The 49ers and Cowboys are rekindling their postseason rivalry that began with ‘the Catch’ in January of 1983, and peaked in the early 1990s when San Francisco and Dallas dominated the NFC. Now a new chapter is being written in the historic rivalry.
For the second consecutive year the 49ers and Cowboys are facing off in the playoffs. This time the stakes will be a little higher with an NFC championship appearance on the line.
Both teams are vying for NFC title game trips for very different reasons.
The 49ers are looking to complete some unfinished business. They fell to the Rams in last year’s NFC championship game. In 2019 they lost in the Super Bowl. They’ve gotten close and now they’re looking to finally finish the job.
For the Cowboys it’s just about reaching that stage and climbing to heights that became the standard in the early 1990s. They last reached the NFC championship game in the 1995 season. Since then it’s been a carousel of disappointment both in the regular season and the playoffs.
Here are some quick notes on the ninth 49ers-Cowboys playoff matchup heading into divisional playoff week:
Date: Sunday, January 22
Time: 3:30 p.m. PT
Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
TV channel: Fox
Referee: Bill Vinovich
Point spread: 49ers (-4)
49ers vs. Cowboys (regular season): 15-14-1
49ers vs. Cowboys (playoffs): 3-5
Last meeting: 23-17, 49ers in 2021 wild card playoffs
