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If the third preseason game is traditionally considered a dress rehearsal for the regular season, then head coach Wade Phillips has to be happy about the outlook of his starters, despite the Cowboys' 20-13 loss at home Saturday night.
For the most part, the first-team units looked ready, the offense reeling off 195 total yards in two quarters of play, which included 11-of-17 passing from Tony Romo, although he did have one interception. Four different receivers caught passes in the first 30 minutes with Marion Barber and Felix Jones combining for 70 yards on the ground in taking a 10-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
On the other side of the ball, the Dallas defense held the 49ers to 102 yards of offense in the first half, 66 of which came through the air. But they really shined after the Romo interception gave the 49ers possession at the Cowboys 39. The Dallas D prevented their opponent from moving the chains and kept them out of the end zone.
Of course, the second half took on the appearance of a typical preseason game and didn't do much to quell concerns about the depth of this team as San Francisco outscored the Cowboys 13-3 in front of 72, 171 to take the victory.
The game got underway with Felix Jones taking the opening kickoff at his own 11 and managing nine yards on the return to get the Dallas offense started at its own 20-yard line.
A quick out from Tony Romo to tight end Jason Witten picked up two yards, which was followed by running back Marion Barber plowing up the middle for two more. Facing third and six, Romo had plenty of pocket time to find rookie receiver Kevin Ogletree on a curl route for a nice 15-yard pickup and a first down at the Cowboys 39.
Back to Barber the team went, who rushed around the right end for a short four yards. Romo then had Martellus Bennett open for a first down, but the pass bounced off the tight end's shoulder pads for an incompletion. But the team converted again on third down, Romo finding Ogletree once more across the middle for a 21-yard completion and a first down in San Francisco territory at the 36.
But there the drive stalled. Escaping pressure, Romo threw in the vicinity of wideout Patrick Crayton, but overshot his target. He then did the same in an attempt to Ogletree to set up another third down. This time Romo was able to throw underneath to Witten, but the five yards weren't enough, bringing out Nick Folk for a 49-yard field goal. The attempt split the uprights, but a holding call on Cory Procter negated the kick and pushed the team back 10 yards.
Punter Mat McBriar then got the call instead, bouncing the ball just over the outstretched arms of his return team and into the end zone, giving the visitors their first possession at their own 20.
A quick pass from quarterback Shaun Hill to his tailback Frank Gore picked up eight yards with Gore then carrying up the middle for a five-yard gain and a first down. Gore again ran between the tackles for three yards before Hill hit running back Michael Robinson for an 11-yard pickup and a first down at the 49ers 47.
Gore took a sweep around the left end that collected five yards with nose tackle Jay Ratliff then getting called for encroachment, resulting in five yards and a San Francisco first down.
An incomplete pass intended for wide receiver Isaac Bruce was followed by Hill throwing over the head of tight end Vernon Davis. Running the wildcat on third and 10, Gore took the handoff from wide receiver Micheal Spurlock, but gained only four yards to bring on fourth down. Any Lee's punt sailed into the end zone, Dallas taking over on their own 20.
The Cowboys got their second possession started with Barber chugging up the middle for two yards, then taking a sweep around the left end for six yards to set up third and two. Barber continued, barreling into two defenders to gain three yards and a first down at the Dallas 31.
Scrambling out of the pocket, Romo tried to slip one into receiver Miles Austin, but the pass fell incomplete. With plenty of time on his next play, Romo went back to Austin again and was nearly picked off by cornerback Dre' Bly. On third and 10, Romo had time to spare, eventually drilling one over the middle to a sliding Austin for a big 22-yard strike and a first down at the San Francisco 47.
A quick screen to Austin on the left sideline moved the chains up 10 yards with the running back Jones earning two yards up the middle on the ground. Romo then tried a pump fake and deep route to Ogletree down the left sideline, but badly missed his receiver, setting up an easy interception for San Francisco safety Mark Roman. Roman then bolted down the sideline 57 yards, giving his team field possession at the Dallas 39.
The Dallas defense nearly returned the favor, almost intercepting Hill's first attempt. Gore then took the handoff from fellow running back Michael Robinson in the wildcat formation, but only picked up two yards.
On third and eight, Hill dumped off to Gore in the left flat, but cornerback Mike Jenkins was right there for the stop, holding them to no gain. Lee came on for another punt, this time the ball being downed at the Cowboys six-yard line.
Jones then nearly broke one the distance, bursting through the line and finding a hint of daylight before just getting tripped up by Roman for a 13-yard gain and a first down as the first quarter came to an end.
Crayton took a quick out from Romo on the right sideline and turned it upfield for a 19-yard completion and a first down at the Dallas 38. Jones then picked up three yards with an illegal use of the hands penalty on the 49ers pushing the ball up five more with a first down.
