Dallas @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2016 ) Dallas 24, San Francisco 17

The Dallas Cowboys are hoping a week off helps them avoid a third straight loss and the dubious distinction of falling to a winless team when they visit the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. Dallas performed well offensively in the last two games before its bye week but struggled on defense, allowing 35 points against both the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers in back-to-back home defeats.

The Cowboys scored 30 and 31 points in the setbacks - their two highest outputs of the season - and still will have Ezekiel Elliott in the lineup as a United States District judge granted the running back a temporary restraining order against his league-imposed six-game suspension for domestic violence allegations. San Francisco is coming off its third straight road loss, a 26-24 setback at Washington. Since suffering a 20-point setback against Carolina in their season opener, the 49ers have lost by three points or fewer in each of their last five contests. San Francisco will pin its hopes this week on rookie quarterback C.J. Beathard, who will make his first career start after completing 19-of-36 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown in relief last week.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Cowboys -6. O/U: 47

ABOUT THE COWBOYS (2-3): Dallas already has matched is loss total from last season and is sitting in third place in the NFC East, 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia and one back of Washington. Rookie linebacker Jaylon Smith leads the team with 41 tackles, making at least seven in each of his five contests. Demarcus Lawrence tops the NFL with 8 1/2 sacks, registering at least one in every game this season.

ABOUT THE 49ERS (0-6): Beathard, whose grandfather Bobby served as general manager for Washington from 1978-88 and San Diego from 1989-2000, impressed coach Kyle Shanahan with his performance versus the Redskins last week. "I was excited with how he played," Shanahan told reporters. "Definitely at the time, I thought he gave us the best chance to win, and I think that going forward also." The 23-year-old Beathard, who played at Iowa, was the second of San Francisco's two third-round selections in the 2017 draft.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The 49ers signed Tony McDaniel and Leger Douzable to one-year contracts while placing fellow DL Arik Armstead (hand) on injured reserve.

2. Cowboys WR Dez Bryant has recorded a league-best 55 touchdown receptions since 2012, including three this season.

3. San Francisco re-signed TE Logan Paulsen to a one-year contract Thursday, two days after cutting him, and released CB Leon Hall.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 37, 49ers 20