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09/20 19:32 CDT 49ers score TDs on 1st 5 drives to beat the Dolphins 35-13
49ers score TDs on 1st 5 drives to beat the Dolphins 35-13
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Pro Football Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) --- The San Francisco 49ers handled the return from
Australia just as well as the trip there and have started the season with two
convincing victories.
Christian McCaffrey became the fourth-fastest player in the Super Bowl era with
100 career touchdowns, Brock Purdy played a near-perfect game and the 49ers
overwhelmed the Miami Dolphins 35-13 on Sunday.
The 49ers showed no signs of fatigue after beating the Los Angeles Rams 27-7 in
the opener in Australia and began the season with back-to-back wins of at least
20 points for the first time in franchise history.
"That's what I was real proud of the guys," coach Kyle Shanahan said. "That was
the biggest challenge of this, just the human nature of what all went into Week
1 and the travel and everything and coming back after five days off. ... But we
got a really cool team in terms of how much guys care about football how into
it they are."
The 49ers scored touchdowns on their first five drives and dominated the
Dolphins, who spent the week since losing the opener in Las Vegas by practicing
in nearby Napa.
Avoiding the travel was little help to an overmatched Miami team that came into
the season with a record of more than $180 million in dead money on the salary
cap.
Purdy went 20 for 22 for 287 yards, two touchdown passes and one TD run,
completing 18 straight passes at one point. He connected on a 12-yard touchdown
pass to George Kittle and a 6-yarder to Kyle Juszczyk on the first two drives
of the third quarter to break the game open.
"For me, every play, every drive mattered. It wasn't like we went out there and
just blew these guys out. It was a game. and ... That where my head space was
at. How can I move the ball, take the right looks and keep us ahead of the
chains. That's what my mindset is at."
McCaffrey scored on a pair of 1-yard runs to give him 100 touchdowns in 114
games, with only LaDainian Tomlinson (89 games), Emmitt Smith (93) and Shaun
Alexander (96) getting their faster in the Super Bowl era.
McCaffrey, who has 50 touchdowns with both Carolina and San Francisco, joined
Marshall Faulk and Randy Moss as the only players to score at least 50 TDs with
two franchises.
"It's kind of crazy to hear that," McCaffrey said. "I watched all those guys
growing up. Marshall Faulk was somebody that I've probably seen every single
snap he's played. I don't take it for granted. Randy Moss I played with a ton
of time with Madden growing up. Those are huge, huge honors."
Malik Willis went 14 for 23 for 197 yards for Miami but took four sacks and was
unable to lead a touchdown drive until his 77-yard pass to Ryan Miller with
2:30 remaining in the game.
"They've got great players who are experienced and have been running this
system for a very long time," said Miami coach Jeff Hafley, who was an
assistant for the 49ers in Shanahan's first two seasons in 2017-18. "When I saw
Kittle and Juice after the game, they were here when I was here in 2017. So
great players, great play-caller, consistency and continuity in one scheme over
time usually equals success. That's a really good team."
Both defenses struggled to get off the field in the first half with the main
difference being the Niners finished off their drives with touchdowns. Riley
Patterson missed a 51-yard field goal on Miami's opening drive and the Dolphins
settled for two field goals in the red zone on their other two possessions in
the first half.
San Francisco got in the end zone with McCaffrey scoring on a 1-yard run and
Purdy on a 2-yard run on the two drives for the 49ers, who led 14-6 at the half.
Injuries Dolphins: RB Jaylen Wright (stinger) left in the first half. ... WR Caleb Douglas (ankle) left in the second half. 49ers: WR Demarcus Robinson and DT James Thompson Jr. left with what Shanahan believes were high ankle injuries and could miss some time. ... WR Mike Evans left in the second half with a hip injury but likely could have returned if the game had been closer. Up next Dolphins: Host Kansas City on Sunday. 49ers: Host Arizona on Sunday. ___ See AP's full NFL coverage here |
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