The 49ers on Sunday knocked off the Dolphins 33-17 in what was considered to be a measuring stick game for both clubs. While San Francisco emerged with the win, they also lost quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo for the season.
Garoppolo’s injury could flip the 49ers’ season upside down, but they overcame it Sunday. Whether they continue to overcome it will play itself out over the final five weeks, but for now we have some takeaways from Sunday:
Brock Purdy averts disaster
Garoppolo’s injury could’ve derailed the 49ers’ offense entirely. Purdy stepped in though and played well enough to lead five scoring drives while committing only one turnover. It’s worth noting his turnover was a jump ball on a fourth down throw which effectively worked as a punt. It’s an overreaction to say Purdy was great, but he was closer to that than bad. He completed 67.6 percent of his 37 throws for 210 yards, he also converted some tough third downs, threw a pair of TDs, and overall kept the 49ers’ offense from falling off the tracks. There’s a world where San Francisco exits Sunday feeling like its season is over. Purdy made sure they steered well clear of that.
Hot at the right time
The 49ers for the second consecutive season are hitting their stride at the right time. While Garoppolo’s injury is certainly a wrinkle the club will have to iron out, their victory over the Dolphins was their fifth in a row. They’ve held opponents to 17 or fewer points in all five of those games and they still hold the lead in the NFC West with an 8-4 record. Wins are important all year, but stacking wins heading into December puts the 49ers in a good spot to secure a playoff berth for the second consecutive season. If Purdy can build on his outing Sunday, the 49ers could be a tough out even with their third-string QB.
Defense stays dominant
Any question about the validity of the 49ers’ defensive dominance can go out the window after Sunday. They held the vaunted Dolphins offense to just 17 points. Miami also went 0-for-7 on third down, didn’t convert their lone red zone trip, turned it over thrice, and had nine series where they racked up fewer than 20 yards. Miami did manage to score in the second half, snapping a four-game second-half shutout streak for San Francisco, but it was still a remarkable effort in all three levels.
RB usage
The 49ers’ running back usage was an intriguing subplot going into the game. With Elijah Mitchell out, there were questions about who would run alongside Christian McCaffrey. It turns out the answer was undrafted rookie Jordan Mason, who posted a career-high 51 yards on a career-high eight carries. While it’s not a huge shock that Mason got the carries, third-round pick Tyrion Davis-Price didn’t take an offensive snap and a ton of work went to McCaffrey who dealt with a knee issue during the week of practice. It looks like a heavy dose of McCaffrey with a side of Mason is the RB formula moving forward.
No revenge games
For all the talk of revenge games going into the week, there weren’t many of those to be found on a team featuring four former 49ers. WR Trent Sherfield did haul in a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. That wound up being his only catch on three targets. WR River Cracraft caught two of his three targets for 29 yards. RB Jeff Wilson Jr. had a drop and didn’t grab either of the two throws that went his way. He also posted just three yards on one carry. His fellow RB Raheem Mostert ran for 30 yards on seven attempts. It was not a great day for former 49ers on the other sideline.
Nick Bosa is the DPOY
Come on now! DPOY!!! @nbsmallerbear pic.twitter.com/Zgrh6dQodT https://t.co/UVCXxUrqQk
— Richard Sherman (@RSherman_25) December 5, 2022
Bosa probably should’ve been the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year going into Sunday’s game. Leaving Week 13 he’s certainly the favorite to take home the award. Against a Miami offense that was averaging nearly 34 points per game across its five-game winning streak, Bosa tallied three sacks, four QB hits, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He was dominant from the opening snap and Miami’s banged up offensive line never had an answer. Bosa needed a signature moment, and he got it Sunday.
