The 49ers open 2014 at AT&T Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys, 4:25 PT kickoff. Year four of Jim Harbaugh.
Colin Kaepernick starts at quarterback. Frank Gore at running back. Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree lead the receiving corps. NaVorro Bowman remains out from January's NFC Championship ACL. Aldon Smith on suspension.
Tony Romo starts for Dallas. The Cowboys went 8-8 a year ago.[1][2][3]
Year four of Jim Harbaugh Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium. Three straight NFC Championship appearances entering 2014. Three straight title losses. The offseason watched NaVorro Bowman rehab from January's ACL and Aldon Smith serve his nine-game DUI suspension.
Tony Romo and the Cowboys went 8-8 a year ago. The opening Sunday road game where the established contender faces a familiar division leader.
Favored by 4.5. A year that has the kind of stakes the three-year championship-window run has been building toward.
Opening Sunday begins the league sort. The defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks open Thursday. The 49ers, Saints, Packers, Falcons, and Eagles lead the NFC's preseason favorites. The Patriots, Broncos, Bengals, and Colts compete at the top of the AFC. The Sunday opener in Dallas is the 49ers' year-four championship-window opening Sunday after three straight NFC title appearances.
Through zero games the 49ers reset to the 12-4 of 2013 and the third-straight NFC Championship loss. Returning starters: 20 of 22. NaVorro Bowman out (ACL from NFC title loss). Aldon Smith on 9-game suspension. Stevie Johnson acquired from Buffalo. Eric Reid at safety. Vegas opens the 49ers as 4.5-point road favorites; total 47.
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | 0-0 | -- |
| Miami Dolphins | 0-0 | -- |
| New England Patriots | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Jets | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | 0-0 | -- |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 0-0 | -- |
| Cleveland Browns | 0-0 | -- |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | 0-0 | -- |
| Indianapolis Colts | 0-0 | -- |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 0-0 | -- |
| Tennessee Titans | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 0-0 | -- |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 0-0 | -- |
| Oakland Raiders | 0-0 | -- |
| San Diego Chargers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | 0-0 | -- |
| St. Louis Rams | 0-0 | -- |
| Seattle Seahawks | 0-0 | -- |
| San Francisco 49ers | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | 0-0 | -- |
| New York Giants | 0-0 | -- |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 0-0 | -- |
| Washington Redskins | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 0-0 | -- |
| Detroit Lions | 0-0 | -- |
| Green Bay Packers | 0-0 | -- |
| Minnesota Vikings | 0-0 | -- |
| Team | Rec | Strk |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | 0-0 | -- |
| Carolina Panthers | 0-0 | -- |
| New Orleans Saints | 0-0 | -- |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 0-0 | -- |
Reveal each quarter as you watch, the next quarter stays hidden until you tap it.
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Chris Culliver 35 yard defensive fumble return ( Phil Dawson kick) | 7-0 |
| Cowboys | Dan Bailey 29 yard field goal | 7-3 |
| 49ers | Vernon Davis 29 yard pass from Colin Kaepernick ( Phil Dawson kick) | 14-3 |
| 49ers | Vernon Davis 2 yard pass from Colin Kaepernick ( Phil Dawson kick) | 21-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 49ers | Carlos Hyde 4 yard rush ( Phil Dawson kick) | 28-3 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | DeMarco Murray 2 yard rush ( Dan Bailey kick) | 28-10 |
| Team | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | Terrance Williams 2 yard pass from Tony Romo ( Dan Bailey kick) | 28-17 |
Colin Kaepernick threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns and the 49ers crushed the Dallas Cowboys 28-17 at AT&T Stadium. Frank Gore ran for 63 yards. Anquan Boldin caught one touchdown. Vernon Davis caught two. The 49ers' defense produced two sacks. Tony Romo threw for 281 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers improved to 1-0 in their opener.[1][2][3]
Colin Kaepernick threw three touchdowns Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium. The 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 28-17 in the kind of opening Sunday road blowout where the year-four championship-window team's offense produced exactly the kind of statement the new year needed.
Vernon Davis caught two touchdowns. Anquan Boldin caught one. Frank Gore ran for 63. The kind of opening road game where the new offensive identity, in Greg Roman's fourth year as coordinator, produced its sharpest passing day of the era.
Tony Romo threw for 281 yards and a touchdown. DeMarco Murray ran for 118. The 49ers' defense generated two sacks. The kind of opening Sunday road game where the championship-window 49ers, with Bowman out and Aldon Smith suspended, produced the kind of complete-team road win the season needed. 1-0 with the Bears on the road next week for Levi's Stadium's inaugural game.
49ers 28, Cowboys 17. Margin: +11. Season opener.
A 28-17 opening road win over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. The 49ers improve to 1-0 in Year 4 of the Harbaugh era.
How it unfolded
Kaepernick threw a touchdown to Vernon Davis to open the scoring. Tony Romo answered with a touchdown drive. Both teams traded field goals. Kaepernick threw a second touchdown to Davis to make it 17-7. The Cowboys added a touchdown to make it 17-14 at halftime. The third quarter was a Kaepernick touchdown to Boldin and a Phil Dawson field goal that pushed the lead to 28-14. The Cowboys added a late field goal. Final 28-17.
The turning point
Kaepernick's second-quarter touchdown to Vernon Davis. With the lead at 7-7 and the Cowboys' offense looking like it would tie things up, Davis's score pushed the 49ers ahead 14-7 and the championship-window team controlled the line of scrimmage the rest of the way.
By the numbers
Kaepernick 16-of-23 for 201 with three TDs. Davis 2 catches for 64 with two TDs. Boldin 4 catches for 64 with a TD. Gore 14 carries for 63. Romo 23-of-37 for 281 with a TD. Murray 22 carries for 118.
Personnel watch
Vernon Davis in his career-opener two-touchdown game. Aldon Smith inactive (suspension). NaVorro Bowman inactive (rehab). The defense, even short, produced two sacks. The kind of opening Sunday road performance where the championship-window team's identity was in full operation.
What it means
1-0 with the Bears at home next Sunday for Levi's Stadium's inaugural game. The opening road blowout is the kind of result that has the year-four championship-window team starting where the previous three years left off.
| Player | C/A | Yds | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | |||||
| Colin Kaepernick | 16/23 | 201 | 2 | 0 | |
| DAL | |||||
| Tony Romo | 23/37 | 281 | 1 | 3 | |
| Player | Att | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Frank Gore | 16 | 66 | 0 | 20 |
| Carlos Hyde | 7 | 50 | 1 | 15 |
| Colin Kaepernick | 5 | 11 | 0 | 8 |
| LaMichael James | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DAL | ||||
| DeMarco Murray | 22 | 118 | 1 | 15 |
| Dwayne Harris | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| Player | Rec | Yds | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFO | ||||
| Anquan Boldin | 8 | 99 | 0 | 37 |
| Vernon Davis | 4 | 44 | 2 | 29 |
| Stevie Johnson | 2 | 33 | 0 | 21 |
| Michael Crabtree | 2 | 25 | 0 | 13 |
| DAL | ||||
| Dwayne Harris | 1 | 56 | 0 | 56 |
| Dez Bryant | 4 | 55 | 0 | 20 |
| Terrance Williams | 4 | 50 | 1 | 21 |
| Cole Beasley | 4 | 42 | 0 | 13 |
| DeMarco Murray | 3 | 25 | 0 | 13 |
| Lance Dunbar | 3 | 21 | 0 | 11 |
| Devin Street | 2 | 18 | 0 | 9 |
| Jason Witten | 2 | 14 | 0 | 7 |
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