Game with Dallas moved out of prime time
The 49ers and Cowboys are storied NFL franchises with national appeal that have met to play some of the most memorable games in league history.
However, after both absorbed primetime losses this week that significantly damaged their playoff hopes, their next meeting is not a bigtime event.
The NFL made that official Wednesday by flexing the 49ers’ visit to Dallas on Dec. 20 out of its Sunday night slot on NBC and moving it to a 10 a. m. PST kickoff on CBS. The Browns ( 93) and the NFC East coleading Giants ( 57) now will play in prime time.
“I was pretty disappointed,” 49ers inside linebacker Fred Warner said. “I love playing in those type of games where the whole league is watching. But it is what it is. When the game comes, we’ll be ready to go and will play just as hard, regardless of what time it’s at.”
The 49ersCowboys matchup appeared appealing in September, but they have a combined 816 record, occupy last place in their divisions, are without their starting quarterbacks and are coming off primetime flops: The 49ers lost 3424 to the Bills on Monday night and the Cowboys lost 3417 to the Ravens on Tuesday night.
Given injuries to 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Dallas QB Dak Prescott, the game likely will feature backups Nick Mullens and Andy Dalton, respectively.
Injury report: Wide receiver Deebo Samuel did not practice because of a foot contusion that head coach Kyle Shanahan said wasn’t related to the broken foot Samuel suffered in June that caused him to miss the first three regularseason games.
Shanahan said Samuel was “too sore” to practice after he took a knee to his foot in the loss to Buffalo. Shanahan indicated Samuel’s injury wasn’t serious and he would be able return to practice Thursday.
The 49ers received good news on nose tackle D. J. Jones, who did not suffer a high ankle sprain Monday, as Shanahan had feared. Jones did not practice Wednesday because of his ankle injury but is expected to return this season.
Meanwhile, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley ( hamstring) did not practice and fellow corner K’Waun Williams ( ankle) was limited, raising the possibility that Dontae Johnson could play slot cornerback for the second straight game. It was the first time Williams had practiced since he was injured Nov. 5.
Right guard Tom Compton missed practice after suffering a concussion against Buffalo. It was Compton’s second concussion in less than two weeks. He suffered the first in practice Nov. 26. Defensive tackle Kevin Givens was excused from practice for personal reasons.
Rookie returner: Shanahan indicated Brandon Aiyuk would share puntreturn duties with Richie James after the rookie wide receiver had his first career punt return against the Bills.
Buffalo punted just once, late in the fourth quarter, and Aiyuk had a 16yard return on the 68yard kick. Aiyuk ranked third in the nation in puntreturn average ( 16.1) last year at Arizona State.
Shanahan said the risk of injury was a reason Aiyuk wasn’t likely to return punts on a fulltime basis.
“I wanted to give Aiyuk a chance and he got one on the first punt of the game,” Shanahan said. “It just happened to be really late, and he did with it what we were hoping he could do. I understand people’s philosophy on that. When you have a starting receiver like that, you’re probably not going to put him out there every single time.”