Cowboys chase their first back-to-back wins of 2026 against the NFC-leading 49ers

The Dallas Cowboys have not won two games in a row this season. On Sunday they try again against the team that has given them the most trouble lately. San Francisco arrives at AT&T Stadium at 7-1, tied for the best record in the NFL and alone at the top of the NFC. The 49ers have beaten Dallas four straight times, and two of those wins came in the playoffs.

The Associated Press preview, published on ESPN, points out how rare streaks have been under Brian Schottenheimer. The only one in his two seasons as coach was a three-game run last November, and that team still finished 7-9-1. Dallas (4-5) comes in off a 27-23 win at Indianapolis that the AP called undisciplined. The week before, the Cowboys gave up a late rally in a 33-30 home loss to Arizona. Schottenheimer said his players are "excited about embracing the challenge."

The 49ers have their own problems at receiver. Deebo Samuel has missed three games with a hamstring injury but could return. San Francisco also traded for Keenan Allen at the deadline. Allen caught four passes for 26 yards against Dallas last week as a Colt, so he will face the Cowboys in back-to-back weeks for two different teams. Dallas allowed 166 passing yards in that game, its best pass-defense showing of the season.

What it means for Sunday

The Cowboys' results have gone back and forth all year. Going back from the opener, the sequence is a loss to the Giants, a win over Washington, a loss to Baltimore, a win at Houston, losses to Tampa Bay and Green Bay, a win at Philadelphia, the loss to Arizona and the win at Indianapolis. They have never won two straight. They have also played better away from Arlington. Dallas is 3-2 on the road and 1-3 at home, and two of those home losses (Baltimore and Arizona) came by three points.

The Dallas offense has scored 246 points, the same range as San Francisco's 235. The gap is on defense. The 49ers have allowed 156 points in eight games, while Dallas has given up 236 in nine. According to the AP, Dallas still ranks last in the league on third down, with opponents converting 48.3 percent. It has held each of its last three opponents under 50 percent, though. The Cowboys' running game has averaged 159 yards over the last three weeks. That will be tested by a 49ers defense that, per the AP, is the only one in the league that has not allowed a run of 20 yards or more this season.

On the board for this game, San Francisco is favored by 3.5 points at Novig, at -111. Dallas gets +108 on the other side of that number. The most points available for the Cowboys anywhere is +4.5 at bet365, at -117, which matches the AP's listed line of 4 1/2. That puts the spread across the 12 venues about a point apart. On the moneyline, Novig has the 49ers at -194 and Dallas at +190. The total is 55.5 at Novig and 56 at BetMGM, which is higher than every Dallas game so far except two. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 3.2 to 5.3 percent.

If Dallas wins, it reaches .500 and can try to extend the streak at home against Tennessee on Nov. 22. The Cowboys are favored by 7.5 points in that game.