49ers Show Playoff Mettle in 33-17 Win Against Miami
It was a poor start to the game from the 49ers defense.
The very first play of the Dolphins opening series they scored a 75 yard touchdown to Trent Sherfield. It looked like it was going to be another putrid showing on defense like against the Chiefs all over again.
To make matters worse, Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a foot injury that knocked him out of the game. Brock Purdy had to step in and take the reigns the rest of the game. A loss looked like a sure thing for the 49ers with a backup quarterback and a demoralizing defensive start.
But this team did not let ANY of that derail them. The 49ers showed playoff mettle in their 26-17 win against the Miami Dolphins.
It was an incredible sight to see how the 49ers battled this game. They treated this like a playoff game and played with such vigor. The exciting match up going into this game was between the electric Miami offense against the stalwart 49ers defense. The opening series made it look like it was going to be a long day for the 49ers defense, yet they wiped that allowed touchdown out of their memories instantly.
The Miami offense went from electric to out of volts real quick. Tua Tagovailoa missed a handful of throws, which he looked to be anxious. You have to credit the legitimate threat of the 49ers pass rush. There had to have been a talking point during the week from the Dolphins coaches to Tagovailoa that he needed to get the ball out quick. He did just that, but never looked settled. He was playing skittish as if he was being hit early and often. Eventually, the pass rush did prove why Tagovailoa was skittish early on with three sacks from Nick Bosa and several pressures throughout the game.
This game, in a way, was righting the wrong that was the abysmal performance against the chiefs from the 49ers defense. Miami is the second-best offense they have faced all season long and they made them look mediocre. It cannot be overstated how phenomenal of a job DeMeco Ryans and his defense is performing. They are Super Bowl caliber without a doubt.
As for the offense, they did fantastic with "Mr. Irrelevant" at the helm in relief of Garoppolo. I had my doubts that the 49ers could win this game with Purdy the rest of the game, but he played really well. He didn't have many negative moments and managed the game to near perfection. He even had a few impressive dimes to his wide receivers. Credit to him for stepping up in a game where he was essentially cold as he barely gets any practice reps.
Kyle Shanahan called a great game and got his two studs in Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel to be impactful players. He desperately needed them to be. The 49ers in this win have proven they are a top team in the NFL. All eyes will now be looking closely on the status of Garoppolo. Purdy may have played well this game, but he is not the quarterback the 49ers will be able to go far with.
For now, the 49ers will thoroughly enjoy this incredible win.
