Cowboys push their season to the brink with a loss to the 49ers as a tough schedule awaits

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas coach Mike McCarthy rejected the notion last week that a visit to San Francisco was a potential tipping point for the Cowboys.

The 30-24 loss might suggest otherwise, particularly with Trevon Diggs coming out of the locker room just minutes after the game, still in full uniform, to confront a reporter about a critical post on social media.

Dak Prescott says the frustration is “very high” but insists the Cowboys (3-4) have the resolve to dig out of this hole. The defending NFC East champions are two games back in the loss column in the division.

There are plenty of opportunities to prove it — immediately. Dallas visits NFC South-leading Atlanta (5-3) on Sunday in the first of four consecutive games against teams currently with winning records. Three are division leaders.

The Cowboys haven't been under .500 this late in the season with a healthy Prescott since 2018, when a trade for receiver Amari Cooper sparked a run to the division title and Prescott's first playoff victory.

There's no reason to believe a trade is coming this time. When owner/general manager Jerry Jones hasn't been expressing his frustration by threatening the jobs of the hosts on one of his weekly radio shows, he's been saying he likes the roster the way it is.

“We know what it takes in this league,” Prescott said. “You get hot and you can get rolling and that’s all you’re looking to do. So that’s my point about this. It’s frustrating, but nobody’s giving up.”

What's working

A week filled with jury duty didn't bother unflappable kicker Brandon Aubrey, who got his work in late in the day at the team's facility after court was out of session. He wasn't really tested, either.

Aubrey's only field goal was a 29-yarder, and he made all three extra points. It meant the end of his NFL-record streak of eight consecutive games with at least one field from 50 or more yards.

Aubrey did have a mistake that cost the Cowboys field position. Trying to land one of his kickoffs inside the 20, the ball bounced a few yards short, giving the 49ers the ball at the 40.

What needs help

The Cowboys are sinking in run defense again, now essentially in a dead heat for last in the league with one-win Carolina after giving up 223 yards on the ground to San Francisco. Dallas is easily the worst in the NFL in rushing offense, which makes a pretty rough combination for a team that made the playoffs with 12 wins each of the past three seasons.

Stock up

All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb finally had his first 100-yard game of the season, with 146 yards and two touchdowns. But there are still lingering hiccups in his connection with Prescott.

Lamb didn't stop and try to do anything about Deommodore Lenoir's leaping third-quarter interception, which might have been the biggest play of the game. On another throw, Lamb kept running when Prescott was expecting him to stop.

Stock down

S Donovan Wilson was the player most frequently burned by TE George Kittle, who had a season-high 128 yards and three catches of at least 27 yards. He was replaced briefly in the second half by Juanyeh Thomas.

Injuries

CB Amani Oruwariye left the game with a back injury. ... The biggest question this week will be the status of star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who has missed three games because of a high ankle sprain. Dallas has had trouble getting pressure on the quarterback in the first injury absence of Parsons' career.

Key number

6 — Interceptions thrown by Prescott in the past three games (two each). He's the first Dallas quarterback since Troy Aikman in 1992 with at least two picks in three consecutive games.

Next steps

A visit to Atlanta was part of the turnaround for Prescott & Co. in 2018. The Cowboys were 4-5 when they beat the Falcons 22-19 for the second victory in a 7-1 finish to the regular season. The difference is Dallas was coming off a victory at divisional rival Philadelphia rather than yet another demoralizing loss.

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Schuyler Dixon, The Associated Press