How To Watch Cowboys Vs. 49ers Divisional-round Game

For the ninth time in postseason history, the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers will share the field with the winner of Sunday’s divisional-round contest advancing to the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 29.

In the wild-card round, the 49ers defeated their NFC West foe Seattle Seahawks 41-23. The Cowboys routed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14.

Below is information on how to watch the game, odds, the series, the matchup and the players to watch.

The game kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Odds are via BetMGM.

Sunday’s contest will be the 39th between these two franchises. The Cowboys lead the all-time series with a 19-18-1 record. Their first meeting came in 1960 at the Cotton Bowl where the 49ers won 26-14.

The Cowboys and 49ers have met eight times in the playoffs, with Dallas winning five of those games. One of their most memorable playoff games was the 1981 NFC Championship Game, where the 49ers won 28-27 after Joe Montana threw a touchdown pass to Dwight Clark with 51 seconds left, now known as “The Catch.” Their most recent playoff meeting occurred last season, where the 49ers won 23-17.

Cowboys playoff roundtable: Can Dak Prescott stay hot? How does Dallas defense contain?

The critical matchup will be how the Cowboys’ pass rush handles the 49ers’ passing game. During the 2022 season, the Cowboys ranked third in the NFL in sacks (54). Dallas also recorded 10 defensive takeaways, the second-most in the league.

The 49ers’ offense ranked fifth in total yards with 365.6 yards per game. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy — making his playoff debut against the Seahawks — completed 18-of-30 passes for 332 yards with three passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown and a two-point conversion. Purdy became the first rookie in NFL postseason history to throw at least three touchdowns and rush for another in the same game.

But Purdy will be facing a tougher defense in Dallas, led by Micah Parsons. The Cowboys linebacker posted three solo tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and two pass deflections in his team’s wild-card win. The Dallas defense limited Tom Brady and the Buccaneers’ offense to 14 points and recorded one interception.

For the Cowboys, it has to be quarterback Dak Prescott. In the wild-card game against the Bucs, Prescott went 25-for-33 with 305 passing yards, four touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. He is the first quarterback in Cowboys franchise history with at least two passing touchdowns and at least one rushing touchdown in a playoff game.

It starts with Dak Prescott, but who else do the Cowboys need to step up vs. the 49ers?

In last season’s playoff game against the 49ers, Prescott was 23-for-43 with 254 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Prescott is attempting to reach his first NFC Championship Game.

For the 49ers, wide receiver Deebo Samuel is one to watch. Samuel suffered an MCL sprain and an ankle sprain during San Francisco’s Week 14 matchup against the Buccaneers. However, he returned for the 49ers’ regular-season finale against the Arizona Cardinals. Against the Seahawks in the wild-card game, Samuel made six catches for 133 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, he ran for 32 yards. Samuel’s dual-threat ability on the ground and in the air will make for a fascinating matchup against the Cowboys’ defense.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is in his third season with Dallas. He’s trying to get to his first NFC Championship Game since the 2016 season when he coached the Green Bay Packers. McCarthy won a Super Bowl with the Packers during the 2010 season.

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is in his sixth season with San Francisco. During his tenure, he made the Super Bowl during the 2019 season — before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs — and the NFC Championship Game in 2021.