49ers stunned, humiliated in 43-17 home loss to Dolphins

Now might be the time for San Francisco 49ers fans to start to panic.

The defending NFC champion 49ers saw their road back to the Super Bowl take a stunning detour Sunday, courtesy of a humiliating 43-17 home loss at the hands of an eight-point underdog in the Miami Dolphins. The 49ers were without four cornerbacks in the game due to injury (Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Moseley, Dontae Johnson, K'Waun Williams), which Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was able to capitalize on with 350 yards and three touchdowns on 22-of-28 passing.

Fitzpatrick did much of his damage in the first half, connecting on 15-of-20 passes for 251 yards and two touchdowns before the break. Meanwhile, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was playing in his first game since suffering a high ankle sprain against the New York Jets in Week 2, was benched in favor of backup C.J. Beathard at halftime for health reasons after going seven-of-17 for 77 yards and two interceptions.

As It Happened

The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead right off the bat, scoring on a three-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to tight end Adam Shaheen on their opening offensive possession after holding the 49ers to a three-and-out to start the game. The score was set up by a 47-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to wide receiver Preston Williams, which was the first play on what would go on to become a seven-play, 79-yard scoring drive.

The opening series was a rough one for 49ers cornerback Brian Allen, who was in coverage on Williams during the 47-yard pass and was flagged for a penalty on a horse-collar tackle later in the drive. Allen, who is with his third team since August, made his first NFL start Sunday and was playing in his first NFL game since 2018 after being promoted from the practice squad the previous day.

The 49ers turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession when running back Jerick McKinnon was stopped for no gain at the Dolphins' 44-yard line, then Fitzpatrick went back in Allen's direction once again two plays later to connect with wide receiver DeVante Parker for a 28-yard gain to move the ball into 49ers territory. The Dolphins opened up a 14-0 lead five plays later when running back Myles Gaskin scored from the one-yard line to cap a seven-play, 56-yard drive.

The 49ers were forced to punt on their next possession but were able to pin the Dolphins at their own 5-yard line when a 51-yard punt by Mitch Wishnowsky was muffed by return man Jakeem Grant. The Dolphins punted back to the 49ers after three plays, which then set the 49ers up at the Dolphins' 49-yard line after a 17-yard return by Trent Taylor. From there, the 49ers marched downfield in a hurry courtesy of the running of Raheem Mostert, who ran for 37 yards to the Dolphins' 12-yard line on the first play of the possession. The 49ers found the end zone two plays later on a seven-yard run from fullback Kyle Juszczyk to cut the lead to 14-7 with just over 12 minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins continued to find success against the 49ers on the next drive, moving from their own 22-yard line to the 49ers' three-yard line in five plays with the help of a 19-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to Williams and a 22-yard pass interference call on Allen. The Dolphins moved back to the 49ers' 22-yard line from there after a 15-yard clipping penalty and a second-down sack by defensive lineman Kerry Hyder, but Fitzpatrick found Parker open on Allen in the end zone on third down to give the Dolphins a 21-7 lead.

The Dolphins forced the 49ers to punt after six plays on the next possession, then got back into the red zone on a 70-yard pass from Fitzpatrick to tight end Mike Gesicki. The 49ers were then able to hold the Dolphins out of the end zone, but the pass to Gesicki was enough to set up a 26-yard field goal by Jason Sanders for a 24-7 lead.

Things got worse for the 49ers on the next possession when Garoppolo floated a pass downfield that was intercepted by cornerback Bobby McCain, whose return set up the Dolphins at the 49ers' 37-yard line. The Dolphins were unable to convert a first down on the possession but were able to extend their lead to 27-7 on a 50-yard field goal from Sanders with 38 seconds remaining in the half.

The 49ers elected to be aggressive on offense on their final possession of the first half, which in hindsight turned out to be a mistake. Garoppolo wound up throwing his second interception of the game on the possession's third down, giving the Dolphins the ball at the 49ers' 29-yard line after a 19-yard return from cornerback Xavien Howard. Sanders added a field goal from 29 yards out as time expired to give the Dolphins a 30-7 lead at the half.

The 49ers held the Dolphins to a punt after five plays on the opening possession of the second half, then put a touchdown on the board on the next drive when Beathard connected with wide receiver Kendrick Bourne for a 19-yard score. The drive lasted 74 yards on nine plays and was aided by two third-down penalties on the Dolphins' defense.

Fitzpatrick quickly ended any 49ers momentum on the following drive, which culminated with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Williams for a 37-14 lead. The drive included a successful fake punt on the Dolphins' 34-yard line and lasted seven plays and covered 75 yards, 31 of which came on a pass from Fitzpatrick to former 49ers running back Matt Breida.

The teams exchanged field goals on the next two possessions, with the Dolphins taking over seven minutes off the clock on a nine-play, 62-yard drive. The Dolphins went on to add another field goal for a 43-17 lead after the 49ers turned the ball over on downs halfway through the fourth quarter, then were able to run out the clock after recovering a Beathard fumble with 4:09 left to play.

The Dolphins outgained the 49ers 436-259 on the day while sacking the 49ers five times and holding an edge in time of posession of 36:53 to 23:07. Gaskin led the way on the ground for the Dolphins with 16 carries for 57 yards and one touchdown, while Williams led all pass catchers with four catches for 106 yards and one touchdown. Mostert led the 49ers on the ground with 11 carries for 90 yards, while wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle each chipped in 44 yards receiving.

The 49ers fall to 2-3 on the season with the loss (0-3 at home) and now sit in last place in the NFC West behind the Seattle Seahawks (4-0 heading into Sunday night game against the Minnesota Vikings), Los Angeles Rams (4-1), and Arizona Cardinals (3-2). The Dolphins improved their record to 2-3 on the season with the win.

The 49ers return to action at home next Sunday against the Rams (5:20 p.m. PDT, NBC) in a contest that marks the start of a rugged seven-game stretch of the schedule that also includes road contests against the Seahawks, Rams, New England Patriots, and New Orleans Saints along with home games against the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills.

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