San Francisco 49ers vs Dallas Cowboys, Wild Card 2021
San Francisco 49ers
AwayWon, advanced
23
Dallas Cowboys
Home
17
| Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49ers | 10 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 23 |
| Cowboys | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 17 |
SF 23DAL 17 Final
Passing leader
21.9PPR pts
23/43, 254 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT, 1 RUSH TD
Top fantasy scorer
Deebo Samuel Sr.
20.0PPR pts
3 REC, 38 YDS, 1 RUSH TD
Cowboys leader
Amari Cooper
18.4PPR pts
6 REC, 64 YDS, 1 TD
Defensive playmaker
Anthony Brown
1 INT, 5 TKL
49ers 23, Cowboys 17: San Francisco wins the 2021 Wild Card
San Francisco led 16–7 at halftime and won 23–17, though Dallas took the second half 10–7. The 49ers finished with a 341–307 edge in total offense and averaged 5.4 yards per play.
The Cowboys went 5-for-14 on third down and committed one turnover, while the 49ers kept the ball for 33:59.
The 49ers' run ended in the Conference Championship, a 20–17 loss to the Rams.
The two teams meet again in Week 10 of 2026. If you roster anyone from either side, run the start/sit call in Redraft Command and it will weigh your lineup, your opponent and your league scoring, not only the player rankings.
Key advantages
- +1.0 yards/play SF 5.4 · DAL 4.4
- +34 total yards SF 341 · DAL 307
- +10% third-down rate SF 46% · DAL 36%
Game Highlights
Official NFL highlights · Opens from YouTube
Got a 49er or Cowboy on your fantasy team?
Check their next matchup with the Start/Sit Tool, compare their value in the Fantasy Trade Calculator, or connect your league for personalized advice in Redraft Command.
Works with Sleeper, ESPN and Fleaflicker. No password needed.
Why the 49ers Won
San Francisco won the efficiency, third-down, and time of possession battles.
| 49ers | Stat | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| 5.4 | Yards per play | 4.4 |
| 341 | Total yards | 307 |
| 46% | Third-down conversion | 36% |
| Other team stats | ||
| 63 | Plays | 70 |
| 1 | Turnovers | 1 |
| 33:59 | Time of possession | 26:01 |
Scoring Summary
The 49ers scored two touchdowns and three field goals; the Cowboys scored two touchdowns and one field goal.
| Time | Team | Play | SF | DAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st quarter | ||||
| 10:54 | SF | Elijah Mitchell 4-yard TD run Takes leadRobbie Gould XP | 7 | 0 |
| 4:53 | SF | Robbie Gould 53-yard FG Extends lead | 10 | 0 |
| 2nd quarter | ||||
| 9:40 | SF | Robbie Gould 40-yard FG Extends lead | 13 | 0 |
| 5:19 | DAL | Dak Prescott → Amari Cooper, 20-yard TDGreg Zuerlein XP | 13 | 7 |
| 3:03 | SF | Robbie Gould 52-yard FG Extends lead | 16 | 7 |
| 3rd quarter | ||||
| 5:50 | SF | Deebo Samuel 26-yard TD run Extends leadRobbie Gould XP | 23 | 7 |
| 4th quarter | ||||
| 11:53 | DAL | Greg Zuerlein 51-yard FG | 23 | 10 |
| 8:02 | DAL | Dak Prescott 5-yard TD runGreg Zuerlein XP | 23 | 17 |
Playoff game: these points don't count in most season-long fantasy leagues.
Fantasy Points vs Expected
Expected points (xFP) are what a player's pass attempts, carries and targets are worth at the league's average rates; the difference is what the player made of them.
