3 Mistakes 49ers Must Avoid vs. Dak Prescott, Cowboys in 2023 NFL Playoffs

The San Francisco 49ers will continue their quest to get to Super Bowl LVII with a divisional-round game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Coming in with an 11-game winning streak and a win over the Cowboys in last year's playoffs, there are plenty of reasons to be confident the team will be playing in the NFC Championship Game next week.

After all, the Niners were dominant in the second half against the Seahawks. Brock Purdy set a new career-high in passing yards with 332, and the defense was able to lock down the Seattle offense after some early struggles.

The Cowboys shouldn't be taken lightly, though. They already went on the road and picked up a dominant win, ending Tom Brady's season with a 31-14 victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday Night Football to set up this matchup.

Here are three mistakes the Niners will need to avoid to keep things rolling and play for an NFC title in a week.

Not Having a Plan for Micah Parsons

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Micah Parsons was a one-man wrecking crew against the Bucs.

The 49ers have one of the best offensive lines in football, but not having a detailed plan on how they are going to handle Micah Parsons would be a massive mistake.

The Bucs didn't have an effective plan against the second-year defender, and they paid for it. Parsons was prolific as a linebacker and edge rusher, posting nine pressures, two quarterback hits, two pass breakups and a sack.

His versatility can make him hard to account for, but the Niners completely neutralized him in last year's playoff game. He has no pressures on 11 blitzes, and only one of his nine tackles came behind the line of scrimmage.

They were even able to block him with Brandon Aiyuk on a touchdown run by Elijah Mitchell last season.

Fortunately, Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds when it comes to attacking a front. As long as the Niners are proactive about identifying where Parsons is and how the Cowboys are utilizing him, then they should be able to use motion, misdirection and screens to slow him down and force the other Cowboys defenders to step up.

Losing Track of Dalton Schultz

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TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 16: Dalton Schultz #86 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

If you told someone before the Cowboys playoff game against the Buccaneers that the Tampa secondary would hold CeeDee Lamb to just four catches for 68 yards, you would likely guess that they shut down the Cowboys passing game.

Lamb has been one of the most prolific receivers in the league this season. He's seventh in the league in target rate and fourth in targets. Dallas' passing game runs through him.

In general, Tampa did a nice job of allocating resources to stop Lamb. They just left Dalton Schultz too many opportunities in the process.

Schultz tied his season-high of seven receptions (he also had that many in their Week 1 game against Tampa) for 95 yards and two touchdowns. He was a big reason Dak Prescott was able to throw for over 300 yards and matched the Bucs' touchdown total by himself.

Schultz isn't the biggest game-breaking tight end, but he does have the ability to attack the seams and find open spots in coverage while providing Prescott with a sure-handed alternative if Lamb isn't open.

The 49ers have to be able to contain Lamb while also ensuring that Schultz doesn't run free down the field. If they can keep him in the role of underneath zone-beater, it will go a long way toward keeping Prescott and the passing game from breaking big plays.

Putting Too Much on Brock Purdy

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 14: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers drops back to pass during an NFL football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks at Levi's Stadium on January 14, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Brock Purdy has been one of the most fun stories in the NFL this season. The fact that a Mr Irrelevant has emerged as a viable starting quarterback on one of the league's best teams in a year when Trey Lance was supposed to take the reigns is a testament to the unpredictability of football.

But for all the accomplishments of Purdy up to this point, the Niners must continue to remember that they have one of the most quarterback-friendly situations in the league because of the weapons they have.

Christian McCaffrey has been a driving force in the offense. Deebo Samuel remains a unique threat as a receiver and occasional running back, and George Kittle has reminded everyone of what he can do as a pass-catcher.

Purdy had great perspective after the dominant win over the Seahawks.

"Once the game started, it was just 11 on 11, I have to do my job, get it to the guys in space and go from there," Purdy told media. "We didn't make it more than what it was. ... It wasn't, 'Oh my gosh it's the playoffs and we got to get all tense.' We just have to play our game."

To continue this improbable run, he's going to have to keep the same attitude. To simply call Purdy a game manager would be unfair. He's made plenty of plays outside of structure with 332 yards in the air, along with 16 rushing yards and another score.

But he'll face a much better defense on Sunday. The Niners have to continue to put him in positions to succeed by getting the ball to the vast array of playmakers San Francisco has.