The Miami Dolphins and their electric offense were on the verge of a second straight playoff berth at this time last season. The San Francisco 49ers were about to make an impressive Super Bowl run.
A lot can change in a year.
Now, the Dolphins are clawing their way into the playoff race, while the 49ers are at risk of their first losing season since 2020 if they lose one more game.
They’ll meet Sunday in a matchup of 6-8 teams that have performed below their preseason expectations.
“I think they’re certainly frustrated, as we are,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “It’s been a trying year. But in no way, shape or form do I expect anything but their best.”
Much of Miami’s struggles this season have been because of regression in parts of their offense.
The Dolphins were one of the best passing and rushing units in the NFL in 2023 with 265.5 yards passing per game and 5.1 yards per rush — both best in the league. The Dolphins are currently averaging just over 222 yards passing (14th in the NFL) and have the second-lowest yards-per-carry average at 3.9. They have the sixth-worst rushing offense in the NFL.
Part of that is because of an offensive line that has not created consistent rush lanes, another issue has been self-inflicted wounds.
“When you truly understand football and you watch the Miami Dolphins this year and from previous years, it’s all about execution,” wide receiver Tyreek Hill said. “It’s all about pre-snap operation. It’s all about not shooting yourself in the foot. I feel like a lot of drives that we’ve had, big plays that we’ve had, they’ve been called back. Or even when we started the drive, we get a false start or we get a holding flag.”
The 49ers have had their own struggles with an inconsistent run game. Since their bye week, they’ve failed to rush for more than 75 yards three times, including against the Rams on Thursday when San Francisco ran the ball 19 times compared to 31 passes and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry.
“We had a number of three-and-outs, a number of short drives,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Whenever you don’t get first downs, whether it’s running the ball or passing the ball, you’re not going to end up having many runs. And I think we ran for one first down in that game. All our first downs were throwing it. I didn’t think we blocked as cleanly, but the main thing was not getting enough carries.”
San Francisco also has not gotten consistent play from Deebo Samuel, who has gone from one of the most dynamic players in the league to a non-productive one.
Samuel has only 101 yards receiving over his last five games and is averaging just 2.8 yards per carry — down from 6.0 the previous three seasons. But Shanahan doesn’t believe the lack of production stems from a lack of explosiveness.
“By no means do I think he’s lost it or anything,” Shanahan said. “His looks haven’t been quite as good this year, just like for everybody. When the 10 guys around you aren’t doing quite as good, whether it’s him, whether it’s the quarterback, whether it’s O-line, you’re not going to do as good as you did the year before.”
McDaniel, who spent five seasons on Shanahan’s staff, said he knows the 49ers too well to underestimate them.
“The NFL is hard,” McDaniel said. “The success breeds tough times ahead because when you’re a good team, especially for as long as the San Francisco 49ers have been good, there’s not one team that lines up on Sunday taking them lightly.”
The 49ers got a major boost defensively in the first half last week when linebacker Dre Greenlaw returned for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl last season.
Despite the 10-month absence, Greenlaw was back to his physical and intense form and had eight tackles in the first half to spearhead San Francisco’s defense and provide needed juice to his defensive teammates.
“I love giving inspiration by going out to play,” he said. “I wish I could have did it more throughout the season. Obviously, I was hurt, couldn’t do that. But being able to go out there and play as hard as I can, I know it’s going to inspire the next man beside me.”
Hill had many Dolphins fans worried this week.
“It’s time for me to go coach,” Hill posted on social media Wednesday, prompting many to speculate if he was hinting at a departure from Miami amid a season in which his production is down.
Hill clarified Thursday he was referring to a potential career in coaching once his playing days are over. Hill said he was proud to see his former teammate Teddy Bridgewater coach his high school alma mater to a state title, and would like to follow in his footsteps.
“That’s all I meant by it,” Hill said. “I didn’t mean it by like, I want to get traded or I want to leave Miami. I’m in a great situation here. I love the guys here. I love this organization.”
Hill has gone from the top receiver in the NFL with 1,799 yards in 2023 to just 805 yards this season. If he fails to reach 1,000 yards in the next three games, it would be his first season below that mark since 2019.
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AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow contributed from Santa Clara, California.
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