The San Francisco 49ers suffered a frustrating 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium, as penalties undermined their chances to secure a critical win in the playoff race.
Costly infractions at pivotal moments stifled the 49ers’ momentum and ultimately proved insurmountable.
One such moment came midway through the third quarter when the 49ers, down 16-10, began a promising drive at their 30-yard line. Brock Purdy connected with Deebo Samuel and George Kittle on key plays, advancing the ball to the Dolphins’ 18-yard line.
However, an illegal formation penalty on Ricky Pearsall nullified a 16-yard pass to Samuel that would have put the 49ers at the Miami 2-yard line. The drive ended with Jake Moody pulling a 41-yard field goal attempt wide left, squandering a chance to close the gap.
The turning point came in the fourth quarter, with the 49ers trailing by five. Miami capitalized on multiple 49ers penalties, including unnecessary roughness calls and an offsides infraction, to sustain drives and drain the clock.
A 48-yard field goal by Jason Sanders extended the Dolphins’ lead with just over two minutes remaining, leaving San Francisco with little time to respond.
Entering their drive with just over two minutes left, the 49ers had been flagged for 11 penalties totaling 90 yards, compared to just six penalties for 45 yards by the Dolphins.
The disparity in discipline proved crucial, as it repeatedly stalled San Francisco’s offense and provided the Dolphins with extra opportunities to extend their drives. One particularly damaging penalty erased a Red Zone chance, forcing the 49ers to settle for a field goal instead of a potential touchdown.
The 49ers got the ball back for their final drive looking to drive the length of the field and opened the drie with a 17-yard strike to mid-field as the two-minute warning hit.
However, Purdy threw an interception on the next play ending the 49ers chances at a late comeback. The Dolphins responded with a 50-yard touchdown run by De'Von Achane to seal the victory 29-17 on a 20 second drive.
With the loss, the 49ers fall to 6-9, their playoff hopes now hanging by a thread. San Francisco returns to Levi’s Stadium in Week 17 for a crucial matchup against the Detroit Lions, where they’ll need a win to stay in postseason contention.
Miami improves to 7-8, bolstering their position in the AFC playoff race.
