The Dallas Cowboys enter Week 10 at 4-5, needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Their 27-23 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9 ended in a positive result, but mental mistakes left the team with plenty to improve.
Dallas faces the San Francisco 49ers, who have beaten the Cowboys in four consecutive meetings. Dallas’ last win over San Francisco came in 2020, making Sunday’s matchup an important opportunity to change that trend.
## CeeDee Lamb on the 49ers Matchup
Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb told reporters Thursday that beating San Francisco would affirm the team’s belief in itself, despite its record and the challenges it has faced this season.
> “It would just prove us right. Just of how we think of ourselves throughout this building. A lot of people would be shocked, obviously, because of the record, and things that have happened leading up to this game.
>
> “But for us, we know we haven’t played our best game, and we just got to go out there and do that. I feel like we play complementary football — defense gets stops, offense go score the ball — we will probably be having a different conversation.”
Lamb is likely to be central to Dallas’ effort. He has recorded 70 catches for 904 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per reception.
## Cowboys’ Playoff Hopes on the Line
San Francisco entered Week 10 as the NFC’s top seed in a hypothetical playoff picture, while Dallas was outside the postseason field. The Cowboys received some help Thursday night when Washington defeated the New York Giants, leaving the NFC East race open.
The Giants hold a two-game lead over Dallas. A Cowboys win over the 49ers could help narrow that gap, while a loss would make the path to the postseason more difficult.
Winning the NFC East appears to be Dallas’ most realistic route to the playoffs. The NFC North currently holds four of the conference’s seven postseason spots, including all three wild-card positions.
The Cowboys have shown a greater sense of urgency this week as they prepare for San Francisco. A victory could reshape their season; otherwise, reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2023 will become a tougher challenge.
