SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score to send the San Francisco 49ers into their bye week on a high note with a 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
The Niners (4-4) bounced back from a loss last week in a Super Bowl rematch against Kansas City with a strong performance against the Cowboys (3-4) that they hope will set them up for another big push in the second half of the season.
San Francisco went 16-2 following its Week 9 bye week the past two seasons to make it to the NFC title game in 2022 and the Super Bowl last season.
Purdy led three straight touchdown drives to turn a 10-6 halftime deficit into a 27-10 lead, but San Francisco had to hold on late after Dak Prescott threw two TD passes to CeeDee Lamb to cut the deficit to six.
Prescott had a chance to complete the comeback but threw four straight incomplete passes after getting the ball back with 3:05 left in the fourth quarter.
San Francisco took control in the third quarter, driving 60 yards after the opening kick of the half to score on rookie Isaac Guerendo’s 4-yard run.
Deommodore Lenoir’s interception that set up San Francisco in Dallas territory, leading to Purdy’s 2-yard touchdown pass to George Kittle, who finished with six catches for 128 yards.
The Niners then drove 75 yards for another TD when Purdy scored on a sneak from 2 yards out.
Purdy bounced back from a three-interception performance last week against the Chiefs to go 18 for 26 for 260 yards against Dallas.
The Cowboys returned from their bye and didn’t look a whole lot better for most of the game than they did in a 47-9 loss at home to Detroit two weeks ago.
Prescott threw two interceptions for a third straight game — the first Cowboys quarterback to do that in 32 years — and struggled to generate any consistent offense until the fourth quarter.
The defense struggled to slow San Francisco down at all outside of when the Niners committed penalties or Purdy was off-target on a few passes. It added up to another loss that will increase the outside pressure on coach Mike McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract.
Prescott finished 25 for 38 for 243 yards. Lamb caught 13 passes for 146 yards.
Injuries
49ers: RB Jordan Mason went to the locker room in the first half with a shoulder injury. He missed time with an injured shoulder in Week 6 at Seattle. … LB Dee Winters left the game in the second half with a concussion. … WR Deebo Samuel (ribs) left in the fourth quarter.
Up next
Cowboys: At Atlanta on Sunday.
49ers: At Tampa Bay on Nov. 10.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Josh Dubow, The Associated Press