Fresh off their thrilling win against their NFC West rival, the San Francisco 49ers now have a tall task ahead of them as they square off with a high-powered Dallas Cowboys who have their sights set on a Super Bowl. Last week's come-from-behind win against the Los Angeles Rams showed the grit and tenacity that the 49ers possess. If the Cowboys are smart, that should definitely scare them.
AMBRY THOMAS CALLED GAME!@Tavonn_#BEATLA pic.twitter.com/1mWUe2e9nn
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 10, 2022
The 17-point comeback victory was tied for the most in NFL history for a team to clinch a playoff spot in the final game.
Jimmy Garoppolo played with a broken thumb. Deebo Samuel reminded everyone he can do it all. Brandon Aiyuk frequently got loose in the Rams secondary. The 49ers even got stellar defensive efforts from Emmanuel Moseley, Fred Warner, and Arik Armstead.
For more insight on the 49ers' Wild Card playoff matchup against the Cowboys, listen below:
In this post, we'll be discussing who the 49ers X-factor will be against the Cowboys during their Wild Card matchup this weekend, and with the way things look right now, it definitely won't be Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle.
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49ers X-Factor vs. Cowboys in 2022 NFL Playoffs: Jimmy Garoppolo
There's no denying that Jimmy G played exceptionally well against the Rams. He came through for them in the clutch with a series of big throws. That includes the two-minute drill with no timeouts wherein he led the 49ers for the tying score. However, it's fair to say that Garoppolo hasn't always played at his best during his tenure with the 49ers.
After all, he has had a ton of miscues this season that contributed to a couple of losses. Prior to his thumb injury, Garoppolo's pocket presence had been a big question mark. If the 49ers want to achieve the same level of success against the Cowboys as they did against the Rams, then it goes without saying that they will need another big performance from Garoppolo.
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They'll need his confidence to be sky-high if he plans to lead this deep and dynamic 49ers squad on another lengthy playoff run. With rumors that San Fran will turn toward rookie quarterback Trey Lance next season, it's critical for Garoppolo to prove he can still be the future of the team. That starts this weekend in Dallas.
This, however, will prove to be challenging. The Cowboys feature the league's no. 1 offense, led by Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliot, Amari Cooper, and CeeDee Lamb. But what makes this year's Cowboys team different has been the defense. Cornerback Trevon Diggs and rookie linebacker Micah Parsons are having All-Pro seasons. But the Rams possessed just as much talent and the 49ers still beat the odds.
If Garoppolo can keep calm under pressure, there's no reason he can help unleash the 49ers' offensive firepower. The rush defense has been the Cowboys' Achilles heel. Assuming the 49ers can establish the run game, expect Garoppolo to succeed on play action and potentially lead his team to an upset victory.
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