49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Drew Bledsoe threw for 363 yards and two touchdowns and the Dallas Cowboys beat the 49ers 34-31 at Candlestick Park. Tim Rattay threw three touchdowns to Brandon Lloyd. Lloyd caught four for 142 and two of the touchdowns. Julius Jones ran for 85 and two touchdowns. Kevan Barlow ran for 65. The 49ers led 31-24 in the fourth quarter. The 49ers fell to 1-2 with the late home loss.[1][2][3]

Brandon Lloyd caught four passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns Sunday afternoon at Candlestick. The 49ers' WR1, in his breakout game of the year, produced the kind of receiving-tape performance the offseason hoped for. But Drew Bledsoe threw a 35-yard touchdown to Patrick Crayton with under five minutes left and the Dallas Cowboys came back from a 31-24 fourth-quarter deficit to beat the 49ers 34-31.

Tim Rattay threw three touchdowns. Lloyd caught two of them. Kevan Barlow ran for 65 yards. Julius Jones ran for 85 and two touchdowns for Dallas. The defense surrendered the kind of fourth-quarter comeback drive the new staff has been trying to prevent.

1-2. The kind of home loss where, in a 31-24 fourth-quarter lead, the defense gave back the kind of late-game discipline the year's identity needs. The Arizona Cardinals on the road next Sunday in a division game. The kind of October where the year's competitive identity, with two close games and one blowout, has produced both bell-curve ends.

Cowboys 34, 49ers 31. Margin: -3. Three-game record: 1-2, -39 differential.

* Drew Bledsoe: 24-of-38 for 363, 2 TDs, 2 INTs.
* Julius Jones: 26 carries for 85, 2 TDs.
* Tim Rattay: 21-of-34 for 269, 3 TDs (Lloyd x2 + 1), 2 INTs.
* Brandon Lloyd: 4 catches for 142, 2 TDs.
* Kevan Barlow: 12 carries for 65.
* Patrick Crayton: late TD reception.
* 49ers led 31-24 entering 4Q.
* 49ers 1-2; Cowboys 2-1.

A 34-31 home loss to the Dallas Cowboys at Candlestick. The 49ers blew a 31-24 fourth-quarter lead. The 49ers fall to 1-2.

How it unfolded

The 49ers scored on their opening drive with a Tim Rattay touchdown to Brandon Lloyd to make it 7-0. The Cowboys answered with a Bledsoe touchdown to tie at 7-7. Rattay threw a second touchdown to Lloyd to make it 14-7. The Cowboys added a touchdown to tie at 14-14. The second quarter went 49ers field goal, Cowboys field goal, and a 49ers touchdown to push the lead to 24-17 at halftime. The third quarter was scoreless. The fourth quarter was a 49ers Rattay third touchdown to make it 31-17, then a Cowboys touchdown to make it 31-24, then a Patrick Crayton late touchdown to put Dallas up 34-31. The 49ers' final possession ended without scoring.

The turning point

Patrick Crayton's late touchdown reception. With the 49ers up 31-24 and the defense one stop away from the home win, Bledsoe's deep ball to Crayton gave Dallas the comeback and the year's first signature late-game collapse.

By the numbers

Rattay 269 passing on 34 attempts with three TDs and two INTs. Lloyd 142 receiving on 4 catches with two TDs. Kevan Barlow 65 rushing on 12 carries. Bledsoe 363 on 38 attempts with two TDs and two INTs. Julius Jones 85 rushing with two TDs.

Personnel watch

Brandon Lloyd's 142-yard breakout receiving game with two touchdowns. Tim Rattay's three-touchdown passing day. Kevan Barlow productive. The defense surrendering the late comeback. The kind of home loss where the offense produced 31 but the defense gave it all back in the fourth quarter.

What it means

1-2 with the Cardinals on the road next Sunday. The kind of home loss where the year's competitive identity, three games in, has produced an upset win, a blowout loss, and a fourth-quarter collapse. The defensive concerns are now the daily conversation. The Brandon Lloyd breakout is the year's lone consistent offensive bright spot.