- Biggest overperformer+8.5Deebo Samuel Sr.20.0 PTS vs 11.5 xFP
- Biggest underperformer−10.3Ezekiel Elliott4.1 PTS vs 14.4 xFP
- Highest expected volume21.5 xFPDak Prescott21.9 PTS scored
| Player | PTS | xFP | vs xFP | Snap% | Usage | Rte% | Pass att | Car | Car% | Tgt | Tgt% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dak PrescottDAL · QB | 21.9 | 21.5 | +0.4 | — | 43 att | — | 43 | 4 | 19% | 0 | 0% |
| Elijah MitchellSF · RB | 15.5 | 20.7 | −5.2 | — | 71% car | — | 0 | 27 | 71% | 2 | 8% |
| Amari CooperDAL · WR | 18.4 | 16.8 | +1.6 | — | 24% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 10 | 24% |
| Cedrick Wilson Jr.DAL · WR | 11.2 | 16.8 | −5.6 | — | 24% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 10 | 24% |
| Ezekiel ElliottDAL · RB | 4.1 | 14.4 | −10.3 | — | 57% car | — | 0 | 12 | 57% | 4 | 10% |
| Dalton SchultzDAL · TE | 15.9 | 13.5 | +2.4 | — | 19% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 8 | 19% |
| Jimmy GaroppoloSF · QB | 6.0 | 11.6 | −5.6 | — | 25 att | — | 25 | 1 | 3% | 0 | 0% |
| Deebo Samuel Sr.SF · WR | 20.0 | 11.5 | +8.5 | — | 26% car | — | 0 | 10 | 26% | 3 | 12% |
| Brandon AiyukSF · WR | 11.6 | 10.1 | +1.5 | — | 24% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 6 | 24% |
| CeeDee LambDAL · WR | 3.6 | 9.1 | −5.5 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 1 | 5% | 5 | 12% |
| Jauan JenningsSF · WR | 5.9 | 8.4 | −2.5 | — | 20% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 5 | 20% |
| Tony PollardDAL · RB | 4.6 | 5.9 | −1.3 | — | 19% car | — | 0 | 4 | 19% | 2 | 5% |
| George KittleSF · TE | 2.8 | 5.1 | −2.3 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Kyle JuszczykSF · RB | 3.5 | 5.1 | −1.6 | — | 12% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 3 | 12% |
| Trent SherfieldSF · WR | 0.0 | 3.4 | −3.4 | — | 8% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 2 | 8% |
| Blake JarwinDAL · TE | 0.0 | 1.7 | −1.7 | — | 2% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2% |
| C.J. GoodwinDAL · — | 2.6 | 1.7 | +0.9 | — | 2% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2% |
| Malik TurnerDAL · WR | 1.6 | 1.7 | −0.1 | — | 2% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 2% |
| Travis BenjaminSF · WR | 2.7 | 1.7 | +1.0 | — | 4% tgt | — | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 4% |
Team totals: 49ers 25 targets and 38 carries; Cowboys 42 targets and 21 carries. Shares are from the box score. Snap counts aren't available for this game. Route counts, air yards and red-zone touches appear when the tracking feed is connected. League-average rates from the 2021 season: 1.68 PPR points per target (67% catch rate), 0.64 per carry and 0.44 per pass attempt. They don't adjust for field position or target depth.
Fantasy Verdicts
Jimmy Garoppolo Unlucky
16 of 25 passing for 172 yards, 1 interception; 1 carry for 1 yard.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 11.6 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
Fewest points since Week 7.
Dak Prescott
23 of 43 passing for 254 yards, 1 touchdown, 1 interception; 4 carries for 27 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 21.5 expected.
Elijah Mitchell Volume, no payoff
2 targets (8% of the team's), 1 catch for -11 yards; 27 carries (71% of the team's) for 96 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 20.7 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
A touchdown in 5 of the last 8 games.
Deebo Samuel Sr. Ran hot
3 targets (12% of the team's), 3 catches for 38 yards; 10 carries (26% of the team's) for 72 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The opportunities were worth 11.5 points; the touchdowns supplied the rest, and they are the part least likely to repeat.
Season high in carries (10). A touchdown in 7 of the last 8 games.
Amari Cooper
10 targets (24% of the team's), 6 catches for 64 yards and 1 touchdown.
Verdict: The points matched the role, 16.8 expected.
Cedrick Wilson Jr. Unlucky
10 targets (24% of the team's), 5 catches for 62 yards.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 16.8 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
Ezekiel Elliott Unlucky
4 targets (10% of the team's), 1 catch for 0 yards; 12 carries (57% of the team's) for 31 yards.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 14.4 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
CeeDee Lamb Unlucky
5 targets (12% of the team's), 1 catch for 21 yards; 1 carry (5% of the team's) for 5 yards.
Verdict: The role was there, worth 9.1 points at league-average rates; the production wasn't.
Fewest points since Week 4.
Fantasy Matchups
Fantasy points allowed per game by position, 2021 through Week 18.
| Points allowed to | 49ers D | Cowboys D |
|---|---|---|
| QBs | 17.7 | 15.6 |
| RBs | 20.9 | 19.6 |
| WRs | 35.4 | 33.3 |
| TEs | 9.1 | 14.2 |
Regular season, summed from each game's box score and scored with this page's rules.
