MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins and their electrical offense had been on the verge of a second straight playoff berth right now final season. The San Francisco 49ers had been about to make a powerful Tremendous Bowl run.
Lots can change in a 12 months.
Now, the Dolphins are clawing their means into the playoff race, whereas the 49ers are liable to their first dropping season since 2020 in the event that they lose yet another sport.
They’ll meet Sunday in a matchup of 6-8 groups which have carried out beneath their preseason expectations.
“I believe they’re actually annoyed, as we’re,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned. “It’s been a attempting 12 months. However on no account, form or kind do I anticipate something however their greatest.”
A lot of Miami’s struggles this season have been due to regression in elements of their offense.
The Dolphins had been among the finest passing and speeding items within the NFL in 2023 with 265.5 yards passing per sport and 5.1 yards per rush — each greatest within the league. The Dolphins are presently averaging simply over 222 yards passing (14th within the NFL) and have the second-lowest yards-per-carry common at 3.9. They’ve the sixth-worst speeding offense within the NFL.
A part of that’s due to an offensive line that has not created constant rush lanes, one other difficulty has been self-inflicted wounds.
“While you actually perceive soccer and also you watch the Miami Dolphins this 12 months and from earlier years, it’s all about execution,” extensive receiver Tyreek Hill mentioned. “It’s all about pre-snap operation. It’s all about not capturing your self within the foot. I really feel like a number of drives that we’ve had, large performs that we’ve had, they’ve been referred to as again. And even once we began the drive, we get a false begin or we get a holding flag.”
The 49ers have had their very own struggles with an inconsistent run sport. Since their bye week, they’ve did not rush for greater than 75 yards 3 times, together with towards the Rams on Thursday when San Francisco ran the ball 19 instances in comparison with 31 passes and averaged simply 3.3 yards per carry.
“We had quite a few three-and-outs, quite a few brief drives,” coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned. “Everytime you don’t get first downs, whether or not it’s operating the ball or passing the ball, you’re not going to finish up having many runs. And I believe we ran for one first down in that sport. All our first downs had been throwing it. I didn’t suppose we blocked as cleanly, however the primary factor was not getting sufficient carries.”
San Francisco additionally has not gotten constant play from Deebo Samuel, who has gone from one of the dynamic gamers within the league to a non-productive one.
Samuel has solely 101 yards receiving over his final 5 video games and is averaging simply 2.8 yards per carry — down from 6.0 the earlier three seasons. However Shanahan doesn’t consider the dearth of manufacturing stems from an absence of explosiveness.
“Certainly not do I believe he’s misplaced it or something,” Shanahan mentioned. “His seems haven’t been fairly nearly as good this 12 months, identical to for everyone. When the ten guys round you aren’t doing fairly nearly as good, whether or not it’s him, whether or not it’s the quarterback, whether or not it’s O-line, you’re not going to do nearly as good as you probably did the 12 months earlier than.”
McDaniel, who spent 5 seasons on Shanahan’s employees, mentioned he is aware of the 49ers too effectively to underestimate them.
“The NFL is tough,” McDaniel mentioned. “The success breeds powerful instances forward as a result of while you’re a superb staff, particularly for so long as the San Francisco 49ers have been good, there’s not one staff that traces up on Sunday taking them flippantly.”
Dominant Dre
The 49ers obtained a significant enhance defensively within the first half final week when linebacker Dre Greenlaw returned for the primary time since tearing his Achilles tendon within the Tremendous Bowl final season.
Regardless of the 10-month absence, Greenlaw was again to his bodily and intense kind and had eight tackles within the first half to spearhead San Francisco’s protection and supply wanted juice to his defensive teammates.
“I really like giving inspiration by going out to play,” he mentioned. “I want I might have did it extra all through the season. Clearly, I used to be harm, couldn’t try this. However having the ability to go on the market and play as laborious as I can, I do know it’s going to encourage the subsequent man beside me.”
Trolling Tyreek
Hill had many Dolphins followers fearful this week.
“It’s time for me to go coach,” Hill posted on social media Wednesday, prompting many to invest if he was hinting at a departure from Miami amid a season through which his manufacturing is down.
Hill clarified Thursday he was referring to a possible profession in teaching as soon as his taking part in days are over. Hill mentioned he was proud to see his former teammate Teddy Bridgewater coach his highschool alma mater to a state title, and want to comply with in his footsteps.
“That’s all I meant by it,” Hill mentioned. “I didn’t imply it by like, I wish to get traded or I wish to depart Miami. I’m in an amazing scenario right here. I really like the blokes right here. I really like this group.”
Hill has gone from the highest receiver within the NFL with 1,799 yards in 2023 to simply 805 yards this season. If he fails to achieve 1,000 yards within the subsequent three video games, it could be his first season beneath that mark since 2019.
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