The Sports Xchange
Nov 27, 2016
MIAMI -- Ryan Tannehill threw three touchdown passes to lead the Miami Dolphins to their sixth straight win, a 31-24 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso also had a big game with a fumble recovery and an interception. It was his first two-turnover game since 2013, his rookie year.
Tannehill, Miami's first-round pick in 2012, completed 20 of 29 passes for 285 yards with no interceptions.
He connected on touchdown passes to Dion Sims in the second quarter, Kenny Stills in the third and Leonte Carroo in the fourth. The Sims play was Tannehill's 100th career touchdown pass.
The Dolphins, who started this season 1-4 and haven't made the playoffs since 2008, improved to 7-4, putting them in position for a possible wild-card berth.
However, Miami's win was tempered by a back injury suffered by DeVante Parker. He left the game in the second half, and there was no update on his status.
San Francisco (1-10) has lost 10 games in a row, setting a franchise record for a team whose history dates to 1946. The previous record of nine consecutive losses was set in 1978.
The 49ers fell to 0-6 with Colin Kaepernick as their starting quarterback. Kaepernick, booed at the start of the game for taking a knee during the national anthem -- he is protesting racial inequality in America -- passed for 296 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted once and ran for 113 yards.
San Francisco scored on its first possession, putting together an eight-play, 62-yard drive. Carlos Hyde scored on an 11-yard swing pass to the right flat.
Miami tied the score 7-7 with 12:22 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard run around left end by Jay Ajayi. That capped an 11-play, 91-yard drive.
The Dolphins took a 14-7 scored on a 16-yard pass to Sims, who exploited the middle of 49ers' zone and barely crossed the goal line. That drive took 11 plays and went 84 yards.
Miami increased its lead to 17-7 on a 24-yard field by Andrew Franks. That field goal was set up by Alonso's second interception of the season and his second in the past three games. Alonso's play set Miami up at the San Francisco 26-yard line.
San Francisco cut its deficit to 17-14 on a 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Celek. That capped a nine-play, 91-yard drive.
Miami went up 24-14 late in the third quarter on Tannehill's 43-yard pass to Stills, capping a five-play, 60-yard march. The touchdown catch by Carroo, which went 15 yards and was the first of the rookie's career, gave Miami a 31-14 lead.
With 7:42 left in the game, San Francisco cut its deficit to 31-21 on an impressive 1-yard TD catch by Torrey Smith in the left corner of the end zone.
San Francisco added a 36-yard field goal by Phil Dawson with 2:15 left in the game to provide the final margin.
The 49ers had one final chance, driving to the Miami 6-yard line with five seconds left.
Kaepernick was incomplete on a slant pattern on first down. On the final play of the game, Kaepernick was stopped at the 2 on a tackle by Ndamukong Suh with an assist from Alonso.
NOTES: Miami was missing three-fifths of its starting offensive line because of injuries: LT Branden Albert (wrist), LG Laremy Tunsil (shoulder) and C Mike Pouncey (hip). ... Miami starting CB Xavien Howard (knee) was also inactive. ... Several Dolphins played despite being listed as questionable earlier in the week: WR Kenny Stills, WR Jarvis Landry, RB Kenyan Drake, LB Jelani Jenkins, DE Mario Williams and DT Ndamukong Suh. Williams later left the game with an illness. ... San Francisco was without starting OLB Aaron Lynch (ankle) and starting DL Quinton Dial (knee and neck). ... 49ers S Eric Reed (biceps) was placed on injured reserve this week. He's out for the season along with two other San Francisco starters -- LB Navarro Bowman (Achilles) and DL Arik Armstead (shoulder). ... Up next, Miami travels to play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. The 49ers play at the Chicago Bears on Sunday.