The start of the 2016 season looked promising for the San Francisco 49ers as they opened up at Levis Stadium with a huge win over a NFC West opponent, the Los Angeles Rams. The Dallas Cowboys entered the season missing their leader on offense, quarterback Tony Romo, and started two rookies in the offensive backfield. Then Dallas lost to NFC East rivals, the New York Giants, at home in the season opener.How quickly momentum shifts in the NFL. Entering Week 4, the Cowboys head to the Bay area on a high to take on the 49ers in a late afternoon start. The Cowboys are riding a two-game win streak while the 49ers fortunes havent been as good. San Francisco enters this contest on a two-game losing streak and issues at the quarterback position. The 49ers are 30th in passing yards per game (175.3) and only 16 of 46 on third downs, which equates to 34.8 percent.Said 49ers head coach Chip Kelly, I characterize the offense as OK. We need to convert. We had eight shots at third-and-five or less that we need to convert on third down so we can stay on the field and continue to keep drives alive.Three of those (eight) were runs. Youve got to be able to pick it up when its third-and-two and third-and-three and be able to run the football to be successful in this league, and were not doing it on a consistent basis right now.Fans and media of the 49ers are wondering why, with current starter Blaine Gabberts issues at quarterback, quarterback Colin Kaepernick isnt getting a chance to play.Everyone wants to know why Kap isnt our No. 1, Kelly said. I dont think Kap is 100 percent right now; thats what Im saying. I dont think hes ready to go full time. Kap will be the first to tell you. His playing weight has been around 225 (pounds), and hes not at that right now. So hes going out there and continuing to work, continuing to get better.The Cowboys put the 2016 offense in the hands of rookie quarterback Dak Prescott and rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott. There was tons of uncertainty heading into the season on if the youngsters could handle the load. But both players had the trust of the Cowboys front office and coaching staff. Confidence in that move has paid off tenfold for head coach Jason Garrett.Said Garrett, We havent just put the handcuffs on him (Prescott), if you will. We just let him play, and hes done a good job handling that work. Hes seen a lot of different fronts, a lot of different covers, a lot of different pressures. The guys who can process that and see what they need to see and go through the progressions and make good decisions are the ones who play best regardless of how old you are and how many games youve played.Prescott continues to grow as a player and a leader. The Mississippi State product has not thrown an interception in any of his first three starts. That stat line reads 99 passes to zero interceptions. Only fellow rookie signal-caller for the Philadelphia Eagles, Carson Wentz, has a longer streak at 102. The fourth-round rookie quarterback has passed for 767 yards, completing 66.7 percent of his passes.Elliott hasnt had the hot start most fans thought he might, but the Ohio State Buckeye product has rushed for 274 yards and two touchdowns. His pass blocking and blitz pickup has been impressive though. That blocking will need to stay sharp as the Cowboys enter the 49ers game without starting left guard Lael Collins. The second-year pro has a torn ligament in his big right toe and is out an extended period of time.A positive for the banged-up Dallas offensive line is the return of left tackle Tyron Smith. The Pro-Bowl player missed the win over the Chicago Bears with a back issue. His return will lessen the loss of Collins. The Cowboys will need Smith to play at a high level because he will be matched up at times against outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks.Brooks took over third place on the 49ers all-time sack list when he raised his career total to 47.5 with a sack against the Seahawks. Brooks still trails defensive tackle Bryant Young (89.5) and Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end Charles Haley (66.5).While the rookies for the Cowboys have shined, wide receiver Dez Bryant only has 11 catches for 150 yards. Those numbers may stay the same for a while. Reports out of Dallas are that the Pro Bowl player has a hairline fracture in his right knee. His status against the 49ers is uncertain. PHILADELPHIA -- As the tension of the game goes up, Isaiah Thomas calms down.Thomas scored 12 straight Celtics points late in the fourth quarter and tied his season high with 37 points to lead Boston to a 107-106 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.Avery Bradley added 20 points for Boston, which won its ninth straight game against the 76ers.I just love the fourth quarter, Thomas said. Some guys get a little tight, a little timid. I embrace it. I want to be great. I want to be somebody my teammates can call on when the game is close.The Celtics certainly know they can go to Thomas, who at 5-foot-9 can be described as a little big man. He entered ninth in the NBA in scoring (25.7 ppg) and now has five games of 30 or more points.Were a little bit like, `Thats Isaiah, Boston coach Brad Stevens said. But he has a special ability to score the ball. My advice to anybody is buy League Pass and watch him as much as he can because hes a fun guy to watch.Rookie Dario Saric tied his career high with 21 points while adding 12 rebounds for Philadelphia, which dressed just 10 players. The 76ers lost their sixth straight.Joel Embiid, who leads the 76ers in scoring (18.7 ppg) and rebounding (7.9 rpg), missed his seventh game as part of the teams rehab plan to not play him on consecutive nights after sitting out the last two seasons with a foot injury.Thomas scored six straight points to make it 98-91 with 3:05 left. The 76ers scored seven of the next nine to pull within 100-98 with just over a minute left. Thomas driving attempt was blocked by Jahlil Okafor and then Saric tied it at 100 with 34 seconds left on a layup that just beat the shot clock.After a timeout, Thomas blew by two defenders for an easy layup that put the Celtics up 102-100 with 30.2 seconds left.Thats what you see with All-Star point guards, Philadelphia coach Brett Brown said. Hes hard to guard.Hollis Thompson missed on a drive on Philadelphias ensuing posssession.dddddddddddd The Celtics got the rebound and Bradley made one of two free throws with 16 seconds left for a 103-100 lead. Sarics tying 3-point attempt fell short and Marcus Smart made a pair of free throws on the other end.PHILLYS FAST STARTThe 76ers led by as many as 11 points in the opening half before taking a 53-45 lead into the break. The key was 3-point shooting. Philadelphia was 9 for 18 from the arc in the opening 24 minutes while the Celtics were 3 for 11.SARICS SURGESaric had his best game as a member of the 76ers, who acquired him after Orlando selected him 12th in the 2014 draft. He played the last two seasons overseas.He was a man down there tonight, Brown said. Youd walk away and say thats a hell of a player for playing 20 games in the NBA.Saric provided the highlight of the night when he sent Bostons Jonas Jerebko tumbling to the floor with a behind-the-back dribble before pulling up and draining an 18-footer.NOT CONNECTINGThe Celtics entered fifth in the league in both 3-pointers made (11.3) and attempts (31.1) per game. But they struggled from the outside against the 76ers, finishing 8 for 26.TIP-INSCeltics: This was the first of four meetings between the teams. Boston will host the next two games, on Jan. 6 and Feb. 15, before returning to Philadelphia on March 19. ... Thomas career high is 38.76ers: Philadelphia wore throwback jerseys from 1966-67 in honor of the 76ers NBA champions from that season. Billy Cunningham, a player on that team who later coached the 76ers to the 1983 NBA title, rang the replica Liberty Bell during pregame festivities. And many members of the team were recognized in a halftime ceremony.UP NEXTCeltics: Look to end a four-game losing streak to the Rockets when they visit Houston on Monday night.76ers: Cap a four-game homestand by hosting Denver on Monday night. ' ' '