The 49ers needed some good performances to beat a tough Dolphins club Sunday at Levi’s Stadium. They got plenty of them in a 33-17 win where they found success in all three phases.
Going through all the good showings would take all day, so we’ll stick with a handful of the best ones that helped the 49ers to stay atop the NFC West:
QB Brock Purdy
Purdy’s numbers don’t jump off the page, but given the circumstances he was very good. He completed 25-of-37 passes for 210 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Miami tried getting to him with a heavy dose of blitzes, but Purdy went 8-of-12 for 54 yards against the blitz per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. The 49ers needed Purdy to be at least serviceable, and he exceeded that mark in relief of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo.
DE Nick Bosa
Bosa was flat out dominant Sunday. There probably wasn’t a better player on the field for either team. He racked up 3.0 sacks, including a game-sealing strip sack that led to a fumble return for a touchdown by LB Dre Greenlaw. The 49ers needed their star DE to takeover, and he did.
DL Arik Armstead
There was a noticeable difference in the 49ers’ defensive line with Armstead in the game. He’s their best interior pass rusher and his pressure early in the third quarter led to Jimmie Ward’s interception. He also cleared the way for Bosa’s second sack by moving a pair of offensive lineman. His presence was also key in holding the Dolphins to 33 rushing yards on just eight carries. The eight rushing attempts were the fewest in a game in Dolphins history.
LB Dre Greenlaw
Greenlaw was outstanding Sunday. He led the team in tackles and came up with a trio of splash plays that had a significant hand in Sunday’s outcome. With the 49ers ahead 23-17, the Dolphins had a first-and-10 at the 49ers’ 44. QB Tua Tagovailoa swung a throw to speedy WR Tyreek Hill who was one-on-one with Greenlaw in space. It might’ve gone for a huge gain had Greenlaw not cut down the angle and taken Hill out of bounds for a three-yard gain.
Two plays later he had tight coverage to force an incompletion on TE Mike Gesicki on fourth-and-2 at San Francisco’s 36. It was originally ruled a catch, but Greenlaw never let Gesicki control it.
Finally, Greenlaw returned a touchdown on the fumble forced by Bosa with just under two minutes left to seal the victory.
RB Christian McCaffrey
The 49ers leaned heavily on McCaffrey on Sunday and he came through with 146 yards on 25 touches. He also hauled in a touchdown for one of his eight catches. With no Elijah Mitchell the 49ers will need McCaffrey more as a runner, but he was also instrumental for Purdy who went to the running back plenty. There’s a chance McCaffrey becomes a favorite target of the rookie QB as he looks to navigate his first handful of starts.
WR Deebo Samuel
There have been bigger statistical games for Samuel, who had six catches for 58 yards and four carries for five yards, but his impact was much larger than his 63 scrimmage yards. He made a pair of tough catches in traffic to help out his young QB and convert a couple first downs. Perhaps his best play of the game though came on the 49ers’ late field goal drive that made it a 26-17 game. With 3:22 remaining and facing a second-and-8 at the 50, the 49ers called Samuel’s number on a run off the left side. Samuel found a little daylight and was nearly shoved out of bounds a couple yards shy of the sticks. Instead of going out, he tiptoed his way forward for nine yards and a first down to extend the drive. A huge run by McCaffrey on the next play got the 49ers into manageable field goal range. That might not have happened without Samuel’s tremendous sideline effort though.
FS Jimmie Ward
Ward needed to be good Sunday and he was. In his nickel corner spot he was plenty active against a Miami team that thrives on quick throws. Ward’s five tackles were the second-most on the team, and he came up with an interception in the third quarter that helped swing the game. The 49ers defense keeping Miami’s pass catchers from running open in the second level is part of the reason Tagovailoa struggled Sunday, and Ward played a significant role in that.
