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FRISCO, Texas — Stephen A. Smith picked the Dallas Cowboys to lose to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday’s edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” and he said a Dallas win on Sunday would only “set up the fall.”
The 4-5 Cowboys host the 7-1 49ers at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, with kickoff set for 3:25 p.m. CT on Fox. Dallas has not beaten a team with a winning record this season.
The panel opened on whether a win over San Francisco would change how the Cowboys are viewed. Smith made his pick first.
“First, they’re gonna lose. Let’s get that out the way first. They’re gonna lose,” Smith said.
When expectations are low, Smith said, Dallas plays with house money and wins a game, and that is how the fall gets set up.
“Don’t expect anything this week,” Smith explained. “All right, get over it, people. Get over it.”
Marcus Spears Says Beating San Francisco 49ers Would Change Dallas Cowboys’ Narrative
Marcus Spears, an ESPN analyst who played eight seasons with Dallas after the Cowboys drafted him in the first round in 2005, said a win would change “at least the tone around the team.”
“I’ve been in locker rooms. I played this game. I understand what certain wins do,” Spears said.
A Dallas win would lead the next “First Take,” Spears said, even with Smith waiting on the fall.
“It will change the narrative of this season for the Cowboys because of their division,” Spears explained, “and because they would have beat the San Francisco 49ers, who a lot of people consider one of the teams that should be playing in late February.”
Joe Fortenbaugh Says Cowboys Defense Has To Improve First
Joe Fortenbaugh, another ESPN analyst on the panel, said Dallas has to change what has been said and seen about the team for more than a year.
“This year, defensively, which we knew coming into the season was a problem,” Fortenbaugh said, “25th in scoring defense, 32nd in EPA, 30th in efficiency, 25th in defensive rush success rate, so they can’t stop the run, 30th in pass rush win rate, so they can’t get after the quarterback.”
Fortenbaugh questioned whether there is “a greater coaching discrepancy” than the one between 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker. He said Dallas gets a banged-up San Francisco offense at home.
“If you want anybody to change the narrative with how we think of you,” Fortenbaugh explained, “you have to take the biggest Achilles heel you have, which has been going on two to three years now, and you need to show that that is something you’re improving upon. Winning a shootout, fine. I’ll see you next week when you lose to Tennessee. Make the defense better. We’ll take you a little bit serious.”
Smith disagreed on that part and said Dallas would beat Tennessee. The Cowboys host the Tennessee Titans at noon CT on Nov. 22 at AT&T Stadium.
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