7 Biggest Takeaways From 49ers' Week 2 Win Over Dolphins

Another win is in the books for the San Francisco 49ers. They took care of business in the home opener against the Miami Dolphins, 35-13. Here are my seven biggest takeaways from their Week 2 dominant win.

Injuries

Let's get into the injuries first and foremost. Demarcus Robinson exited the game with an ankle injury after starting the game off hot with three catches for 34 yards. He didn't return and was carted off.

Mike Evans also exited the game with a hip injury, but maybe that was more of a precaution since the 49ers had a massive lead in the third quarter.

Rookie James Thompson Jr. was the other injury (ankle), which is a concern. The 49ers are already thin at defensive tackle, and he was promising. Hopefully, none of these injuries are serious.

Zero jet lag

One concern about the 49ers coming into this game was whether they'd have any jet lag and if they could lock in for a lowly team. It's easy to lock in for the Los Angeles Rams.

Getting up for the lowly Dolphins could've easily been tough, but the 49ers didn't waver. They looked as lively against Miami as they did in Australia. An incredible performance all-around.

Brock Purdy

Speaking of an incredible performance. Brock Purdy had one of the best games of his career. Yes, it was against arguably the worst team in the NFL.

But you're supposed to look the part against weak opponents. You get credit for performing up to and beyond expectations when facing lesser teams, especially when you complete 20-of-22 passes.

His best play came in the third quarter when he scrambled out of the pocket to his left and threw an absolute dot to Mike Evans. Purdy played this game so comfortably.

Kyle Shanahan

Part of why Purdy played well was thanks to Kyle Shanahan. A lot of receivers were wide open, which is a testament to Shanahan's genius.

He took Jeff Hafley to the woodshed. In two games, Shanahan has formulated and called a perfect game. Everything is clicking on all cylinders.

When he's in his bag like this, no defense can stop him. And if Purdy is going to keep playing at a high level, the 49ers might end up being the top offense in the league.

Run defense continues to struggle

The Rams were successful running the ball against the 49ers last week. It was a glaring Achilles' heel for the 49ers, and sure enough, it showed its ugly head again today.

Miami came close to rushing for 100 yards in the first half. It played a key role in their excellent third-down conversion rate (5-of-9) and time of possession (over 19 minutes) in that half.

C.J. West was once again an issue. The entire interior defensive line, outside of Osa Odighizuwa, is a problem. Expect offenses to continue to exploit it.

Rookie Gracen Halton

One rare bright spot on the 49ers' defensive front is rookie Gracen Halton. He helped settle the run defense last week against the Rams and followed that up with some flash plays today.

Halton was notable against the run by holding his own and almost had a sack on Malik Willis a couple of times. Those are the impact plays the 49ers need from the interior of their defensive line.

The stock is rising for Halton. If he continues to ascend, the 49ers will have found a fourth-round gem, a crucial one, since they're lacking at defensive tackle.

A special season brewing?

I've been covering the 49ers since 2019, and one thing that's been clear to spot with them is when a special season is brewing. It was clear to me early in the 2019 and 2023 seasons.

I know it's only been two games, but the 49ers feel like strong Super Bowl contenders this year. They have a vibe around them that makes them stand out among the other 31 teams.

I'd argue no other team has looked better than the 49ers through the first two games of the season. Maybe I'll look foolish for this, but I think the 49ers have a special season brewing.

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