49ers, Cowboys meet this week as flawed opponents despite sky-high expectations

The teams mirror each other in several ways. The first, and most important, is that the 49ers and Cowboys had larger aspirations for themselves than their respective current records show. Both the 49ers and Cowboys considered themselves favorites to not only win their respective divisions but ride deep into the playoffs. And now, eight weeks into the NFL season, the 49ers (3-4) and Cowboys (3-3) are struggling to remain in the playoff hunt heading into their Sunday night shown at Levis Stadium. The Cowboys are coming off a long bye week having to digest the 47-9 shellacking at home they took from the Lions in Week 6. The 49ers are coming off their 28-18 home loss to the Chiefs and enter their bye week after this game. “We’re in similar spots — two teams that need to right the ship and get on a better trajectory,” 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa told reporters this week.“They’re coming off the bye [and] we’re heading into it after this.

They want to get going and start the second half of their season the right way, and we want to go into the bye feeling good about where we’re at.” Both teams have not been good at the things that made them favorites to be top contenders this season. The Cowboys biggest issue has been turnovers.They’re not creating enough of them, and they’re turning the ball over too often — 11 times.

They are ranked 30th in the league with a minus-six turnover differential. Their defense has generated just five takeaways after leading the NFL with 59 of them the previous two seasons under defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.In each of the past two seasons, the Cowboys have been at least plus-10 in turnover differential. Unfortunately for Dallas, Quinn is now the head coach in Washington, with his Commanders leading the NFC East at the moment. “That’s the huge blinking light for us,” Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters of the turnover problem.

“Just like anything in the game of football, where you put...