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FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker said Thursday his defense has to stay clean for a full 60 minutes against the San Francisco 49ers, four days after missed tackles on one play let Indianapolis score on a 55-yard catch-and-run.
Dallas led 17-7 at halftime of Sunday’s 27-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts and held them to 271 total yards and 3 of 13 on third down. After a short kickoff gave Indianapolis the ball at its 40, Ashton Dulin turned a short pass into a 55-yard touchdown with 1:17 left in the third quarter.
A game can turn on one snap with two or three missed tackles, even after 58 clean plays, Parker said.
“That’s what we’re focusing on,” Parker said. “The overall execution, the fundamental detail, and just being able to do that for a full 60 minutes. Not having any one-off plays. Sometimes it’s you’re playing clean for 58 plays. Those two plays, you miss two or three tackles on a single play. 55 yards later, it’s a touchdown, and not allowing that to bleed into others, so just overall clean play and fundamental execution.”
Christian Parker On San Francisco’s Third-Down Offense
San Francisco does not need to throw past the sticks to convert on third down, Parker said, because its ball carriers break tackles after the catch and quarterback Brock Purdy extends plays.
“Just doing your job, playing clean,” Parker explained. “Of course, you got to be aware of the situation. You know what you’re defending and what they like to do. They do a good job of mixing it up week to week. They have significant ball carriers, so the ball doesn’t always have to travel past the sticks. They do a good job catching it. Getting vertical immediately, breaking tackles, and getting past that. The quarterback makes off-schedule plays. That’s where he really comes alive in that regard.”
Against Purdy, the pass rush and the coverage have to work together, and Dallas has to make plays on the ball when the chances come, Parker said. The 49ers also stress defenders in the flat, where Parker wants every player to know whose job it is on a given snap.
“Yeah, it does. I mean, they do a good job just finding matchups and leverage,” Parker said. “So you have to know who the flat responsibility falls under. Knowing where you have help, knowing where you don’t, and be able to be aggressive and match up. At the end of the day, when the ball is snapped, it’s football that’s being played. So you can’t get phased by all the things that are happening before the ball is snapped or where people are lined. You have to do your job and execute in the right manner, and do your job at the end of the day.”
When San Francisco spreads five receivers into routes, passing them off starts with the coverage call and how aggressive Dallas can be on each route, Parker said.
“I think specific to coverage, but you have to know when you have an opportunity to do that,” Parker said. “Are you in three under? Are you four under? Are you playing man? How do those things kind of factor into how you’re covering routes? How aggressive are you being on those routes? Purdy certainly does a great job going through his progressions.”
Purdy reads San Francisco’s motion, its routes in the flat, and its high-low combinations as trigger points, Parker said.
“So at the end of the day, you have to have your eyes in the right place,” Parker said. “You have to have your leverage in the right place, and you got to be aggressive when the ball’s in the air.”
Christian Parker On 49ers’ Physicality And Cobie Durant
San Francisco’s physicality comes from the culture coach Kyle Shanahan has built across offense, defense, and special teams, Parker said.
“They are. They are. I think they’ve always. I think Kyle does a great job,” Parker said. “That’s the culture they’ve created. Offense, defense, special teams. They value that, and it shows on film.”
Dallas will play without safety P.J. Locke, who has been ruled out with a concussion, and safety Jalen Thompson has missed seven games with a hamstring injury. Parker is always happy when defensive back Cobie Durant is on the field, he said, because Durant can do multiple jobs.
“He’s very valuable because he’s very versatile,” Parker said. “He’s smart. He’s very athletic. He’s about the ball. So we certainly missed him when he was out. We’re glad he’s back. And I’m happy. I’m always happy when he’s on the field because he can do multiple jobs for you, which allows other people to unlock their versatility as well.”
The Cowboys (4-5) host the 49ers (7-1) on Sunday at AT&T Stadium, with kickoff set for 3:25 p.m. CT on Fox.
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