Barber went off right tackle for four yards, then ran straight up the middle for five more. On third and one, the fullback Julius Crosslin got stopped for no gain, setting up fourth and inches. Going for it, Barber ran off right guard for three yards and a first down at the San Francisco 42-yard line.
Romo hit a wide open Austin on the left sideline for a 12-yard reception with Barber then breaking into the secondary on a 12-yard run and a first down at the 18. Barber again went up the middle for five yards, but lost a yard on a sweep around the left side.
Rolling to his right, Romo hit Witten up the middle for an eight-yard reception and a first and goal at the five. The play improved the Cowboys to 6-for-7 on third down conversions.
Barber hammered up the middle for two yards, then Jones took his turn, securing the final three yards to get Dallas the touchdown. Folk's extra point was good and the Cowboys had the lead, 7-0.
Alan Rossum took David Buehler's kickoff from his own end zone out to the 49ers 16-yard line. Running back Glen Coffee got his first carries of the night, taking the handoff on back-to-back plays for a combined six yards. On third and two, Hill was brought down by Ratliff and linebacker Bradie James for a loss of eight yards.
Taking the Lee punt from his own 43, Terence Newman dodged through traffic for a 43-yard return with an illegal formation call on San Francisco tacking on another five yards to give Dallas a first and goal at the 49ers nine-yard line.
Romo dumped out to Crosslin for a short three yards with Jones working his way around the left end before getting shoved out of bounds after a two-yard pickup. A false start penalty got them back where they started, pushing Dallas back five yards to set up third and goal from the nine.
Scrambling again, Romo fed Crayton cutting across the middle, but came up short, the play going for seven yards. A five-yard false start penalty made Folk's job a little tougher, although the kicker was still successful from 25 yards out, the score upped to 10-0.
Again taking the kick from his own end zone, this time Rossum broke around the left sideline for a 21-yard return, but a holding call on San Francisco's Delanie Walker pushed his team back to the 10.
Coffee went up the middle for seven yards then went off left tackle for six more and a first down as the two-minute warning sounded.
Working in a no-huddle offense, Hill hit Coffee on a screen pass for six yards, but missed receiver Josh Morgan on his next attempt. Hill then hit wideout Arnaz Battle cutting across the middle for 17 yards and a first down at the San Francisco 46-yard line.
Scrambling, Hill was forced to throw the ball away before trying another screen to Coffee on second down that fell incomplete. On third and 10, Hill went down the left sideline to Battle for a 19-yard completion and a first down at the Dallas 35.
Newman nearly picked off Hill's next pass, breaking up the play instead. Coffee went up the middle for a six-yard pickup with Battle hauling in the next pass for five yards and a first down at the Dallas 24.
With 11 seconds remaining in the half, San Francisco brought out Joe Nedney for the field goal, his effort good from 42 yards to get the visitors on the scoreboard, 10-3.
Nedney's grounder up the middle on the kickoff was corralled by the up-man Ogletree, who was able to pick up 35 yards before going out of bounds as the first-half clock hit zeros.
The second half got underway with a touchback on the kickoff, San Francisco getting started at their own 20. Coffee tried to go off right guard, but only picked up one yard with Hill then hitting Walker on a quick out for four. Another out pattern, this time to Coffee, totaled nine yards and a first down.
Coffee went left tackle for three yards then straight up the middle for five more. On third and two, Hill was just able to get rid of the ball before being brought down, his pass falling incomplete.
Following a false start penalty, Lee punted away to Crayton, who took the ball at his 10, just barely made it around the corner and got the ball out to the Cowboys 23.
Jon Kitna took over quarterbacking duties and his first attempt to Austin fell incomplete. Tashard Choice then went off tackle for four yards with Kitna finding Bennett on a curl route for a nice 12-yard reception and a first down at the Dallas 39.
Choice went up the middle for four yards before a screen pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage. On third and six, Kitna missed his target, Austin, bringing out McBriar for just his second punt of the night. The boot sailed out of bounds at the 16-yard line with a five-yard Dallas penalty adding on five more to give San Francisco a first and 10 at their own 21.
Damon Huard entered the game at quarterback at immediately hit Coffee for 12 yards. He then found Battle for another 13, but was sacked on the next play by linebacker Anthony Spencer. Huard's next two attempts to Walker both fell incomplete, Lee in to punt once more.
Crayton started the return at his own 22 and took it back 23 yards right up the middle to the Dallas 45. Kitna threw the ball away on first down, with Choice powering up the middle for six yards on second down. The possession came to an end, though, when Kitna overthrew Bennett to set up the punt.
After Spurlock called for the fair catch at his own 12-yard line, Nate Davis came on to quarterback and saw his first attempt fall incomplete. He then handed off to running back Kory Sheets who skirted around the left end for a gain of 13 yards and a first down.
