Brock Purdy didn’t just manage the game Sunday in Santa Clara - he carved up Miami’s defense and made it look easy. The San Francisco quarterback threw for 287 yards, ran for a score and helped power a 35-13 win over the Dolphins, with Christian McCaffrey adding two touchdowns of his own, including the 100th rushing score of his career.
The 49ers came out firing and never really let up. They scored touchdowns on their first five drives, the first time San Francisco has done that since the 1991 season, and that fast start carried them to a 2-0 record for the second straight year. It’s the first time the 49ers have opened 2-0 in back-to-back seasons since 1995-96.
Purdy was nearly flawless. He finished 20 of 22, threw two touchdown passes, didn’t turn the ball over and posted a 149.1 passer rating. He also added 30 rushing yards and another touchdown on three carries, giving the 49ers a quarterback performance that kept Miami on its heels from the jump.
McCaffrey’s day wasn’t about volume - he ran for just 23 yards on 10 carries - but it was about finishing drives. He punched in a 1-yard score late in the first quarter, then added the milestone touchdown in the third quarter after a sequence that went sideways for Miami.
The Dolphins never found much rhythm on offense, either. Malik Willis completed 14 of 23 passes for 197 yards, and Miami’s only touchdown came late, when Ryan Miller got loose for a 77-yard score with 2:30 remaining. De'Von Achane led the Dolphins on the ground with 74 yards on 20 carries.
San Francisco’s first-half efficiency was the difference. The 49ers scored on both of their first-half possessions and still went to the locker room up 14-6 despite holding the ball for just 10 minutes and 43 seconds. McCaffrey finished one 12-play march with a 1-yard plunge, then Purdy turned an eight-play, 71-yard drive into points with a strong run from the 2.
Miami had chances early but couldn’t cash in. Riley Patterson missed a 51-yard field goal on the Dolphins’ opening drive, then later settled for field goals on two red-zone trips in the first half.
The third quarter tilted even further San Francisco’s way. After a Miami three-and-out, punter Bradley Pinion dropped the snap and was tackled at the Dolphins’ 28 with 3:49 left. Purdy then hit Mike Evans for 27 yards to the 1, and McCaffrey scored on the next play for his 100th career rushing touchdown.
George Kittle also played a key role, catching four passes for 80 yards and scoring his first touchdown of the season on a 12-yard pass from Purdy with 13:08 left in the third quarter.
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Dolphins Loss Exposed Two Problems Miami Still Hasn't Fixed
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Pass coverage and pass protection were both problems, and the penalties only made the day harder. The 49ers scored touchdowns on each of their first five possessions, while Miami went through another game without a sack, a stretch that has put the defenses effectiveness and the teams overall competitiveness under a brighter, less flattering light. [Read more 🡒]