But alas, a second-quarter problem, as Pollard has exited the game, which is tied 6-all, with what looks like a nasty ankle injury.
We know how Dallas likes to use the running game to set up play-action passes down the field. On top of that, Pollard's quickness and lightning feet are tough to stop ... and if Dallas gets into a short-down situation, Elliott is the hammer who can get those tough yards ...Playoff football is all about matchups, and for the Dallas Cowboys, this week's Divisional Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium offers an interesting one ... Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard against the league-leading 49ers defense.
But the Niners are among the NFL's best run defenses ... and now, if Dallas is going to try to move the ball on the run, it looks like it will be without Pollard.
Dak Prescott's ability to be used as a runner is available ... unfortunately, though, he has two first-half interceptions that mean there is a problem in another area.
It was an ugly, back-and-forth struggle for all 60 minutes -- lacking in the beauty that comprised the Dallas Cowboys-San Francisco 49ers playoff showdowns of the 80's and 90's that had Joe Montana, Steve Young, Roger Craig, and Jerry Rice on one side and Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin on the other -- and as expected, the 49ers did what they have done in each of their previous divisional round showdowns: what they needed to do to advance to the NFC Championship Game, this time winning by a 19-12 score. It's a historical result as rookie Brock Purdy will now become the fourth quarterback drafted in the 6th round or later, or undrafted, to reach a Conference Championship in his 1st season as a starter, joining Dieter Brock (1985 ), Kurt Warner (1999), and Tom Brady (2001). On the other side, the Cowboys run the longest streak of playoff appearances in NFL history without a conference title game appearance to 12. While Purdy is re-writing the history books with his play as the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the reason the 49ers ended the Cowboys season on Sunday is because of their defense. San Francisco forced two Dak Prescott interceptions, and their offense turned both of those into field goals, critical in a game they won by only seven points.
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