The 49ers' Defense Shines in the Second Quarter

The San Francisco 49ers were ready for the Dallas Cowboys' tricks after their bye week, and they showed it from the very start. The Cowboys tried a sneaky play on the opening kickoff return, but it backfired with a penalty. The 49ers' defense stepped up, stopping Dallas after just three plays, giving the team a confidence boost. On the offensive side, Ricky Pearsall caught the first pass, but a penalty set up a challenging third down. That's when coach Kyle Shanahan made a smart call. Deebo Samuel, lined up in the backfield, ran right past linebacker Eric Kendricks for a 47-yard gain. Unfortunately, a holding penalty kept them out of the red zone, leading to a field goal by Anders Carlson from 50 yards out. The 49ers took a 3-0 lead. The defense didn't let up. After allowing two first downs, Nick Bosa hit Dak Prescott, and Ji'Ayir Brown caught the ball like it was a punt for an interception. The 49ers took over, but Jordan Mason got injured on the first play. After a positive play to George Kittle, the 49ers had to punt. On Dallas's third drive, the 49ers' defense was tough, calling two holding penalties on one play. Fred Warner forced a fumble, but Dallas recovered. A 12-yard run kept the drive alive for the Cowboys.