Dolphins keep playoff hopes alive with 29-17 win over 49ers, who were eliminated before the game

The Miami Dolphins were not ready for their season to be over, even after a disappointing loss at Houston last week that narrowed their faint playoff hopes.

“The whole year, even when things weren't going our way, I always knew we had a playoff team," said cornerback Kader Kohou. "So there's not any thoughts in our mind about going to Cancun or anything like that. We're still thinking playoffs, and we're just trying to win every game.”

Kohou helped keep those playoff chances alive when he intercepted 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy late in Miami's 29-17 win over San Francisco on Sunday.

Tua Tagovailoa threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, and Jason Sanders kicked five field goals. The Dolphins (7-8) will need to win their final two games and get help from losses by the Broncos and Chargers to make the postseason.

The 49ers (6-9) were eliminated from the postseason before the game because of wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders earlier Sunday. The loss ensured that last year’s NFC champions will have a losing season for the first time since 2020.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said he found out after the game that his team was eliminated, but “we kind of had that vibe last week. I know it wasn’t official, but we understand numbers, so we kind of knew that last week.”

Trailing by nine early in the fourth, Purdy found tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score that cut the lead to 19-17, but the Niners couldn't get past self-inflicted wounds.

After punting the ball back to Miami with 6:45 left, San Francisco was hit with consecutive penalties for illegal substitution, unnecessary roughness and offsides to give Miami 25 yards, helping set up Sanders' 48-yard field goal that stretched the Dolphins' lead to five. The 49ers were penalized 11 times total for 90 yards.

Kohou then intercepted Purdy on the next drive after the quarterback was pressured by defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Dolphins running back De'Von Achane sealed it with a 50-yard touchdown run.

“There’s a lot of fight left in us," Campbell said. "If we have a chance, we’re going to fight for it.

“I was proud of my guys. We kept believing and kept fighting. As long as we’re alive, we’re going to act like we’re alive.”

Tagovailoa finished 22 of 34. Purdy was 26 of 40 for 313 yards and two touchdowns.

Tyreek Hill's inconsistent season continued. He caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown, with drops on the first two drives of the game and another on a potential touchdown in the third.

After the game, Hill took accountability for the poor performance.

“I completely blame myself for not getting my head around (on the first drop) and not seeing the ball," Hill said, “because if I see the ball, we’re talking cross-court, 70-yard touchdown.”

Jonnu Smith caught six passes for 62 yards to set the Dolphins' single-season franchise record for receptions (76) and receiving yards (802) by a tight end.

Sanders was 5 of 5, including a 54-yarder, which made him 11 of 13 on field goals of 50-plus yards this year. San Francisco's Jake Moody missed a 41-yarder in the third.

Deebo Samuel caught his first touchdown since Week 6 on a 16-yard score in which he muscled through several defenders on his way into the end zone.

Miami moved into 49ers territory three times in the first half but settled for field goals before Hill's 3-yard touchdown catch from Tagovailoa that put the Dolphins ahead with 3:20 left in the second.

Purdy then drove San Francisco 67 yards down the field to set up Moody's 21-yard field goal to cut Miami's lead to 13-10 at halftime.

“That was something that we needed to see as a team together," Tagovailoa said of the win. "You could see in all three phases that we were able to play the complementary football that we said we wanted to play.”

Injuries

49ers: LB Dre Greenlaw (right calf), LG Aaron banks (knee) and LT Jaylon Moore (quad) left with injuries. ... DE Leonard Floyd played through a shoulder injury suffered in the first quarter.

Dolphins: WR Jaylen Waddle did not play because of a knee injury suffered last week. ... CB Kendall Fuller (knee) and LB Jordyn Brookes (quad/knee) left in the second half.

Up next

49ers: Host Detroit on Monday Dec. 30.

Dolphins: At Cleveland next Sunday.

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