The Cowboys got a little breathing room before they even took the field in Week 10.
At MetLife Stadium on Thursday night, the Washington Commanders slipped past the New York Giants 24-21, and that result landed exactly the way Dallas needed it to. The Giants, who entered the week atop the division, dropped to 5-3-1. The Cowboys sit at 4-5 and are now 1.5 games back, with a chance to pull even with New York’s win total this weekend.
That doesn’t make Sunday afternoon any easier. Dallas still has to deal with the San Francisco 49ers, and that matchup comes with plenty of baggage. The 49ers have beaten the Cowboys in four straight meetings, and they’re back in form again in 2026, sitting at a conference-best 7-1.
The Cowboys are already playing catch-up after losses to the Giants in Week 1, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Arizona Cardinals in games where they were favored. So while New York’s stumble helps, Dallas still has to keep stacking wins of its own.
That’s where the 49ers test gets serious. San Francisco’s offense, run by Kyle Shanahan, is the kind of unit that can punish a defense that’s still trying to find its footing. Dallas’ defense has been improving, but this is a big ask, and defensive coordinator Christian Parker will need to put together the best game of his young career to slow it down.
The pressure, though, doesn’t stop there. The Cowboys’ offense has to carry plenty of the load in this one. Entering Week 10, Dallas ranks ninth in total offense at 360.4 yards per game, sixth in passing offense at 256.9, and sixth in scoring offense at 27.3.
There’s also a potential boost on the way. George Pickens is trending toward returning from a hamstring injury, and that matters against a San Francisco defense that has been playing well. If Dallas is going to have a real shot, the offense likely needs to push past 28 points.
The Giants’ loss also becomes more interesting when you look at what’s coming next for them. Over their next six weeks, they’ll face the Jaguars, 49ers, Seahawks, Browns, and Lions. None of that is soft, and they still haven’t beaten a team with a winning record in 2026.
Dallas has its own difficult stretch ahead, with the Rams, Seahawks, and Jaguars still on the schedule. But the Cowboys also have more favorable matchups left against the Titans, Eagles and Commanders.
So yes, the Giants’ defeat gave Dallas a boost. But that only matters if the Cowboys do what they need to do on Sunday. Against the 49ers, that’s the whole ballgame.
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