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Cowboys Make Big Behind-the-Scenes Change Before Pivotal 49ers Game

The Dallas Cowboys are taking a different approach to their practice setup ahead of their Week 8 meeting against the San Francisco 49ers.

By Devon Platana

Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy at press conference during joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers at Jack Hammett Sports Complex.
Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy at press conference during joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers at Jack Hammett Sports Complex. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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The Dallas Cowboys are returning to action this week when they visit the San Francisco 49ers for the Week 8 Sunday Night Football showdown. The last time we saw the Cowboys was during their horrific 47-9 home loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 7, leaving fans to wonder if head coach Mike McCarthy made any serious changes during the bye week. 

Although the Cowboys haven't made any roster changes since their last game, McCarthy does have plans for a shift behind the scenes in Week 8. 

Cowboys News: Mike McCarthy Makes Practice Changes

McCarthy told reporters on Monday morning that "he will tweak the practice structure," according to Dallas Morning News' Calvin Watkins. Rather than focusing on individual player sessions, the Cowboys will put more of an emphasis on team drills.

Whether or not the emphasis on team exercises remains to be seen, but anything is worth a try at this point. The Cowboys have hardly looked like Super Bowl contenders this season and you can't blame McCarthy for trying everything until something sticks. 

At the end of the day, it's clear that Dallas has lacked teamwork on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Cowboys are only scoring 21.0 points per game (20th). Defensively, they're surrendering allowing 356.5 total yards (24th) and 28.0 points per outing (31st). 

Even though the Cowboys have to march into Levi's Stadium, facing the 49ers on the road might not be a bad thing. While America's Team is 0-3 with a minus-22 average scoring margin at AT&T Stadium this season (32nd), they're 3-0 with a plus-8.0 margin in away matchups (5th). 

Having said that, Dallas needs a full effort to defeat San Francisco — regardless of the location. The Cowboys have lost three consecutive matchups against the 49ers, which most recently includes a 42-10 loss at Levi's Stadium during Week 5 of the 2023 season. 

The deck appears to be stacked against the Cowboys ahead of the pivotal SNF clash. FanDuel Sportsbook is currently listing McCarthy & Co. as 5.5-point road underdogs against the 49ers in Week 8.

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