The Miami Dolphins needed to secure a victory in order to remain mathematically in contention.
A thoughtful gesture from Kader Kohou for Dolphins fans this holiday season.
Kohou played a crucial role in maintaining the team’s playoff aspirations by intercepting 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy during the final moments of Miami’s 29-17 victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
“I feel like we have a playoff team,” Kohou said. “A lot of games didn’t go our way this year, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that we have a good team and many great players. We’ve just got to keep winning games. I know it’s not all in our hands right now, but we’ve just got to do what we can do.”
Tua Tagovailoa passed for 215 yards and recorded one touchdown, while Jason Sanders successfully converted five field goals. The Dolphins, currently positioned at 7-8, must secure victories in their last two games and rely on losses from the Broncos and Chargers to qualify for the postseason.
“You could see in all three phases that we were able to play the complementary football that we said we wanted to play,” Tagovailoa said. “The defense is giving the offense opportunities to put points on the board. Then, when there were times when we didn’t do what we wanted to do offensively, the defense held. Jason (Sanders) was 5-for-5. He was able to help us put points on the board as well.”
Tagovailoa achieved the milestone of his 100th career passing touchdown, making him the fourth quarterback in the history of the Dolphins franchise to reach this accomplishment.
Sanders achieved five successful field goals, extending his streak of consecutive field goals to 23. This accomplishment surpasses the franchise record he established during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith recorded six receptions for 62 yards, averaging 10.3 yards per catch, in the game against the 49ers. This performance established new franchise records for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end in a single season.
Dolphins running back De’Von Achane’s 190 scrimmage yards represent the second-highest total of his career and the most recorded by a Dolphins player since he achieved 233 yards in Miami’s 70-20 victory against Denver on September 24, 2023.
“No matter the chances, but it’s football,” Achane said. “We signed up to play this game, and chances or not, I feel like you should go out there every game and still give your all. If you have chances, then you have chances. That’s my mentality – to go out there and play this game that I love. And dealing with the cold, everybody will say what they want to say it so we’ve got to go out there to Clevland and handle business.”
The 49ers, with a record of 6-9, were eliminated from postseason contention prior to the game due to earlier victories by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders on Sunday. This defeat confirms that last year’s NFC champions will experience a losing season for the first time since 2020.
The Dolphins’ defense effectively limited San Francisco to only 81 rushing yards, marking the fourth occasion this season that the 49ers have been restricted to under 100 yards on the ground.
“Even when things weren’t going our way, we always thought we were a playoff team,” Kohou added. “There’s not any thoughts in our mind about Cancun or anything like that. We’re still thinking about the playoffs and we’re just trying to win every game.”
The Dolphins have successfully restricted their opponents to fewer than 100 rushing yards in eight out of their last nine games, marking the highest achievement in the NFL since Week 8.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy wears the number 13 in honor of his idol, Dolphins legend Dan Marino. Purdy had the opportunity to meet Marino before the game.
Trailing by nine points early in the fourth quarter, Purdy connected with tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard touchdown, reducing the deficit to 19-17. However, the 49ers were unable to overcome their own mistakes.
“Just not good enough. I feel like we hurt ourselves early in the game with some penalties and things,” Purdy said. “Just plays were left out there, I felt like. So, overall, you start thinking about the plays that could have changed the game, get some points up on the board, and get some momentum. We walk off the field, it’s like, ‘Dang it.’ We had plenty of opportunities, but we didn’t finish. Yeah, it hurt.”
After returning the ball to Miami with 6:45 remaining, San Francisco incurred consecutive penalties for illegal substitution, unnecessary roughness, and offsides, resulting in a total of 25 yards awarded to Miami. This facilitated Sanders’ 48-yard field goal, which extended the Dolphins’ lead to five points. Overall, the 49ers faced 11 penalties totaling 90 yards.
“Our coaching staff does a really good job of coaching us and the penalties that – on offense all the presnap penalties, it is just bad football,” 49ers tight end George Kittle said. “I don’t put that on Coach Shanahan, I don’t put that on the wide receivers coach, the line coach, the tight ends coach – that’s on us. We know what the formations are; we have to go out there and execute. I messed up one. The wide receiver on the left side messed one up too. We’re just putting ourselves in a hole, and we’re already in a hole. So it’s something that we have to address and just get better at and just lock in a little bit better because if we don’t do those things, it’s probably a different outcome of the game.”
Kohou subsequently intercepted Purdy on the following drive after the quarterback experienced pressure from defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Dolphins running back De’Von Achane capped off the drive with a 50-yard touchdown run.
This is a significant achievement, particularly considering that this is the last home game of the season for the Miami Dolphins. Securing a victory against a strong opponent like the 49ers, who have recently competed in the Super Bowl and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, is commendable. The Dolphins’ defense deserves recognition for effectively containing notable players such as Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, and Deebo Samuel, managing to restrict this talented team to under 20 points.
Achane possesses unique attributes that make him exceptionally valuable, mainly when utilized in open space. His rare combination of elusiveness and speed set him apart as a significant asset. He is highly reliable, consistently makes successful catches, and demonstrates a low turnover rate. Additionally, he has the potential to be a game-changer, arguably ranking as one of the fastest running backs in the NFL.
McDaniel achieved a significant victory, especially in light of his considerable criticism. Securing a win against his former team is particularly meaningful. The offensive line performed exceptionally well, yielding no sacks and minimizing hits on Tagovailoa, with very few pressures recorded. Tagovailoa was afforded ample time to execute plays, and the line effectively created opportunities for Achane. The Dolphins started Isaiah Wynn at right guard, paired with Robert Jones at left guard, and rotated Wynn with Liam Eichenberg along the line. Terron Armstead contributed to the lineup, and both Kendall Lamm and Armstead delivered impressive performances at tackle. Additionally, Aaron Brewer has demonstrated consistent talent at the center position throughout the season.
“It’s been a long season, but it was probably the validation of why we’ve been putting so much into this team and why we’ve been fighting for the season to stay alive because I think there’s been a lot of learning lessons, tough ones at that, and we’ve been waiting for a three-phase game that I think we had today,” Dolphins head coach McDaniel said. “That’s why you get into sports; it is for validation, and the season’s not over to our team. So we live to fight another day and look forward to building upon that against Cleveland.”
Jonnu Smith established a new franchise record for the Miami Dolphins as a tight end, achieving the highest number of receptions and receiving yards in a single season. His performance has consistently improved throughout the season, demonstrating his effective integration into Coach McDaniel’s offensive scheme. Smith has emerged as a valuable third-receiving threat, marking a career-best year for him and setting a new standard for Dolphins tight ends. General Manager Chris Grier acted swiftly to sign him following his release by the Atlanta Falcons.
The Dolphins will be visiting the Cleveland Browns for their next game. This matchup is significant as the opposing team is currently facing challenges; it will provide an opportunity to assess the Dolphins’ performance in colder conditions. A victory would bring their record to .500. The Dolphins are currently favored to win by 6 points.
Photo/DavidFurones-SunSentinel/X
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