How the Game Swung
Dallas opened at 60% win probability and fell below 2% in the third quarter.
Cowboys win probability
Key Swings
- −21Mitchell 4-yd TD run60% → 39%Q1 10:54
- +21Prescott → Cooper, 20-yd TD15% → 35%Q2 5:19
- −10Gould 52-yd FG34% → 24%Q2 3:03
- −13Samuel 26-yd TD run16% → 3%Q3 5:50
- +13Prescott 5-yd TD run1% → 13%Q4 8:02
Swing in Cowboys win probability, in points
Play Calling and Possessions
| San Francisco 49ers | Measure | Dallas Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| 63 | Plays | 70 |
| 40% | Pass rate | 70% |
| 6.9 | Yds / dropback | 4.7 |
| 4.4 | Yds / carry | 3.7 |
| 6/13 | Third downs | 5/14 |
Efficiency edge San Francisco ran 7 fewer plays but gained 2.2 more yards per dropback.
- Top targets
- SF Aiyuk 24% · Jennings 20% · Samuel 12%
- DAL Cooper 24% · Wilson 24% · Schultz 19%
Possession Results
| Result | SF | DAL |
|---|---|---|
| Touchdowns | 2 | 2 |
| Field goals | 3 | 1 |
| Punts | 4 | 5 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Turnovers on downs | 0 | 1 |
- The 49ers opened the scoring on their first possession, a 7-play, 75-yard drive that ended in a touchdown.
All 22 possessions, drive by drive
| Team | Start | Plays | Yards | Time | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SF | Q1 15:00 | 7 | 75 | 4:06 | Touchdown |
| DAL | Q1 10:54 | 3 | -13 | 1:27 | Punt |
| SF | Q1 9:27 | 9 | 23 | 4:34 | Field goal |
| DAL | Q1 4:53 | 5 | 10 | 2:15 | Punt |
| SF | Q1 2:38 | 12 | 56 | 7:58 | Field goal |
| DAL | Q2 9:40 | 9 | 67 | 4:21 | Touchdown |
| SF | Q2 5:19 | 5 | 41 | 2:16 | Field goal |
| DAL | Q2 3:03 | 11 | 26 | 2:41 | Punt |
| SF | Q2 0:22 | 3 | 13 | 0:22 | End of half |
| DAL | Q3 15:00 | 8 | 20 | 4:32 | Punt |
| SF | Q3 10:28 | 7 | 27 | 2:51 | Punt |
| DAL | Q3 7:37 | 5 | -4 | 1:39 | Interception |
| SF | Q3 5:58 | 1 | 26 | 0:08 | Touchdown |
| DAL | Q3 5:50 | 3 | 8 | 1:18 | Punt |
| SF | Q3 4:32 | 5 | 15 | 2:58 | Punt |
| DAL | Q3 1:34 | 11 | 37 | 4:41 | Field goal |
| SF | Q4 11:53 | 4 | 18 | 2:16 | Interception |
| DAL | Q4 9:37 | 5 | 28 | 1:35 | Touchdown |
| SF | Q4 8:02 | 9 | 23 | 5:20 | Punt |
| DAL | Q4 2:42 | 6 | 37 | 1:00 | Downs |
| SF | Q4 1:42 | 4 | 11 | 1:10 | Punt |
| DAL | Q4 0:32 | 5 | 56 | 0:32 | End of game |
About these numbers
Possessions that ended with the clock running out at the half or the end of the game aren't counted.
Personnel groupings, average depth of target and pass rate over expected appear when the tracking feed is connected.
49ers vs Cowboys Head-to-Head
The 49ers and Cowboys first met in 1960 and have played 41 times since.
- All-time series
- 21–19–149ers lead, 41 meetings since 1960
- Postseason
- 5–4Split 5–4
- Largest 49ers win
- 42–102023
- Largest Cowboys win
- 59–141980
Since 2021
4–0 49ers lead
4 meetings since the 2021 season, regular season and playoffs.
Oldest to newest. 4 = 49ers win, C = Cowboys win, outlined = this game.
