The Dolphins proved they could play with the league’s best for a second straight week, but again it wasn’t enough as they lost 27-13 at San Francisco at Candlestick Park on Sunday.
Miami (5-8, 1-3 AFC East) fell behind 20-6 late in the third quarter before its late rally came up just short as San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick iced the game with a 50-yard touchdown run with 2:10 remaining. The 49ers (9-3-1, 2-1-1 NFC West) maintained a slim lead over Seattle in their divisional race while the Dolphins saw their postseason dreams all but dashed after suffering a 23-16 loss to New England last week.
Offense: C
The offensive line had mixed results with rookie OT Jonathan Martin starting on the left side and backup Nate Garner sliding in on the right. Miami RB Reggie Bush rushed for a game-high 65 yards on 14 carries as the team finished with 94 yards on 22 attempts. Rookie QB Ryan Tannehill completed 17 of 33 passes for 150 yards with a touchdown and was sacked a mere two times against the vaunted San Francisco pass rush. It wasn’t perfect, but it was an improved effort against a tough defense on the road. Previous game's grade: D
Defense: B-
This unit kept the 49ers attack under wraps much of the game as it yielded 321 total yards. DE Cameron Wake disrupted numerous plays and recorded three sacks as he tied a career high with 14 on the season. The front seven did struggle against the run as San Francisco finished with 155 yards on 28 carries. A little better tackling and the final score could have been much different. Previous game's grade: B
Special teams: D
RB Marcus Thigpen had a 56-yard kickoff return, but that did little to balance out a muffed punt inside the Dolphins’ 10-yard line that led to a San Francisco touchdown. K Dan Carpenter burried a season-best 53-yard field goal, but LB Jonathan Freeny made one of the most bone-headed plays of the year when he walked a downed punt into the end zone for a touchback. It was another rough week for the kicking game. Previous game's grade: C
Coaching: C+
The team was prepared to play and acted like it belonged against one of the top squads in the league for a second consecutive week. Offensive coordinator Mike Sherman had a more creative scheme, putting Bush in the slot and utilizing the speed of WR Marlon Moore to take shots down the field. Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle used a zone-based scheme to hide his thin secondary and force Kaepernick to throw short of the sticks. Previous game's grade: C
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