Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers

Dallas Cowboys' win over Tampa Bay in the wild-card round has set up Sunday's matchup against San Francisco 49ers. A victory over the Niners would give Dallas its first NFC Championship Game appearance since 1995.

The Cowboys have put aside the problems that had held them back and are ready to prove NFL fans and oddsmakers wrong in a big way.

TY Hilton’s 52-yard touchdown catch

Dallas Cowboys new signing TY Hilton made a memorable debut, snagging a 52-yard touchdown pass during their game against Philadelphia Eagles. Coming on third down with the score tied at 34-27 in the fourth quarter, it could have easily ended the contest earlier, but Dak Prescott and company rallied for a 13-0 victory that put Dallas back in contention.

Although not the most spectacular catch of the night, Hilton still made an outstanding play. He caught a deep ball from Prescott and broke free of defenders in the secondary, sprinting to the sideline.

Hilton has been a reliable force in the passing game, but his greatest strength lies in his ability to gain yards after the catch. In his career, Hilton has amassed over 3,000 yards after reception - ranking eighth among wide receivers in the NFL.

Following his 52-yard catch during the Cowboys game, Hilton expressed his joy at joining the team and expressed that he's eager to contribute in the playoffs. Furthermore, Hilton expressed that he hoped he can continue contributing in the future.

Hilton remains a viable option for the Cowboys offense, even with his age and recent stint on injured reserve. As a four-time Pro Bowler, Hilton brings experience and playmaking skills that Dallas has been lacking since Odell Beckham suffered his knee injury during the season's final week.

He can further bolster the Cowboys offense during the playoffs, though he might not be considered their top option. The Cowboys have other wide receiver options such as CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Noah Brown and KaVontae Turpin to choose from.

The Cowboys boast a formidable offense, but they will need their veteran receivers to step up if they hope to take the NFC East title. A win on Saturday would likely secure them the division and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs; however, Philadelphia could still make things interesting by defeating Jacksonville in Week 15. With victory, Philadelphia would clinch the NFC East and guarantee themselves an automatic trip to the Super Bowl should Tennessee prevail in the wild-card round.

The Cowboys’ self-inflicted wounds

Sports fans everywhere know the Dallas Cowboys. As a national franchise that competes in the NFL, they are renowned for their iconic uniforms and team name.

Dallas Cowboys have earned a reputation as one of the nation's best teams, but they also have their share of issues. Most notably, they tend to commit costly penalties that derail their momentum. This season, Dallas led the NFL in penalties but were unable to address this issue until its cost them their wild-card loss.

On Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys suffered their seventh consecutive divisional round loss and missed out on making it to the NFC Championship for the first time in two decades. It has been an incredibly disappointing end of year for both team and fans.

After the game, Dallas Cowboys social media team issued a harsh assessment of their performance. This marked an abrupt change from what usually transpires after an NFL team loses a game.

In less than 280 characters, the social media team blamed Dak Prescott and his "self-inflicted wounds" for leading them to a 19-12 defeat against the San Francisco 49ers. They took aim at Prescott for throwing two interceptions and leading his team to just 12 points in the game.

What's particularly peculiar is that this tweet was posted by the official Twitter account for the Cowboys. Usually, these accounts are managed by twenty-somethings who are interns or have entry level status.

Social media teams typically post positive messages about their team after a big win, but this is the first time an official account has publicly condemned a player for underperforming.

It is evident that the Cowboys' social media team is not fond of Dak Prescott and may have been searching for an outlet to vent their disappointment with him. This tactic for an official team Twitter account is highly unusual and sure to draw a lot of attention.

Dak Prescott’s 41-yard pass to CeeDee Lamb

After two Saints turnovers, Dak Prescott rallied his team to victory with two touchdown passes - one to Dalton Schultz of 22 yards, and another of 18 yards to CeeDee Lamb.

One play in particular stood out from the contest. This one, centered on a third-and-30, served as an ideal illustration of how this team can capitalize on their opponent's mistakes.

CeeDee Lamb received a screen pass that appeared to be out of position for James Bradberry.

That's an impressive move for any receiver to make, and it was one of the best plays I've ever witnessed in the red zone. You have to give the Cowboys credit for taking a risk on this play - something they usually aren't willing to do.

Prescott made an incredible read, and it proved to be a crucial moment for the Cowboys. They needed that touchdown pass to put themselves ahead, and it worked perfectly.

This play was one that you'd want to replay over and over, just to marvel at its effectiveness. It was an impressive throw from Prescott that helped the Cowboys overcome a difficult start.

After that drive, Dallas held the Eagles to just three points for the remainder of the game, giving them a commanding lead in the NFC East.

On their next possession, the Cowboys would have been better off had the Eagles not punted. Nonetheless, they managed to hold onto their lead through the fourth quarter with another impressive drive that culminated with a touchdown pass from Prescott to T.Y. Hilton.

That's an incredible victory for the Cowboys, setting up their final week against the Niners in San Francisco. A victory here could send them to their first playoffs in 12 years and it would be a major shock if they lost.

The final score

Dallas Cowboys have earned a place in the divisional round of the NFL Playoffs by defeating Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This success was due to Dak Prescott's impressive play and their defensive efforts.

In the opening quarter, Dallas started slowly but picked up steam in the second. Dak Prescott avoided pressure with two quarterback sneaks and Noah Brown scored on a 1-yard run to give them an early lead.

But then the Jaguars' defense came through once more, stopping Trevor Lawrence on the first drive by hitting him inside and then DaRon Bland swatting away a third-down pass to prevent Jacksonville from scoring.

It was an impressive effort from a team that hadn't been the best on defense this season, even without starter Foley Fatukasi who was doubtful to return due to ankle injuries. Yet the Jaguars couldn't get the ball moving on this drive, serving as yet another reminder that Dallas Cowboys' defense is one of the best in the league.

The next time the Jaguars had possession, they took advantage of Jimmie Ward's excellent coverage to set up a screen pass to Zay Jones for an impressive 59-yard touchdown throw - their longest pass this season and one that will always remain in Jacksonville fans' memories.