Sheets went two yards on his next rush with Davis then throwing a screen out to Sheets for seven yards. Davis found Walker cutting across the middle to move the chains into Dallas territory, a pickup of 20 yards for a first and 10 at the Cowboys 46.
Davis scrambled for six yards with Sheets going up the middle on second down for five more. Hill then rolled to his right and hit Spurlock on the right sideline for a 15-yard completion and a first and 10 at the Dallas 20.
Stepping up in the pocket, Davis connected with tight end Joe Jon Finley for a 19-yard pass and a first and goal at the one. Sheets then dove over the line for the touchdown, Nedney doing his duty to tie the score 10-10.
Isaiah Stanback took the ball at his own one-yard line and bolted around the right end for a 30-yard return. Choice then brought the third quarter to a close with a two-yard gain up the middle.
Kitna started the final frame with a pass to Bennett for 17 yards, the ball placed at the 50. His next attempt fell incomplete, but Choice then found a huge hole awaiting him up the middle to pick up 12 yards and first down at the San Francisco 38.
A short out to Bennett managed just two yards, but Choice was there again, going around the left end for an 18-yard carry. The back continued to carry the load, rumbling straight ahead for nine yards, although his next carry went nowhere.
On third and one, running back Keon Lattimore fell forward, but couldn't pick up the yard and so Folk came out for a 26-yard field goal, his kick good to give Dallas back the lead, 13-10.
Spurlock returned Buehler's kick 19 yards to set up San Francisco at their own 23-yard line. Sheets tried to go around the right end, but a facemask penalty on Jason Hatcher gave San Francisco 15 yards and a first down.
A six-yard Sheets' run was negated by a 10-yard illegal block in the back penalty. An illegal snap then pushed the 49ers back five more, setting up first and 19. Their troubles continued as Hatcher redeemed himself with a sack of Davis. Facing second and 24, Davis dumped off to Sheets on a screen, the play earning five yards, then had his effort to Sheets fall incomplete.
DeAngelo Smith came in to return Lee's punt, but was leveled as he caught the ball, Dallas taking possession at their own 29. Kitna threw a quick out to Stanback on the right sideline, but the receiver fumbled, the 49ers' Reggie Smith there to fall on the loose ball.
Taking over at the Dallas 31, Sheets took the handoff up the middle for four yards, then Davis threw out to fullback Brit Miller for an 11-yard gain and a first down. Sheets was stopped for a two-yard loss with Miller then taking another pass, this one going for just three yards.
On third and nine, Spurlock came in to run the wildcat and handed off to Sheets who picked up seven. That brought out kicker Alex Romero, who was successful from 24 yards out to again tie the score, 13-13.
Stanback took the kickoff back 21 yards to get Dallas started on their 19. Kitna lofted one to tight end John Phillips, who took a tough blow for a 17-yard completion. Kitna went tight end Scott Chandler for another big gain, an 11-yard connect, but the quarterback's next attempt fell incomplete.
Kitna threw wide to Lattimore for a nine-yard reception, but lost two yards after falling on his own fumbled snap. After the two-minute warning, McBriar came in to punt with Spurlock calling for the fair catch at his own nine-yard line.
Under pressure, Davis' pass fell incomplete on first down with corner back Courtney Brown breaking up the next attempt to set up third and 10. Nearly sacked in the end zone, instead Davis threw one up for grabs down the right sideline only to have Brown commit pass interference for a 27-yard penalty and a first down.
Davis tried to go deep to receiver Dominique Zeigler down the right sideline, but missed his target, then connected with Sheets in the right flat for a six-yard gain. Throwing again, Davis went to the left sideline to Zeigler for 11 yards and a first down at the Cowboys 47.
With 54 seconds remaining, Davis hit a streaking Spurlock over the middle for a 35-yard play. A personal foul penalty for a horse-collar tackle took it half the distance to the goal to set up first and goal at the Dallas Six.
Sheets was brought down for a three-yard loss, but on the next snap the back fought through a number of would-be tacklers to reach paydirt and give San Francisco the lead with only 33 seconds left. Romero's kick pushed the score to 20-13.
Stanback faked a reverse on the kickoff, but kept the ball and earned 11 yards to get Dallas started on their own 12-yard line. Kitna immediately hit rookie receiver Mike Jefferson for a 17-yard completion, then found Phillips on the left flat for six yards. A pass intended for Lattimore came up empty and a toss to Jefferson on the right sideline was caught out of bounds.
On fourth and three with five seconds remaining, San Francisco was called for offsides to give Dallas the first down, still with five seconds left. Kitna dumped off a screen pass to Lattimore, who did pick up 31 yards on the connection, but was tackled as time ran out, the 49ers improving to 3-0 on the preseason while Dallas fell to 1-2.
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