Cowboys ‘refocus’ for prime-time clash with ailing 49ers

The Dallas Cowboys had an extra week to heal from a severe beating but now travel to play a team that brings up bad memories.San Francisco has won the past three meetings, including playoff victories to end Dallas’ 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Cowboys hope for a different result when they face the 49ers on Sunday night at Santa Clara, Calif.Last season’s meeting was one-sided as San Francisco clobbered the Cowboys 42-10 behind four touchdown passes from Brock Purdy, three to George Kittle.That beatdown might not have been as bad as the one Dallas (3-3) just experienced — a 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions before the team’s much-needed bye.Frustrated Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott had a message for his teammates before they all took time off.”Look in the mirror. Go watch these six games over the bye week. Take a few days off. Reset. And be ready when we get back in that building to refocus and do every single thing that you can to help this team,” Prescott told reporters. “And everybody has a role, whatever that role may be. Make sure you understand what it is, and if it’s bigger than what it was a few weeks ago, if it’s smaller, whatever it may be, figure out a way to be the absolute best in it.”Eleven games left. We’re going to take it one at a time. San Fran’s next, so as we watch these six games, go ahead and get a jumpstart on a couple of their games and be ready, as I said, to refocus after this reset.”Prescott has passed for 1,602 yards, eight touchdowns and six interceptions entering the latest showdown with the 49ers.But perhaps what Dallas could really use is seeing star linebacker Micah Parsons (ankle) and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) on the field.Parsons has missed the past two games while Bland has yet to play this season. Neither practiced Wednesday.Parsons didn’t like what he witnessed in the loss to the Lions.”I think we’ve gotta go into these games and say, ‘We’ve gotta step on somebody’s neck,'” Parsons said. “It’s just the simple things: being disciplined, can’t kill each other on red-zone trips. Can’t kill each other on third downs.”The 49ers (3-4) are battling a slew of injuries and lost star wideout Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending right knee injury during last Sunday’s 28-18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.