San Francisco 49ers 2022 NFL Wild Card Win Takeaways

By Carlos Chacon • January 17, 2022

The renewed playoff rivalry between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys had all the makings of an unforgettable Wild Card Round matchup. The Niners prevailed victorious after a tense and rather controversial finish to the game, which saw the Cowboys’ bid for a huge comeback end in a sad whimper.

NitroBetting is ready to equip its bettors with the latest news, NFL odds, and previews for the entirety of the 2022 NFL Playoffs. This time, let’s highlight the three key takeaways from the San Francisco 49ers’ win over the Dallas Cowboys in their NFC Wild Card matchup and what it means for the 49ers as they advance to the Divisional Round.

3 Key Takeaways from 49ers Win vs. Cowboys in 2022 NFL Wild Card

That's why they call it the Wild Card ?

Takeaways from the 49ers 23-17 victory over the Cowboys ?
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 17, 2022

Jimmy G Far From Golden

San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been getting praise for his play down the stretch of the regular season. However, the notoriously attractive gunslinger had a relatively ugly outing against Dallas, completing just 16 of 25 passes for 172 yards and an interception.

Thankfully, the 49ers were bailed out by head coach Mike Shanahan’s crafty play-calling in the ground game. Rookie running back Elijah Mitchell and dynamic wideout Deebo Samuel combined for 168 rushing yards on 37 carries and each of them also found the end zone as the Niners secured a 23-7 lead with under six minutes left in the third quarter.

Dak Also A Dud and Many More ‘Boys Blunders

Facing the aforementioned 16-point lead, the Cowboys scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to come within seven points from staging a huge comeback victory. Unfortunately, time ran out for Dak Prescott and the Cowboys, as Prescott did not get another play off in time after running for a huge gain in San Francisco territory as time wound down.

Fans of America’s Team are blaming the refs for not setting up the ball in play on time to get one more shot at the end zone. However, the Cowboys have themselves to blame for the bad play-calling in that final drive, as well as their sloppy execution. Dallas tied an NFL postseason record with 14 penalties committed, as Jerryworld will have to mourn yet another early playoff exit.

It goes without saying that Dallas’ potent offense was rendered inept by a stout San Francisco defense. Prescott completed just 23 of 43 passes for 254 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. The Cowboys’ running game was also ineffective, as they racked up just 77 rushing yards on 21 carries (3.7 yards per carry).

Niners Looking to Strike Gold in Cheesehead Nation

As the lowest-seeded team in the NFC to advance into the Divisional Round, the 49ers are locked in to face the top-seeded Packers in Saturday night’s showdown in Lambeau Field. San Francisco is currently pegged as a (+5.5) underdog against Green Bay, although bettors may want to give this matchup a closer look before placing stakes on Aaron Rodgers and Co.

The Niners have a respectable 4-3 record against the Packers since 2013 (SU/ATS), as well as a 3-0 record against them in the postseason dating back to 1999 (2-0-1 ATS). San Francisco defeated Green Bay in the NFC Championship Game by 17 points two seasons ago, and the boys from the Bay Area fought tooth and nail as well during their Week 3 meeting in Santa Clara as the Packers barely escaped with a 30-28 win.

Check out our latest sports betting guides for the 2022 NFL Regular Season. Stay tuned for more Football previews and articles and don’t forget to check out the latest football betting odds at our online Bitcoin sportsbook.