If this three-game street journey is a defining check, the Dolphins failed the primary query.
San Francisco didn’t simply beat the Dolphins, 33-17. It beat the Dolphins with a third-string quarterback and despatched it into per week of searching for some solutions.
Here are 10 ideas on Sunday:
1. Player of the sport: Brock Purdy. You may give it to San Francisco defensive finish Nick Bosa along with his three sacks, however Purdy was an unknown rookie thrust in an enormous recreation when San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was harm. This is an announcement about the best way the Dolphins protection performed. Who had heard of Purdy earlier than Sunday? Maybe as Mr. Irrelevant because the final participant drafted? But the third-string San Francisco quarterback and 262nd draft choose performed properly sufficient for the win. He wasn’t made uncomfortable in any respect by a Dolphins protection that provides up roughly twice the factors on the street as at dwelling. How it occurred Sunday was easy: They couldn’t get Purdy’s offense off the sector. He accomplished 25 of 37 passes for 210 yards, two TDs and an intercpetion. The 49ers offense had the ball 40 minutes and 34 seconds – and had 19 third-down makes an attempt (changing eight). Meanwhile …
2. Tua Tagovailoa regarded like 2021 Tua. This wasn’t the assured quarterback of a lot of this 12 months. He missed open receivers. He regarded uncomfortable within the pocket. You have to return to the Tennessee recreation on the finish of final 12 months to see him off his recreation this a lot. He threw back-to-back interceptions and, if one occurred when Jeff Harris slipped on a route, the opposite was a nasty throw. It occurs, particularly in opposition to a top-rated protection. The Dolphins had beat up on bottom-third defenses of their five-game win streak – simply as they beat up undermanned groups for a lot of their seven-game win streak final season. To win an enormous recreation like Sunday, they wanted a number of issues however higher play at quarterback is the primary one.
3. AFC Playoff Race:
1. Buffalo (9-3 and atop the AFC East).
2. Kansas City (9-3, atop the AFC West).
3. Baltimore (8-4, atop AFC Central).
4. Tennessee (7-5, atop AFC South).
5. Cincinnati (8-4, Wild Card No. 1)
6. Miami (8-4, Wild Card No. 2).
7. New York Jets (7-4, Wild Card No. 3).
Bottom-line: The Dolphin recreation at Buffalo on Dec. 18 is taking over added significance in its hope for the AFC East title. It at all times appeared they wanted that recreation. It’s turn into a must-win if they need the divsiion title, a doable bye and home-field playoff benefit.
4. Don’t say the absence of left deal with Terron Armstead can’t be overcome. When the Dolphins signed him final low season, they needed to plan who would transfer in for him when he bought harm. Armstead hasn’t performed a full season in his 10-year profession and performed about half the sport (18) the previous two years. So for those who’re going to signal such a well being concern to huge cash, you’d higher have a back-up plan. Beyond that, groups lose left tackles on a regular basis. The Bills performed an hurting back-up left deal with of their win in opposition to New England on Thursday. The Jets, Titans and Chargers misplaced star left tackles early this season. Armstead is an anchor of this line. The actual downside Sunday was …
5. Nick Bosa is enjoying at a Defensive Player of the Year degree. He had three sacks on Sunday and 5 quarterback hits Sunday. Two sacks have been within the first half and the third pressured a fumble that was run again for a 49er landing to make it the ultimate, 33-17. The NFL, for all its nuances, is a recreation of matchups. Bosa labored in opposition to each Dolphins tackles, Brandon Shell and Greg Little. One sack, although, got here when fullback Alec Ingold after which operating again Raheem Mostert have been the 2 blockers on him. That’s not a very good scheme in opposition to a dominant go rusher. Bosa now has 14.5 sacks to guide the league. As far as Sunday, teammate Azeez Al-Shaair “That’s just Bosa,” Al-Shaair mentioned. “He changes the game all the time. He was hitting on all cylinders today.”
6. Big Brass Ones Award goes to Mike McDaniel. Fourth-and-one on the Dolphins 19. Ten minutes left. San Francisco up 23-17. And he goes for it? Full disclosure: This didn’t seem like a wise name in opposition to the league’s No. 1 protection. But one thing extra appeared at work right here within the huge image. This was a coach making an announcement to Tua Tagovailoa of belief greater than the rest. Tagovailoa struggled for a big stretch this recreation and right here was McDaniel doing what he has in different methods since arriving – confirming his full confidence within the quarterback. Tagovailoa accomplished a first-down go to Hill to present the Dolphins some momentary hope within the day.
7. How does Tyreek Hill nonetheless get wi-i-ide open deep? He retains enjoying like probably the most valauble participant on this group. He had 9 catches for 146 yards – or roughly half the receiving years (295). With Jaylen Waddle leaving the sport, that made Hill’s recreation all of the extra vital. It wasn’t simply the numbers, both. Trailing 23-10, he caught a 14-yard go for a primary down, then the 45-yard landing during which he bought so open behind the 49ers protection. On the fourth down play McDaniel known as, Hill caught the primary down go. He’s been the Dolphins finest participant most each recreation and he was once more Sunday.
8. Quote of the day: Deebo Samuel, requested about former teammate Rhaemm Mostert’s feedback concerning the Dolphins having higher expertise, mentioned “I thought they had the best talent … oh, my bad.”
9. Quick hits:
* Zack Sieler retains being an under-the-radar standout this season.
* Linebacker Duke Riley on Christian McCaffrey wasn’t a successful proposition because the 49ers confirmed early.
* Here comes Cincinnati. It beat Tennessee and Kansas City in successive weeks and would possibly simply be one of the best AFC group by the top of the month.
10. Dolphins at Chargers. The three-game street journey strikes to Los Angeles – and the Chargers show all groups on this stretch aren’t equal. Their protection entered Sunday ranked twenty eighth in factors allowed (26 a recreation). And their offense? Depends on their well being. It ranks thirteenth however Justin Herbert has misplaced Pro Bowl left deal with Rashawn Slater for the 12 months and was with out the next gamers Sunday: middle Corey Linsley (concussion protocol), proper deal with Trey Pipkins III (knee), receivers Mike Williams (ankle) on Sunday in opposition to the Los Angeles Raiders. Keenan Allen performed his fifth recreation of the 12 months. Who performs subsequent Sunday for each groups will go a methods towards figuring what would possibly occur.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com