By
Dolphins Fall to 49ers 35-13 in Another Tough Road Loss
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The Miami Dolphins' difficult start to the 2026 season continued Sunday afternoon as they fell to the San Francisco 49ers, 35-13, at Levi's Stadium.
Miami dropped to 0-2 on the season, while San Francisco improved to 2-0 after dominating the Dolphins in the second half. The 49ers scored touchdowns on their first five drives of the afternoon and turned what was a competitive game early into a comfortable victory.
Dolphins Hang Around in the First Half
Miami's offense opened the afternoon with a lengthy 17-play, 63-yard drive, but the Dolphins were unable to find the end zone. Riley Patterson connected on a 28-yard field goal to put Miami on the scoreboard.
The Dolphins had another opportunity earlier in the game when Patterson missed a 51-yard attempt.
San Francisco responded with a 59-yard opening drive capped by a one-yard touchdown run from Christian McCaffrey. Brock Purdy then added a two-yard rushing touchdown later in the second quarter to extend the 49ers' lead to 14-3.
Miami continued to fight back. Quarterback Malik Willis connected with Malik Washington for a 23-yard completion on a second-quarter drive that eventually resulted in another Patterson field goal.
The Dolphins entered halftime trailing 14-6, keeping the game within reach.
Third Quarter Turns Into a Rout
The game changed dramatically coming out of halftime.
San Francisco immediately went after the Dolphins' defense. Purdy connected with George Kittle for a 40-yard gain on the opening play of the third quarter before finding Kittle again for a 12-yard touchdown.
The 49ers weren't finished.
On their next possession, Purdy completed all five of his passes for 67 yards, finishing the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to fullback Kyle Juszczyk.
After Miami turned the ball over on downs, San Francisco took over at the Dolphins' 28-yard line. Purdy then found Mike Evans for a 27-yard completion to set up McCaffrey's second one-yard touchdown run of the afternoon.
Just like that, a 14-6 halftime game had become a 35-6 San Francisco advantage.
Purdy, McCaffrey Lead the Way
Brock Purdy was nearly flawless throughout the afternoon.
The 49ers quarterback finished 20-of-22 passing for 287 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 30 yards and another score. He completed 18 consecutive passes at one point as San Francisco repeatedly moved the football against Miami's defense.
McCaffrey also made history.
The star running back scored twice, reaching 100 career touchdowns in the process. He finished with 23 rushing yards on 10 carries while adding four receptions for 43 yards.
George Kittle was another major factor in the victory, recording four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown in just his second game back from an Achilles injury.
Miami Finds the End Zone Late
The Dolphins finally found the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Willis connected with Ryan Miller on a 77-yard touchdown pass, giving Miami its only touchdown of the afternoon and cutting the deficit to 35-13.
It was Miller's first touchdown as a member of the Dolphins.
By then, however, the outcome had already been decided.
Willis finished the game 14-of-23 for 197 yards, one touchdown and a 103.0 passer rating, while also rushing for six yards. De'Von Achane carried the ball 20 times for 74 yards and added six receiving yards.
A 0-2 Start for Miami
The Dolphins now return home at 0-2 following consecutive road losses to begin the season.
Miami's offense showed flashes during the first half, but the inability to consistently finish drives and the struggles on defense after halftime proved costly against San Francisco.
The Dolphins will have an opportunity to regroup next week when they return to Hard Rock Stadium to host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, September 27 at 1 p.m.
After two weeks, Miami has plenty to address. The Dolphins will look to put together their first complete performance of the season when they return home for Week 3.
Written by: Daniel Torres
Post a Comment