The Dolphins enter Week 2 needing a lifeline, and they may have gotten one in the form of Jake Tonges going on injured reserve after a season-ending MCL injury in the opener.
That doesn’t erase Miami’s rough start - the Dolphins were sluggish in a 27-13 loss to the Raiders - but it does open a door that looked pretty much shut when the schedule turned to San Francisco. Miami is still a two-touchdown underdog against the 49ers, yet Tonges’ absence could make the matchup a lot less lopsided than the 13.5-point spread suggests.
San Francisco leans hard into heavy personnel, living out of 12 and 22 packages, meaning one running back and two tight ends or two backs and two tight ends. In Week 1, the 49ers ran the least 11 personnel in the league.
That approach is a lot more dangerous when George Kittle is paired with Tonges. It looks different now, with Kittle still working back from a torn Achilles suffered in January and Luke Farrell described as a pretty ordinary option.
Tonges wasn’t just filling space, either. In 2025, he became a real part of the 49ers’ passing game, catching 34 passes on 46 targets for 293 yards and five touchdowns in the regular season.
That’s a strong return for a 27-year-old who had only one career target before last season, all the way back in 2022. He earned the TE2 job and made it count.
His injury also changes the way Miami can defend the Niners. With Tonges out, linebackers Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez don’t have to account for as much danger when Brock Purdy drops back to pass. Kyle Juszczyk can still catch the ball, but he isn’t the kind of threat that forces the defense to stay on edge.
That gives Brooks and Rodriguez more freedom to attack the run and focus on Christian McCaffrey. The Dolphins also get a little help from familiarity, since the outside zone scheme San Francisco uses is basically the same kind of run game Miami sees every day in practice.
If the 49ers keep leaning on 12 and 22 personnel, they may be limiting themselves. The talent gap might still be too much for the Dolphins to overcome, but Tonges’ injury could create enough of a ripple effect to keep Miami in the fight in the Bay Area.
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Dolphins Face A Quarterback Question That Could Change Everything
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For the Dolphins, the contrast is more than a trivia note. It cuts to the larger question of how much quarterback development depends on the player and how much comes down to environment, coaching and organizational support. Thompson is not expected to remain with the team after his third season, and with Miami still sorting out its future at the position, the gap between these two careers only sharpens the stakes. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Quarterback Plan Is Taking Shape In A Crowded AFC East
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The bigger landscape around the division only adds to the intrigue. Jets coach Aaron Glenn said kicker Jason Sanders will start again this week, while also offering injury updates on several players, and New York is carrying four tight ends on the active roster as their roles in the offense expand. For Miami, every detail matters in a division where roster decisions and quarterback development can shift the balance quickly, and the next few weeks should help show just how far Willis and the Dolphins can push this plan. [Read more 🡒]