Too Small? Dallas Cowboys Run Defense Faces Big Task vs. San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers present a handful of problems for a Dallas Cowboys defense that hasn't faced too much trouble against the run.

The Dallas Cowboys defense has spent a lot of time defending massive leads early in the season. Outside of a Week 3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, there have barely been stretches of play with the game merely in question.

The San Francisco 49ers, though, are a tougher test than the defense has faced this season. At virtually every position, San Francisco is more talented than each of Dallas’ first four opponents. Head coach Kyle Shanahan may be the most feared playcaller in the sport.

What projects to be the biggest mismatch is the 49ers’ physicality in the run game against the Cowboys’ preference go "go smaller'' in the back seven. Yes, the wide zone offense is often predicated on speed and stretching the field horizontally. But San Francisco has found explosives with increasingly heavy personnel.

The 49ers trail only the Miami Dolphins in the percentage of first-down plays with 21 personnel (53%). Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is their ace and allows Shanahan to remain creative and, more importantly, effective. They also lead the league in 22 personnel (two backs and two tight ends) on first down, at 12% (per nfelo).

This presents a problem for Dallas. Notably, the Cowboys spend the vast majority of snaps in either nickel or dime. That’s not inherently bad, especially in a passing league. However, in a sense they made it a point to go small, with only four linebackers making the initial 53-man roster.

They would call linebacker Malik Jefferson up from the practice squad for the Week 5 contest.

Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch attempts to tackle San Francisco's Christian McCaffrey / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Through four weeks, Dallas ranks in the top half of the league against the run while in nickel and dime personnel. However, they haven’t played anyone as talented or physical as San Francisco. How will they line up when San Francisco puts Juszczyk on the field with tight end George Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey?

The natural reaction would be to go to a base defense, likely with four down linemen. It would be welcome, given the talent of edge rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence and how well tackle Osa Odighizuwa has played, but it’s clearly not the type of football defensive coordinator Dan Quinn envisions his defense playing.

Additionally, it puts a strain on a linebacking corps that is the defense’s weakest unit. Quinn will be forced to choose between putting his best 11 out there and putting the appropriate personnel on the field. Shanahan may force Dallas to play left-handed.

In a clash of NFC heavyweights, Quinn can’t afford to get out-coached by his former subordinate. The Cowboys’ hopes for home-field advantage could very well ride between the tackles on Sunday.