49ers jump to 14-point lead, then fall 24-17 to Cowboys

Complete Game Stats

A sea of Dallas Cowboys fans invaded Levi's Stadium to watch rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott as rain fell from the sky early in the game. The skies cleared up for the crowd and for the Cowboys as Dallas came back to beat the 49ers 24-17.

While the Cowboys drove down the field on the first drive of the game to the 49ers' 29-yard line and came away with nothing after a missed field goal attempt, the Blaine Gabbert led San Francisco offense drove down the field on the ensuing 9-play, 63-yard drive that was capped off with a 33-yard touchdown pass to WR Jeremy Kerley. Gabbert, who has been under much scrutiny by fans in recent weeks, was 4 of 5 for 54 yards and the touchdown on the team's initial drive.

After dominating the first quarter, the 49ers started the second on the Cowboy's 12-yard line up 7-0. RB Carlos Hyde picked up his fifth touchdown of the season with a 3-yard run into the end zone at the end of the 12-play, 80-yard drive. Last week against the Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers failed to convert any of their first 10 third down plays. Against the Cowboys, they converted all of their first seven.

During the second quarter, a questionable roughing the passer call on SS Jaquiski Tartt kept the Dallas drive alive and the Cowboys went on to score and cut the 49ers lead down to 14-7. The call on Tartt came as Prescott was still being tackled by 49ers defenders and prior to the play being dead. Without the call, Dallas would have been well out of field goal range and would have been forced to punt.

At the end of their very next drive, the Cowboys tied the game up 14-14 on a Prescott touchdown pass to WR Brice Butler. That capped off an 11-play, 58-yard drive that ate up just 1:38 on the clock. Following "Let's go Cowboys" chants from the Levi's Stadium crowd, that's how the first half ended. While the 49ers dominated the first quarter, it was the Cowboys that controlled the second.

Against the Seahawks, Gabbert had 119 total passing yards. He had nearly that amount in the first half against the Cowboys with 112 with most of that came in the first quarter. Gabbert was 8 of 11 passing while Prescott was 15 of 21 for 133 yards and two touchdowns for Dallas.

Hyde started the second half off with an explosive 32-yard run for the 49ers. That was followed up by a 23-yard pass from Gabbert to TE Garrett Celek. However, a false start on OT Trent Brown put the 49ers into 3rd-and-14 situation and a poor throw by Gabbert at the Dallas 18-yard line forced the 49ers to kick a field goal.

The Cowboys' Elliott completed a 10-play, 78 yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown drive to give Dallas their first lead of the game, up 21-17.

An interception by CB Morris Claiborne on a deep Gabbert pass intended for Torrey Smith gave the Cowboys the ball with just over 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Elliott accounted for 33 of the Cowboys' 62 yards on the ensuing drive, which ended with a field goal giving Dallas a 24-17 lead.

Gabbert and the 49ers attempted to convert a 4th-and-6 to the chants of "Defense" from the pro-Cowboys crowd, but the pass to Torrey Smith was shy of the first down marker and that's how the game ended for San Francisco.

The 49ers have now lost three straight games as their record falls to 1-3 on the season.

Injuries

ILB NaVorro Bowman went down with a non-contact injury during the third quarter. He was on the field grabbing his left ankle and after being looked at by the team's medical staff, was carted to the 49ers locker room. Following the game, Bowman was seen in a walking boot.

DE DeForest Buckner went down late in the fourth quarter with what looked like a left leg injury. He was able to get off of the field with some assistance from team trainers.

WR Jeremy Kerley left the game late in the fourth quarter with an injury.

Notes and Quotes

Head coach Chip Kelly did not have any injury updates following the game.

"I thought Blaine played well today besides that one throw," said Kelly following the loss. The one throw was the interception off of the pass intended for Torrey Smith.

"I wouldn't short change them from a talent standpoint," said Kelly when addressing a question about losing to a Cowboys team without a lot of their starters.

"I think it changed the game," said Kelly regarding the penalty against Tartt in the second quarter.

Jaquiski Tartt said that he had no idea he was called for roughing the passer in the second quarter. The crowd was loud, no whistle was heard, and he was still being blocked by Dallas offensive players.

"That was a horrible call," said Eric Reid regarding the penalty on Tartt.

"That's on me," said Blaine Gabbert on the interception while trying to hit Smith deep. "Just missed him wide."

"Nobody's giving up," said Gabbert of the 49ers locker room. "Nobody's pointing fingers."