George Kittle scored three touchdowns, all on passes from Brock Purdy, as the 49ers (5-0) got the better of the Cowboys again, after knocking them out of the playoffs in close games over the past two last seasons; Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott called it “the most humiliating game I’ve ever been a part of.”
Last updated: 09/10/23 6:57 a.m.
Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers quickly turned the biggest challenge of their young season into domination over the Dallas Cowboys with a 42-10 victory.
Purdy threw three of his four touchdown passes to George Kittle, while San Francisco’s defense hounded Dak Prescott all night.
The Niners (5-0) knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs in close games the past two seasons, adding intrigue to this early-season matchup between perceived contenders. The rematch wasn’t even close.
The Niners led 14-0 before the Cowboys got their first down of the night and were never really threatened on the verge of tying a franchise record with their 15th straight regular season victory and fifth start 5 -0.
Purdy calmly picked on the league’s stingiest defense to improve to 10-0 as an NFL starter and San Francisco’s defense made life difficult for Prescott all night.
Prescott was sacked three times and threw an interception in double coverage after Dallas fell behind 28-10 in the third quarter. He threw two more interceptions in the fourth quarter, with his lone highlight being a 26-yard pass to KaVontae Turpin in the second quarter. It was Dallas’ most lopsided loss since losing 49-17 to New Orleans in 2013.
Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott called the night “maybe the most humiliating game I’ve ever been a part of.”
Purdy was once again almost error-free. A week after throwing just one incomplete pass in a win over Arizona, he repeatedly found openings to Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and especially Kittle.
Purdy finished 17 of 24 for 252 yards and didn’t throw an interception all season. He connected on a 19-yard TD pass to Kittle on the first drive, a 38-yard pass early in the second quarter on a reverse chip flick, then a 10-yard pass to put the game away in the third quarter.
Kittle became the first Niners player with three TD catches in a game since Vernon Davis in 2009. Purdy added a 1-yard TD pass to Kyle Juszczyk in the fourth quarter and the rest of the game was nothing but garbage time with mostly backups.
George Kittle scored three of San Francisco’s four touchdowns in the game
The Niners took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards in seven plays to score on a 19-yard pass from Purdy to Kittle to take the lead. San Francisco has four touchdowns and a field goal on the first drive this season for a league-leading 31 points.
The 49ers were just as tough on defense early, limiting Dallas to six yards in the first quarter and going without a first down for more than 17 minutes.
Christian McCaffrey scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter after losing a fumble near the goal line earlier in the game. It was the 14th consecutive game he scored a touchdown in the regular season or playoffs. The only players in NFL history with longer streaks are Lenny Moore (17 games), OJ Simpson (15) and John Riggins (15).
The 49ers have knocked the Cowboys out of the playoffs in close games the past two seasons and were much stronger on this night.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said the Niners have had the reverse flick in their game plan for some time, but only used it once in last year’s NFC title game, when McCaffrey was the quarterback in the game. They did a walkthrough of the play this week that started with a handoff to McCaffrey, who handed Samuel a backhand before the chip flick to Purdy.
Shanahan was encouraged by watching Detroit score on a version of the play in the afternoon.
Statistics leaders:
San Francisco 49ers
- Who passed: Brock Purdy 17/24, 252 yards, 4 touchdowns
- Rushing : Jordan Mason, 10 carries, 69 yards, 1 TD | Christian McCaffrey, 19 carries, 51 yards, 1 TD
- Reception : George Kittle, 3 catches, 67 yards, 3 TDs
Dallas Cowboys
- Who passed: Dak Prescott, 14/24, 153 yards, 1 touchdown
- Rushing : Tony Pollard, 8 carries, 29 yards
- Reception : CeeDee Lamb, 4 catches, 49 yards
What did they say?
49ers left tackle Trent Williams said: “It feels good, especially against the No. 1 defense in the league. Obviously, it’s a big test for the fifth week of the year. I think we pass that test with flying colors. But we’re going to be tested at new.”
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan added: “I knew it was our biggest game so far this year, nationally and just from a media standpoint and hype. Sometimes you worry that your team is too ready for things, they have been so locked in all week. They didn’t make it too. a lot of this game and we were ready to go.
Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said: “I didn’t see it coming. I put everything into it and got punched in the mouth. It was humiliating a few weeks ago against Arizona. But maybe it’s the most humiliating match I have ever participated in.”
Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons added: “You have to learn to take a punch. We got punched in the face tonight and that’s the reality. I’m not afraid. We were beaten in every phase. And that’s the reality. reality.”
After that ?
The 49ers next travel to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, while the Dallas Cowboys are also on the road against the Los Angeles Chargers, live. Sky Sports NFL Tuesday, October 17 at 1:15 a.m.
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