The 49ers’ game against the Dolphins wasn’t supposed to mean a ton for them from a playoff-chase perspective. Alas, a foot injury to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in a 33-17 win over Miami could alter the course of the 49ers’ season.
Buy 49ers TicketsThey still grabbed a victory behind rookie QB Brock Purdy and more sensational second-half defense. The win moves the 49ers to 8-4 on the season and keeps them atop the NFC West.
Here are our notes from throughout Sunday’s game:
First quarter
– Trent Sherfield revenge game. 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. It looked like there was a miscommunication between Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson and Sherfield wasn’t touched. It’s 7-0, Dolphins.
– The 49ers look so flat.
– Good improv by Jimmy Garoppolo to find Brandon Aiyuk on a third down.
– Near interception on a throw to George Kittle, but that one was on the TE. He has to haul that throw in.
– Garoppolo took a sack, but it looked like a miscommunication on the offensive line. LB Jerome Baker flew in untouched and took down the QB. Hard to put that one on Garoppolo too since the rusher came in with a full head of steam. Robbie Gould hit the 47-yard field goal to get SF on the board. It’s 7-3, Dolphins.
– Tua Tagovailoa gets the ball out so quick.
– Nice tip by Fred Warner on a third down to force a punt.
– Brock Purdy is in the game for Garoppolo who was carted off with an ankle injury.
– Jordan Mason is the first RB in to spell Christian McCaffrey. He goes for 11 on his first carry.
– There’s not much zip on Purdy’s ball. He’s had two throws into coverage knocked down. The second one drew a pass interference.
– Purdy leads a touchdown drive! He hit Kyle Juszczyk in the flat for a three-yard TD that capped a nine-play, 54-yard drive. Purdy had a couple questionable plays, but he for the most part looked in control. It’s 10-7, 49ers.
– Back-to-back three-and-outs for the 49ers’ defense. Tagovailoa is struggling when his first read isn’t there and the pocket starts to collapse.
– It looks like the 49ers’ offensive line has had multiple miscommunications leading to negative plays.
– Tagovailoa has been all over the place with his throws. The 49ers have lucked out a couple times.
– Sick catch by Tyreek Hill to end the quarter and convert a third down.
End of first quarter: 49ers 10, Dolphins 7
Second quarter
– Tagovailoa is figuring it out now. Getting the ball out extremely quickly. Nick Bosa has been a non-factor.
– Hey there’s Bosa. The Dolphins tried getting him with a fullback and running back and it didn’t work. He dropped Tagovailoa on a third-and-1. The Dolphins had to settle for a field goal to tie it 10-10.
– Three-and-out for the 49ers after the Dolphins tied the game. A run to Deebo Samuel went nowhere, then a short completion to Juszczyk, and then a third-down blitz by Miami forced Purdy to throw to a well-covered Samuel. San Francisco might need a defensive TD to get in the end zone again.
– Mason again – he has 31 yards on two carries.
– Purdy can move a little and throw on the run. Made a nice throw to Aiyuk after evading a sack.
– Bosa again! It was a third-and-8 and he jumped in behind Arik Armstead who cleared out a couple Miami offensive linemen. It’s good for San Francisco to have Armstead.
– Deebo just leveled a linebacker. That was FILTHY.
– Holy cow what a third-down throw from Purdy. He air mailed a wide open Brandon Aiyuk on second down, then drilled a throw in to Kittle between the hashes with pressure in his face on third down. That was super impressive from the rookie.
– Ouch. McCaffrey dropped a touchdown at the end of the first half.
– There it is! McCaffrey again and this time he hauls it in for six. That was an excellent drive from Purdy. He’s making some mistakes, but there were definitely some good throws. That TD makes it 17-10 with six seconds left in the half, and San Francisco gets the ball after the half. What a turnaround.
Halftime: 49ers 17, Dolphins 10
Third quarter
– A run to open the third quarter is McCaffrey’s 18th touch of the game.
– Purdy ran into a sack to end a promising drive to open the third quarter. That was rough.
– Personal foul on Tarvarius Moore on the punt. Another one on Nick Bosa on the Dolphins first play from scrimmage. Abhorrent start.
– Wow! What a catch by Jimmie Ward to intercept Tagovailoa. Armstead provided the pressure and Ward made a remarkable diving grab. That’s only the fourth pick Tagovailoa has thrown all season.
– Nice job by Purdy to find a completion after buying time with a rollout. He’s a little indecisive in the pocket, but he does a nice job extending the play and throwing on the run.
– Another completion on the run, this time rolling left after the Dolphins brought pressure.
– Another Gould field goal gives San Francisco a 20-10 lead. They went to one of their staple run plays for Samuel on a first-and-10 and it went for a loss of four to put them behind the sticks. They’ll take a field goal and two-score lead after the interception though.
– Another interception! Tagovailoa throws INTs on back-to-back throws. This time it’s thrown behind Hill and off his hands where Deommodore Lenoir was waiting for it for a second takeaway. Tagovailoa had gone 193 attempts without a pick, then threw two on consecutive plays. Unreal.
– Purdy holds the ball too long, but he’s for the most part been smart with his checkdowns and buying time. A third-and-5 checkdown to McCaffrey comes up short of the sticks and Gould hit another field goal. It’s 23-10, 49ers.
End of third quarter: 49ers 23, Dolphins 10
Fourth quarter
– There’s the Dolphins. Two long completions to Hill and it’s a 23-17 49ers lead. It looked like Hufanga vacated the deep middle anticipating a short throw. Sheesh that happened quick.
– Deebo is so sick.
– Bosa isn’t on the field so Miami is going hurry-up so the 49ers can’t sub.
– Wow. Dolphins convert on a fourth-and-1 from their own 19. Unreal call by Mike McDaniel.
– The Dolphins offense is cooking now.
– Incredible coverage by Dre Greenlaw on a fourth-and-2 forces an incompletion. It was originally called complete, but a successful challenge by Kyle Shanahan overturned it and got the 49ers the football. Greenlaw has been sensational all game.
– Huge third-and-1 conversion on a designed rollout from Purdy. Nice throw to Kittle for a pickup to grind more clock.
– Huge run by McCaffrey might seal this one. The six-minute offense has been really, really good.
– Near disaster for the 49ers after a sack and a hold pushed them to a fourth-and-31 and near the edge of field goal range. Gould stepped in and drilled the 48-yarder though to make it a 26-17 49ers lead.
– Bosa again!!! A strip sack for him with a scoop-and-score by Dre Greenlaw seals it. The 49ers’ two best defenders from this game combined for the game-ending TD.
Final score: 49ers 33, Dolphins 17
