Cowboys vs. 49ers: Rookie's 'a Baller, a Mauler & a Freak!' How to Watch, Odds, Injuries

The Cowboys travel west to meet the 49ers at Levi's Stadium in the Divisional Round of the 2022 NFL Playoffs on Sunday.

Timm Hamm | Jan 22, 2023

As the Dallas Cowboys prepare for the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, the Divisional Round matchup will feature two quarterbacks who have surprised many recently. ... and one quarterback who will be protected by another "surprise.''

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy's improbably journey from the final overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft - known affectionately as "Mr. Irrelevant" - to starter is the thing fairy tales are made of.

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's season of co-leading the league in interceptions, although missing five games, seems to have leveled out.

Both signal-callers had impressive games in the Wild Card Round, and both teams look like offensive powerhouses heading into Sunday.

JUST IN: #DallasCowboys Practice Injury and Final Game Status Report at #49ers more https://t.co/XpImtdZoYw (Peters OUT) pic.twitter.com/xhPCvjTbRg
— fishsports ✭ (@fishsports) January 20, 2023

Prescott threw for 305 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another in Dallas' impressive win at Tampa Bay. It was a much-improved performance over the way he ended the regular season, with 11 interceptions over his final seven games.

He's been helped greatly by rookie first-round offensive lineman Tyler Smith, whose selection was criticized by many at the time ... but praised by all now.

Said Dak: "He’s a baller. He’s a baller and a mauler. Strong as hell. ... To just be 21 and playing the way he’s playing is so, so impressive."

Part of Tyler's talent is versatility. Depending on the health of vet linemen Tyron Smith and Jason Peters, he's shuffled from left tackle to left guard, at a moment's notice, with no noticeable problem. In fact, he's been so good at left tackle - where he will start today against Nick Bosa and the vaunted Niners defense - that when institution Tyron returned to the lineup late in the season, it was Tyron, not Tyler, who shifted to the right side.

Said another institution, guard Zack Martin: “I don’t think people are giving (Tyler) the credit he deserves. … God, he’s just such a freak.”

Meanwhile, another rookie is central to the Niners' success.

Purdy's performance has been less expected than Dak's turnaround.

The rookie quarterback threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns and scored another on the ground. Purdy became the first rookie signal-caller to account for four touchdowns in a playoff game while throwing for the most yards by a rookie in a playoff win since Sammy Baugh in 1937.

“I definitely won’t underestimate him,” Cowboys linebacker/edge rusher Micah Parsons said. “He might have surprised some people early on into thinking no rookie is going to come in and beat us and he’s taken them this far. Super excited to go against him to see what he’s got.”

Dallas has won five of the last eight against the 49ers but lost 23-17 to San Francisco at AT&T Stadium in the Wild Card Round last year.

WHAT: (5)Dallas Cowboys (12-5) at (2)San Francisco 49ers (13-4)

WHERE: Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California (68,500)

WHEN: Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, 5:30 p.m. CT

TELEVISION: FOX / FuboTV (try it free)

RADIO: KRLD-FM 105.3 The Fan

Tickets via SI Tickets

Betting via SI SportsBook

SPREAD: Dallas Cowboys +3.5 (+100), San Francisco 49ers -3.5 (-118)

TOTAL: 46.5 (o -110, u +110)

MONEYLINE: Cowboys +165, 49ers -200

Make sure to follow along with in-game updates as they happen with Cowboys Country.