SANTA CLARA — The Cowboys' offensive line presents a tough challenge for Nick Bosa, but the 49ers' edge rusher remains optimistic.
Dallas’ quarterback Dak Prescott has only been sacked 30 times this season, once more than Jimmy Garoppolo. This has much to do with their two formidable tackles — All-Pro tackle Tyron Smith and his counterpart on the right, La’el Collins.
Comparisons cannot be made to nine-time Pro Bowler Trent Williams, but Bosa knows getting to work with his teammate on a regular basis at practice will help him face both tackles on Sunday.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
“They are definitely beatable,” Bosa said on Thursday. “There’s tape on them getting beat and we’re trying to do the same but they’ve definitely been in and out of the lineup this year and the past years so just game plan is to make them work.”
Bosa still has a high level of respect for both tackles and knows that they will undoubtedly get help from their teammates. Tight ends and running backs chipping the edge rusher is a regular occurrence on gamedays.
“I think they are both very solid players,” Bosa said. “Obviously Tyron has had a Hall of Fame career, I think. Him and Trent have been the best tackles in the league for a long time.”
Smith has been limited by knee and ankle injuries appearing in 11 regular-season games in 2021. The All-Pro left tackle only saw the field twice in 2020. Collins has appeared in 12 games after being suspended for five games at the beginning of the season for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
RELATED: Kittle emphasizes how important Williams returning is for 49ers
Cowboy head coach Mike McCarthy knows what Bosa can do to an offensive line and will have a plan in place to try to stop him. The remainder of the 49ers' defensive front will try to take advantage of their matchups while Bosa gets more attention.
“Nick is a force,” Mike McCarthy said earlier in the week. “There’s only one number you need to look at and that’s his quarterback hits. He is definitely a pressure player and it all starts up front defensively for those guys.”