Cowboys vs. 49ers: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Preseason

Tony Romo threw his first pass of the preseason and Colin Kaepernick saw a couple of drives, but it was defense, special teams and a former Australian rugby star who stole the show Sunday during the San Francisco 49ers' 23-6 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.

The 49ers scored their two touchdowns on an interception return and a punt block and received 54 rushing yards and 84 punt return yards from Jarryd Hayne during the win. It was the second consecutive game that Hayne made noise, but this contest was never in doubt for San Francisco.

The 49ers seized early momentum and took a 13-0 lead into the locker room at halftime. Defensive lineman Mike Purcell picked off a Dustin Vaughan pass and returned it 37 yards for the game's first touchdown. The NFL provided a highlight for the momentum-turning play:

Of more long-term importance to San Francisco than the score was the return of linebacker NaVorro Bowman for his first game action since he tore ligaments in his knee in the NFC Championship Game in January 2014.

It didn't take long for the three-time All-Pro star to make an impact. In fact, he stuffed running back Darren McFadden at the line of scrimmage on his first snap, helped Nick Moody bring McFadden down for a loss on his second snap and tackled running back Lance Dunbar for a loss off of a reception on his third snap.

Bowman caught the eye of Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com in the process:

Bowman was not a welcomed sight for the Dallas running backs fighting for a starting job.

McFadden, Joseph Randle and Dunbar all saw their first 2015 preseason action after sitting out the opener against the San Diego Chargers.

McFadden failed to impress even though he started on the way to three carries for just four yards. Randle experienced more success with seven carries for 30 yards, but Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram pointed out he saw plenty of snaps coming off of an oblique injury:

While Dallas failed to move the ball early with its rushing attack, the 49ers received a boost in the third quarter from Hayne.

Hayne is a former Australian rugby star who has earned preseason headlines in San Francisco after notching 63 rushing yards on five carries in the 49ers' contest against the Houston Texans. He led the team into scoring range with a 34-yard burst Sunday, and the subsequent field goal put San Francisco up 16-0 entering the fourth quarter. 

The NFL shared his big run:

Hayne ended up with a game-high 54 rushing yards, but he also added 84 punt return yards, 27 of which came on this thrilling play, per the NFL Network:

Hayne's preseason success is one of the most intriguing storylines in all of football. He has done more than enough to earn consideration for a roster spot, but Bleacher Report's Matt Miller pointed out the main obstacle in the running back's path:

Hayne discussed his mindset, per Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports: "I'm still going through the process. I'm nowhere near crisp where I'm as comfortable or moving as smoothly as I want to. It's still a process. I've done some great things, but there are a lot of things I need to work on. I'm still out of my comfort zone. A lot." 

Hayne wasn't the only one who made special teams plays Sunday for the 49ers. Quinton Patton put the game away in the fourth quarter when he blocked a punt and recovered it for a touchdown to put San Francisco up 23-0 in the fourth quarter. The team acknowledged the impressive play from the special teams as a whole after the score: 

The only thing left to decide in the game was which Dallas backup quarterback turned in the more notable performance.

The battle between Vaughan and Jameill Showers for a spot on the depth chart behind Romo and Brandon Weeden took on even more importance Sunday because Weeden left the game with a blow to the head. David Helman of DallasCowboys.com noted Weeden was evaluated in the locker room after he took a hard hit during a sack.

Vaughan did not take advantage of his opportunity, throwing two interceptions and taking two sacks. One of those picks was the first-half touchdown return for the 49ers that set the tone for the rest of the game. Helman summarized the quarterback's outing: 

Showers fared better in a number of areas. For one, he didn't throw a pick-six, but he also led Dallas down the field for its only scoring drive. He connected with Nick Harwell for an eight-yard touchdown pass (the two-point conversion was no good) and impressed Rainer Sabin of the Dallas Morning News late in the game:

Showers also moved the ball with his scrambling ability and showed off his versatility with appearances on special teams. While he did throw an interception with less than three minutes remaining in the game, he ended up with 80 passing yards and 19 rushing yards (on two carries).

Alas, it was far from enough to beat the 49ers Sunday, and the home team gradually ran the clock out the rest of the game on the way to a 23-6 victory.

What's Next?

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Next up for the Cowboys is a home date with the Minnesota Vikings. 

It will be the third preseason game for Dallas, which is the closest thing to a regular-season dress rehearsal that fans will see in August. Expect more playing time for the starters (Romo only threw one pass Sunday) as they attempt to develop a rhythm. It will also be an important test for the running back position.

Randle was better than McFadden Sunday, but it was only in limited action in the preseason. How much they split carries during the third game will be a better indication of what the coaching staff thinks if Dallas truly does treat it as a regular-season rehearsal.

As for the 49ers, they travel to Denver to face the Broncos Saturday.

Like the Cowboys, it will be important for the starters to develop some chemistry as the season approaches (Kaepernick threw only five passes Sunday), but Hayne has inserted himself into the race for a running back spot. If he continues to grab headlines with his play, San Francisco's coaching staff will face some difficult roster decisions.

Saturday represents his next chance.