Dolphins send 49ers to 3rd straight home loss
49ers fall 43-17 to Dolphins in ‘embarrassing’ fashion
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2020.10.11 – The Miami Dolphins sent the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers to their third straight home loss 43-17 on Sunday.
Jimmy Garoppolo dropped back to pass and was unable to push off his injured right ankle. The ball sailed high for his second interception in the closing minutes of the first half and was just one of many forgettable plays for the San Francisco 49ers.
The offensive line struggled in protection and allowed five sacks. The banged-up defense that began the day with a practice squad player at cornerback was gashed for 350 yards by Ryan Fitzpatrick. Garoppolo played his worst game as a pro before getting benched.
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“Obviously the mood’s pretty down right now, we’re pretty low,” fullback Kyle Juszczyk said. “That’s really embarrassing what we did out there. Everyone sets a standard here and that wasn’t even close to it.”
It started with Garoppolo, who returned to the lineup after missing two games with a sprained ankle. He didn’t look like himself from the start and was pulled at halftime.
Garoppolo finished 7 for 17 for 77 yards, two interceptions and a 15.7 rating. He threw two interceptions in the final two minutes of the first half to set up two Miami field goals that sent the Dolphins to the blowout.
“I felt it,” Garoppolo said of his ankle that he hurt in Week 2 against the Jets. “I wouldn’t say it affected everything. It’s one of those things you have to deal with. Tough one today. I wanted to be out there with the guys and wanted to get the win today. A lot of things didn’t go well for us.”
As bad as Garoppolo was, he had plenty of company on a day that started with the Niners having all their offensive skill position players available for the first time all season.
The line struggled for a second straight week, allowing too much pressure and failing to move the defense on a failed fourth-and-1 attempt in the first quarter.
The passing game averaged just 3.2 yards per dropback in the second worst performance since coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2017.
2020.10.11 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins (Video)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker catches a pass against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Brian Allen (48) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2020.10.11 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins (Video)
“Our vets have to play better,” All-Pro tight end George Kittle said. “It starts with me. Just our whole unit is not playing very well together. We have the guys to right the ship. No one is jumping off, no one is pointing fingers.”
The defense had it’s own issues on a day when the three starting cornerbacks were all out with injuries. The top backup, Ahkello Witherspoon, was also dealing with a hamstring injury and was only supposed to be used in an emergency.
That emergency came after four possessions as Fitzpatrick repeatedly picked on Brian Allen, who was called up on the practice squad on Saturday.
A 22-yard TD pass to DeVante Parker that made it 21-7 was the final straw and Witherspoon told the coaches he could play and went in after that.
By then it was too late to do much. C.J. Beathard led two scoring drives in the third quarter before the Niners stumbled to the finish
“No one likes getting embarrassed, and that’s kind of what I said at halftime,” Shanahan said. “When you’re getting embarrassed, you go out there and fight and I thought we started to. But we made too many mistakes to where it obviously didn’t look like much of a fight.”
GAROPPOLO’S DAY
Garoppolo finished 7 for 17 for 77 yards, two interceptions and a 15.7 rating. That’s the fourth worst rating for a 49ers starter since Bill Walsh arrived in 1979, beating out only Cody Pickett (7.5 vs. Chicago in 2005), Alex Smith (8.5 vs Colts in 2005) and Steve Young (14.3 vs Jaguars in 1999).
“I know he doesn’t normally throw the ball that way and I think he was struggling because of it,” coach Kyle Shanahan said of Garoppolo’s ankle. “The way the game was going, I wasn’t going to keep putting him in those positions.”
2020.10.11 – En español : El programa “Los 49ers” (Video)
2020.10.11 – En español : El programa “Los 49ers” (Video)
UP NEXT
Dolphins: Host Jets on Sunday in a game that was rescheduled from Week 10 as the NFL juggles the schedule because of the coronavirus.
49ers: Host Rams on Sunday night.
Related – See below: Fitzpatrick’s 3 TD passes lead Dolphins over 49ers
Related – See: 49ers Devastating Victory Lose Bosa and Thomas
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL: www.apnews.com/tag/NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the San Francisco 49ers, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
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Fitzpatrick’s 3 TD passes lead Dolphins over 49ers
Miami Dolphins outside linebacker Elandon Roberts, right, sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo (10) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2020.10.11 – The Miami Dolphins sent the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers to their third straight home loss 43-17 on Sunday.
Dolphins’ QB Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns at Levi’s stadium and did his best to quiet the talk about when rookie Tua Tagovailoa should take over as starter in Miami.
