The San Francisco 49ers are all set to square off in Dallas against the Cowboys for the opener of the 2014-2015 season. The 49ers come into the new season with high expectations again after their disappointing defeat in the NFC Championship game last season against the Seattle Seahawks.
A week one game on the road in Dallas should be a good measuring point for where this year's 49ers team stacks up against the rest of the league. The preseason has been real ugly. The 49ers have struggled to put any points on the board in the four games with the exception of the last one where they put up 40, but none of the starters played for majority of the game.
Yet another player appears to have gotten himself in trouble with the law - defensive linemen Ray McDonald. McDonald was arrested for domestic violence over the weekend just days after Commissioner Roger Goodell implemented the new six game suspension policy for domestic violence issues. This policy may not effect McDonald right away, but it'll definitely impact his ability to play in the near future.
The one sliver of good news for the 49ers over the weekend is that offensive linemen Alex Boone is expected to report to the team after a holdout that has lasted all the way through the preseason. The 49ers could definitely use Boone who has been a consistent performer since being named a starter.
The Dallas Cowboys have been a very mediocre team the past few years. It appears that this year will be no different. The 49ers need to go into Dallas and make a statement that they're still a big threat in the NFC.
The preseason performances the 49ers have put up so far indicate that they may not be an elite team anymore. It's hard to look into the preseason and say that regular season predictions can be made based on that, but if the preseason trends continue it could be a long season.
Colin Kaepernick has a lot to prove this season after signing a monster contract in the offseason. Just looking at the 49ers players on offense makes people think that they could be one of the most explosive offenses in the league. They're five or six deep at the receiver position and still have Vernon Davis and Frank Gore at tight end and running back. There's no reason they shouldn't be scoring at least three touchdowns per game this season.
That being said, going into Dallas means they have a great opportunity to start the new season on a very good note. Dallas' defense has been extremely soft the past couple seasons and the 49ers feel that they should be able to put up points at will. The 49ers defense should be able to do just enough to slow down Tony Romo and the offense without their start inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman.
The thought is for the 49ers to get off to a quick start to the new season in Dallas just in time for their Levi's Stadium debut in week two against the Chicago Bears. I see them beating the Cowboys 27-17 in the season opener, which should give them confidence going forward, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
The first two weeks are good match-ups on paper for the offense, so it'll definitely be crucial for the offense to get rolling early just in time for the start of division play in week three against the Cardinals.
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