF (19-12)+7
Oct. 2023, at SF (42-10)+32
Oct. 2024, at SF (30-24)+6

The 42-10 game in 2023 is San Francisco’s largest win in the series. The Cowboys’ largest is 59-14, in 1980. The last regular-season meeting in Arlington went to Dallas, 41-33, on Dec. 20, 2020.

49ers Week 10 game graphicThe 49ers’ graphic for Sunday’s Week 10 game in Arlington. Photo by San Francisco 49ers, resized.
Chapter 7

Sunday in Arlington

San Francisco is not fully healthy. On Wednesday, Mike Evans (Achilles), Renardo Green (back) and Deommodore Lenoir (foot) did not practice, Deebo Samuel Sr. was limited with a hamstring injury, and McCaffrey had a rest day. Green leads the team with four interceptions.

  1. 49ers at Cowboys, 4:25 p.m. ET (11:25 p.m. in Cairo), AT&T Stadium.
  2. 49ers vs. Vikings at Estadio Banorte in Mexico City. Cowboys host Tennessee.
049ers takeaways
049ers giveaways
0straight wins over Dallas

Seven wins, four straight in the series. The 49ers arrive with the NFC’s best record and a 58-16 first-quarter margin. The Cowboys need a win to string two together for the first time this season.

The why matters.

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