SANTA CLARA -- Most of the visiting locker room at Levi's Stadium had cleared out by the time Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was done addressing reporters just outside, but the theme he hit on was the same one his remaining players later would.
"Frankly, turnovers," Jones said about what cost the Cowboys in a 19-12 loss to the 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoff on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.
The Cowboys had two big ones, both interceptions by Dak Prescott, who made a habit of piling them up this season. Prescott threw 15 interceptions in 12 regular-season games, and had six games with multiple interceptions since returning from a right thumb injury on Oct. 23.
As the 49ers celebrated a victory that advanced them to the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Prescott stood behind a podium down the hall and called the interceptions "very frustrating" and something that "can't happen."
"The number that it's gotten to is ridiculous," Prescott said of his season-long trend. "I can promise that the number will never be this again. I can promise that."
Across the way, the 49ers won behind rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, a seventh-round draft pick who threw for just 214 yards and no touchdowns but protected the ball. The 49ers did lose a fumble, but they more than made up for that with their two interceptions.
The first came when Deommodore Lenoir cut in front of Michael Gallup midway through the first quarter of a scoreless game. That led to a short field goal from Robbie Gould.
Prescott's second interception came with the Cowboys driving with under two minutes left in the first half. He tried to find his favorite target, CeeDee Lamb, but Jimmie Ward's tip was snagged by Fred Warner, who returned it 16 yards. Instead of likely taking a lead into the half, the Cowboys watched as Gould kicked another field goal.
Lamb said that one was on him.
San Francisco 49ers
"I didn't see [Ward]," he said. "He jumped it, tipped the pass. He did a great job of not letting it hit the ground."
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The interceptions came one week after Prescott was just about perfect against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, throwing four touchdown passes in a dominant win. But the 49ers provided a much different kind of challenge, and they sent Prescott back to the drawing board. It's become an all-too-familiar feeling for the Cowboys in January.
"Just two throws that I can't have, you can't have in the playoffs, you can't have when you're trying to beat a team like that, you can't have on the road," Prescott said. "Yeah, no excuses for that. Those two are 100 percent on me."