“I’ve been called every name in the book,” Fitzpatrick said. “People hate me, people love me, depending on the week. That outside noise isn’t important. The thing is important is practicing and getting everybody ready.”
Fitzpatrick connected on a 3-yard TD pass to Adam Shaheen on the opening drive of the game for the Dolphins (2-3) and didn’t let up.
The 49ers (2-3) are the team with questions at quarterback after Jimmy Garoppolo got pulled at halftime after throwing two interceptions. Garoppolo had missed the previous two games with a sprained ankle and never looked comfortable against a defense that entered allowing the most yards per dropback in the NFL.
“No, I felt it. I wouldn’t say it affected everything. It’s one of those things you’ve got to deal with. It’s tough. It was a tough one today.” said Garoppolo “You just want to be out there with the guys, wanted to get the win today, obviously didn’t and it was just a lot of things didn’t go well for us.”
C.J. Beathard replaced Garoppolo at the half and threw one TD pass but it wasn’t enough to keep the Niners from falling again at home. San Francisco is 2-0 this season at MetLife Stadium with blowout wins over the Jets and Giants but has lost all three games at home.
“Our vets have to play better,” All-Pro tight end George Kittle said. “It starts with me. Just our whole unit is not playing very well together. We have the guys to right the ship. No one is jumping off, no one is pointing fingers.”
2020.10.11 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins (Video)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver DeVante Parker (11) catches a touchdown against San Francisco 49ers cornerback Brian Allen (48) during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
2020.10.11 – San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins (Video)
The Dolphins dominated on both sides of the ball with five sacks, three takeaways and a nearly perfect performance from Fitzpatrick.
Coach Brian Flores called it the best win since he took over in Miami last season.
“That is the type of preparation we need,” he said. “We’ve got to do it every week. We’ve got to string some together.”
Fitzpatrick converted on deep strikes for TDs to DeVante Parker and Preston Williams and led the Dolphins to their highest scoring road game since 1986.
“We always had the talent,” Williams said. “We just had to execute. That’s all it was. Now we’re trying to figure it out.”
GAROPPOLO’S DAY
Garoppolo finished 7 for 17 for 77 yards, two interceptions and a 15.7 rating. That’s the fourth worst rating for a 49ers starter since Bill Walsh arrived in 1979, beating out only Cody Pickett (7.5 vs. Chicago in 2005), Alex Smith (8.5 vs Colts in 2005) and Steve Young (14.3 vs Jaguars in 1999).
“I know he doesn’t normally throw the ball that way and I think he was struggling because of it,” coach Kyle Shanahan said of Garoppolo’s ankle. “The way the game was going, I wasn’t going to keep putting him in those positions.”
FAKE IT
Flores didn’t get conservative even with a big second-half lead. With Miami facing a fourth-and-1 in its own territory in a 30-14 game, Flores called for a fake that Clayton Fejedelem converted with a 1-yard run on a direct snap. Fitzpatrick capitalized on that with a 32-yard TD pass to Williams.
JUST FOR KICKS
Jason Sanders kicked three field goals in the final two minutes of the first half, something that hasn’t been done since at least 2000. He made a 26-yarder with 2:00 remaining to give Miami a 24-7 lead. Garoppolo then threw interceptions to Bobby McCain and Xavien Howard on the next two drives to set up kicks from 50 and 29 yards.
Sanders made five field goals overall, giving him a franchise record 14 straight to open the season.
TARGET PRACTICE
With the Niners down starting cornerbacks Richard Sherman, Emmanuel Moseley and K’Waun Williams, the Dolphins took advantage of fill-in Brian Allen. He was promoted from the practice squad Saturday and struggled from the start, allowing a 47-yard pass to Williams on the opening play. Fitzpatrick repeatedly threw his direction and drew a pass interference call and beat him on a 22-yard TD pass to Parker that made it 21-7 in the second quarter.
Allen was then pulled on the next possession for Ahkello Witherspoon, who was active despite a hamstring injury. The Niners had been hoping only to use Witherspoon in an emergency but he told the coaches he was OK to go so he went in.
INJURY REPORT
49ers: DT D.J. Jones left in the first half with an eye injury.
UP NEXT
Dolphins: Host Jets on Sunday in a game that was rescheduled from Week 10 as the NFL juggles the schedule because of the coronavirus.
49ers: Host Rams on Sunday night.
Related – See: 49ers Devastating Victory Lose Bosa and Thomas
Read more at: San Francisco 49ers Media Services / More AP NFL: www.apnews.com/tag/NFL
JEstevez@EMIsportsCentral.com
For more on the San Francisco 49ers, see the blog at www.EMIsportsCentral.com
49ERS FIT – Free 4-Day Pass
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