San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys Week 8 Sunday Night Live Blog

This will be updated frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

Oct 27, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) runs for the first down during the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images / Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

SANTA CLARA -- This is the live blog for the San Francisco 49ers' Week 8 Sunday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. I will update this frequently with information and analysis from the press box.

3:44 This is a must-win game for the 49ers. If they lose, they'll fall to 3-5 heading into their bye week, which means they'd fall to last place in the NFC West and would have to win 7 of their final 8 games just to finish 10-7. Losing to the Cowboys at home on Sunday Night Football would be a humiliation, especially considering the Cowboys have gotten blown out by the Lions and Saints this season. If the Saints can destroy Dallas, the 49ers should be able to do so as well. The Cowboys have one of the worst run defenses in the league, so they could give up 200 rushing yards if they don't load the box. And if they do load the box, they could give up 300 passing yards. They're that bad.

On defense, the 49ers defensive backs have intercepted just two passes through seven games, so I don't expect them to intercept Dak Prescott. Which means the Cowboys should score more than 20 points.

But the 49ers should score at least 40. They have more than enough talent to make the Cowboys quit like they did against Detroit and New Orleans.

FINAL SCORE PREDICTION: 49ers 40, Cowboys 24.

3:52 Here are the 49ers' inactives: Jauan Jennings, Kevin Givens, Jake Moody, Joshua Dobbs, Ben Bartch, Jalen Graham and Rock Ya-Sin.

3:55 Here are the Cowboys' inactives: RB Rico Dowdle, DE Micah Parsons, CB Caelen Carson, CB Andrew Booth, OT Matt Waletzko, QB Trey Lance.

5:21 The Cowboys win the toss and choose to receive the opening kickoff.

FIRST QUARTER

5:28 On 3rd and 5 from the Cowboys 41, Dak Prescott hands off to Hunter Luepke who gets stopped for no gain by Fred Warner. What an incredibly conservative play call by Dallas. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 14.

5:37 On 3rd and 10 from the Cowboys 36, Brock Purdy hands off to Jordan Mason who gains four yards. Another extremely conservative play call. Next play, Anders Carlson makes a 50-yard field goal. Deebo Samuel started the game at running back and made a 47-yard catch against a linebacker on a wheel route. Clever way to beat man-to-man coverage.

49ers 3, Cowboys 0.

5:44 On 1st and 10 from the 49ers' 45, Dak Prescott throws a deep pass up the sideline and gets intercepted by Ji'Ayir Brown. That was a can of corn. The 49ers take over at their 8.

5:55 On 3rd and 6 from the 49ers' 34, Purdy air mails a pass over George Kittle's head. Terrible throw. Next play, the 49ers punt, and the Cowboys take over at their 35.

5:56 Jordan Mason reaggravated his injured shoulder on the first play of that drive and left the game.

SECOND QUARTER

6:09 On 1st and goal from the 10, Prescott fakes a handoff, rolls to his right and throws a pass to tight end Luke Schoonmaker, who gets mugged by Charvarius Ward. The officials call defensive pass interference. Next play, Ezekiel Elliott runs into the end zone from one yard out. The 49ers hardly put up any resistance on that score.

49ers 3, Cowboys 7.

6:20 On 4th and 3 from the Cowboys 43, Purdy throws behind Deebo Samuel who can't make the catch. Bad pass. The 49ers turn the ball over on downs. Earlier in the drive. an Eric Saubert holding penalty negated a 66-yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel. The 49ers are playing sloppy football.

6:29 On 3rd and 4 from the 49ers 41, Deommodore Lenoir gives up a 28-yard catch to Jalen Tolbert. A few plays later on 3rd and 7 from the 49ers 10, Renardo Green strips the ball away from tight end Jake Ferguson but the Cowboys recover and make a 29-yard field goal on the next play.

49ers 3, Cowboys 10.

6:41 On 3rd and 15 from the Cowboys 36, Purdy checks down to George Kittle for 10 yards. Then Anders Carlsen makes a 44-yard field goal. Jordan Mason is questionable to return with his shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Isaac Guerendo had two carries for 34 yards on that drive plus a 19-yard run that got called back because of holding penalty by Kittle.

49ers 6, Cowboys 10.

6:46 On 3rd and 3 from the Cowboys 40, Sam Okuayinonu hits Prescott and forces an errant throw, and the Cowboys go 3 and out. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 17 with 54 seconds and three timeouts left.

6:54 On 2nd and 10 from the Cowboys 40, Purdy fumbles trying to pump fake and Aaron Banks recovers. On the next play, Purdy throws a one-hop pass to Chris Conley who was open. Not a great first half for Purdy and the 49ers.

THIRD QUARTER

7:13 On 1st and 10 from the Cowboys 47, Purdy completes a short pass over the middle to Kittle who runs all the way down to the 4-yard line and gains 43. Next play, Isaac Guerendo falls into the end zone for the touchdown. That was quick.

49ers 13, Cowboys 10.

7:20 On 3rd and 4 from the Cowboys 17, Deommodore Lenoir intercepts a pass intended for CeeDee Lamb at the Dallas 32.

7:26 On 3rd and goal from the 2, Purdy throws a touchdown pass to a wide open Kittle. Great play design by Kyle Shanahan in the red zone.

49ers 20, Cowboys 10.

7:32 On 3rd and 4 from the Cowboys 32, Prescott scrambles to his right and throws the ball out of bounds and the Cowboys go 3 and out. They're about to quit. After the punt, the 49ers take over at their 25.

7:47 On 3rd and goal from the 2, Purdy scores on a quarterback sneak. Purdy currently is averaging 8.3 yards per carry and his passer rating is 124.2. He's playing well.

49ers 27, Cowboys 10.

FOURTH QUARTER

7:53 On 3rd and 5 from the Cowboys 45, Okuayinonu sacks Prescott for the second time. The 49ers are closing out this game. Impressive. After the punt, they take over at their 17.

7:59 On 3rd and 1 from the 49ers 26, Purdy fakes a handoff, rolls right, drifts backward and throws a pass that gets tipped and nearly intercepted. After the punt, the Cowboys take over at their 30.

8:10 On 2nd and goal from the 7, Prescott throws a touchdown pass to a wide open CeeDee Lamb. It looks like Charvarius Ward was playing zone coverage while everyone else was playing man to man.

49ers 27, Cowboys 17.

8:11 Deebo Samuel injured his ribs and his return is questionable.

8:18 On 3rd and 7 from the Cowboys 23, Purdy throws the ball away. Next play, Carlsen makes a 41-yard field goal with 4:25 left.

49ers 30, Cowboys 17.

8:24 Renardo Green runs into Ji'Ayir Brown and gives up a touchdown catch to CeeDee Lamb with 3:32 left. The 49ers just let Dallas back into the game.

49ers 30, Cowboys 24.

8:28 On 2nd and 3, Kyle Shanahan calls a pass and Brock Purdy gets sacked. WTF. Then on 3rd and 10, Purdy checks down to Juszczyk for 6 yards. After the punt, the Cowboys take over at their 25.

8:33 On 4th and 10, Prescott throws an incomplete pass and the Cowboys turn it over on downs.