2026 Meetings
- Week 10 49ers at Cowboys Upcoming
Recent Meetings
- 2024 Wk 8 Cowboys at 49ers, 2024 Wk 8 recap SF 30 DAL 24 SF W
- 2023 Wk 5 Cowboys at 49ers, 2023 Wk 5 recap SF 42 DAL 10 SF W
- 2022 Divisional Round Cowboys at 49ers, 2022 Divisional Round recap SF 19 DAL 12 SF W
- 2021 Wild Card 49ers at Cowboys SF 23 DAL 17 SF W
Season to Date (Through Week 18)
The 2021 regular season, from each game's box score.
| 49ers | Stat | Cowboys |
|---|---|---|
| 10-7 | Record | 12-5 |
| 25.1 | Points per game | 31.2 |
| 375.7 | Yards per game | 407.0 |
| 6.1 | Yards per play | 6.0 |
| 21.5 | Points allowed per game | 21.1 |
| 310.0 | Yards allowed per game | 351.0 |
49ers vs Cowboys Odds and Results
How this game finished against the betting lines.
- Spread
- DAL −3.5Cowboys failed to cover by 9.5
- Total
- 51Under: 40 points scored (by 11)
Expected vs Actual Scoring
| Team | Implied | Actual | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 27.3 | 17 | −10.3 |
| 49ers | 23.8 | 23 | −0.8 |
Both offenses finished under the market's expectation, which matches the low fantasy output in the Fantasy tab.
Betting Trends
Each team's 2021 season through this game. Over/under is overs first.
San Francisco 49ers
- Against the spread
- 10–8
- Over/under
- 8–9–1
- ATS as favorite
- 7–7
- ATS as underdog
- 3–1
- ATS on the road
- 6–4
Dallas Cowboys
- Against the spread
- 13–5
- Over/under
- 8–10
- ATS as favorite
- 10–4
- ATS as underdog
- 3–1
- ATS at home
- 5–4
Lines: ESPN's consensus, captured at kickoff. Individual sportsbooks varied.
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Betting availability depends on your state.
49ers vs Cowboys Fantasy Outlook for 2026
One meeting is left on the 2026 schedule: Week 10 in Dallas. Here's how to decide who to play in your league.
- Start/Sit ToolShould your 49ers or Cowboys player start in Week 10? Compare the decision against your other options.
- Fantasy Football ProjectionsSee the latest weekly and rest-of-season projections for 49ers and Cowboys players.
- Fantasy Points Allowed by PositionHow the 49ers and Cowboys defenses have treated QBs, RBs, WRs and TEs.
- Strength of ScheduleWhere this matchup falls in each team's fantasy playoff run.
- Redraft CommandConnect your league for personalized lineup, trade and roster advice.
Keep Exploring
2021 Game Logs for Players in This Game
49ers vs Cowboys Game FAQ
Who won the 2021 49ers vs Cowboys Wild Card game?
The San Francisco 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 23–17 in the Wild Card round of the 2021 playoffs. The game was played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, on January 16, 2022. See the 49ers' 2021 schedule.
What was the final score of 49ers vs Cowboys?
The final score was 49ers 23, Cowboys 17. The 49ers led 16–7 at halftime, and the second half went 49ers 7, Cowboys 10.
What happened in the 49ers vs Cowboys game?
San Francisco led 16–7 at halftime and won 23–17, though Dallas took the second half 10–7. The 49ers finished with a 341–307 edge in total offense and averaged 5.4 yards per play.
How did the 49ers beat the Cowboys?
The 49ers beat the Cowboys 23–17 because they averaged 5.4 yards per play to 4.4 and outgained them 341–307.
What is the all-time 49ers vs Cowboys record?
The 49ers lead the all-time series 21–19–1 across 41 meetings since 1960, including a 4–5 record in the postseason.
When did the 49ers and Cowboys last play before this game?
Before the 2021 Wild Card round, they last met in the 2020 season on December 20, 2020, when the Cowboys beat the 49ers 41–33.
Have the 49ers and Cowboys met in the playoffs?
Yes, 9 times, most recently in the 2022 playoffs. The 49ers are 4–5 against the Cowboys in the postseason.
What is the 49ers vs Cowboys record since 2021?
The 49ers lead 4–0 across 4 meetings since the 2021 season, including this game.
What was the closing spread for 49ers vs Cowboys?
The consensus closing spread at kickoff was Cowboys −3.5, making the Dallas Cowboys 3.5-point favorites, with a closing total of 51. That implied about 27.3 points for the Cowboys and 23.8 for the 49ers.
Did 49ers vs Cowboys go over or under the total?
The game went under. The consensus closing total was 51, and the teams combined for 40 points, 11 under the number.
Who covered the spread in 49ers vs Cowboys?
The 49ers covered as 3.5-point underdogs against the closing line of Cowboys −3.5. The final margin was 6 points.