FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys know all about Chip Kelly having played against him twice a year when he ran the Philadelphia Eagles.
There will be no surprises as to how quickly Kelly’s new team, the San Francisco 49ers, operates offensively Sunday when the Cowboys travel to Levi’s Stadium. The Cowboys split the six meetings with Kelly’s Eagles. Twice Philadelphia scored 33 points against the Cowboys, but twice the Cowboys held the Eagles to 10 points or less.
San Francisco is 1-2 after last week’s 37-18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but the score of that game is a little deceiving. The Niners scored 15 points in the final 7:50 of the game.
NFL Nation reporter Nick Wagoner offers up a scouting report on the Niners:
OFFENSE
QB Blaine Gabbert: A positive Week 1 has turned sour the last two weeks as Gabbert has dropped to near the bottom of the league in a number of primary passing categories. Kelly is sticking with Gabbert while waiting for Colin Kaepernick to regain the weight he lost while rehabilitating from various injury issues. At some point, a quarterback change is likely, especially if Gabbert isn't able to have a little more success against a Dallas defense that doesn't compare to what he's seen in Seattle and Carolina the last two weeks.
RB Carlos Hyde: Hyde is the Niners' best offensive weapon. He had a big fourth quarter last week after the game was well out of hand, but the 49ers need him to get rolling earlier, which will be a point of focus this week. Dallas' run defense has struggled so far this season and if the 49ers can't get Hyde and the running game going, it could be another long week for the offense.
TE Garrett Celek: The 49ers are banged up at tight end with Vance McDonald dealing with a hip injury and Celek also feeling the effects of a big hit from Seattle safety Kam Chancellor. Celek plays quite a bit as it is but if McDonald is limited or can't go, the Niners will need Celek to take on an even bigger role. More production from tight end would go a long way toward helping Gabbert and the team's sagging passing game.
DEFENSE
LB Ahmad Brooks: The 49ers simply haven't been able to generate much pass rush the last two weeks and with the Cowboys talented offensive line, it might be tough sledding again. But if the 49ers are going to put pressure on rookie quarterback Dak Prescott, Brooks appears the most likely to do so. He has two sacks in three games but at this point in his career is getting by more on effort than explosion. Either way, the 49ers need to get more from their pass rush or opposing quarterbacks will continue to dissect them like Russell Wilson and Cam Newton have the last two weeks.
CB Rashard Robinson or Keith Reaser: It's unclear which of the two corners will replace injured starter Jimmie Ward as defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil has said the player who starts will be the one who practices best this week. The Niners need one of these corners to take a step forward and produce in Ward's likely absence from a quadriceps injury. Robinson was the team's third corner the first two weeks and then Reaser replaced Ward last week. Robinson has a lot of promise but it would be his biggest challenge yet if called upon to start.
NT Mike Purcell: The Niners locked down Rams running back Todd Gurley in Week 1 but have been vulnerable against the run the last two games. Seattle's Christine Michael had a big game last week and the Niners can't allow Dallas' Ezekiel Elliott to get rolling like Michael did. Purcell has been the starter at nose tackle and San Francisco could use someone to help take on blockers to allow the linebackers to fill gaps and slow things down. Purcell and Glenn Dorsey are generally the best choices to do that for a team that lost nose tackle Ian Williams before the season.