Two-time 49ers Super Bowl champion running back Tom Rathman likes the 49ers chances vs. the Cowboys on Sunday.
“I think they’re going to kick the shit out of them,” Rathman said on KNBR’s “Murph & Mac Show” Wednesday morning.
“I think they can take advantage of their defense. I know Dan Quinn is a really good coach and a great defensive coach and he’s going to have a game plan. I just think with the design of plays, all the different things, all the twists you have to prepare for when you are playing Kyle Shanahan, it can be a burden to you. You don’t know what to work on.”
Rathman has reason to be confident. The Cowboys defense is considered one of the best in the league, ranked as the second best unit in the NFL by Football Outsiders. Their run defense, however, lies in the middle of the pack, making it a target for San Francisco’s always potent rushing attack.
“I’m sure we’re going to see some fancy stuff this week and then you’re going to see the same thing,” Rathman continued. “You are going to see the tough plays where you are just running the football inside zone, outside zone.”
It makes sense that Rathman would like to see the 49ers destroy the Cowboys on Sunday. Twice Ratman’s 49ers met the Cowboys in the NFC Championship game in the 1992 and 1993 seasons, and both times fell short.
“It should be an exciting matchup and I know the 49ers will be jacked up for it.”
Listen to the full interview below. You can listen to every KNBR interview on our podcast page at knbr.com/podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Catch Murph & Mac weekdays from 6 – 10 a.m. on KNBR 104.5 / 680 and streaming live on KNBR.com.