Playing Catch-Up All Day: Cowboys Punched Early, Get Up Too Late

San Francisco established its toughness and creativity on opening drive

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t waste any time setting the tone for what turned out to be a long afternoon for the Dallas Cowboys.

The opening drive – often just a means for teams to work out any nervous energy and get in the flow – was much more than that Sunday. San Francisco, the NFC No. 6 seed, imposed its will from the jump, showing both the creativity and toughness needed to stage the upset.

The 23-17 stunner at AT&T Stadium ends another Cowboys’ season far short of the franchise’s aspirations. The frustrating loss on Wild Card Weekend exposed some painful truths going into another offseason of questions.

Were the third-seeded Cowboys prepared mentally by a coaching staff that promises to be in flux? Dallas coordinators Dan Quinn and Kellen Moore could both be on the move.

Is it time to move on from Zeke Elliott, who rushed for 31 measly yards? Are we sure Dak Prescott, who couldn’t get anything working downfield, is a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback? Will Jerry Jones consider end zone curtains?

As far as the Cowboys’ first playoff game in three years, there is plenty to answer for. While this was clearly an upset, the Niners were clearly the better team Sunday. The Cowboys were favored, had the better record and were at home, but that mattered little for the supposed out-manned visitors.

Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niners took the opening kickoff and put on clinic in offensive efficiency. Set up at its 25-yard line, San Francisco needed only seven plays to go the distance.

Five of those went for at least nine yards. Of the two snaps that didn’t pick up huge chunks, one was Elijah Mitchell’s 4-yard touchdown run. Garoppolo threw three short passes on the march that each turned into long gains.

The Cowboys looked unprepared defensively and unsure of what they were seeing. Though it was just one score, it felt bigger. The Cowboys were punched in the mouth and it hurt.

From that point, it was about playing catch-up. The Niners would go up 13-0, and against a hard-nosed running team that controls the clock, the Cowboys wouldn’t have much room for error the rest of the way.

Luckily, the 49ers cooperated with several mistakes late. A fourth-quarter rally aided by Anthony Brown’s interception of Garoppolo gave the Cowboys a chance. A botched fourth down sneak by Garoppolo left Prescott and Co. with a final shot.

But that last gasp was nothing more than a prayer. It went unanswered, just like resistance the Cowboys offered up on that first drive.