Rookie quarterback Brock Purdy rode to the rescue in his first extended NFL action, passing for 210 yards and two touchdowns to push the San Francisco 49ers’ winning streak to five games with a 33-17 victory Sunday over the visiting Miami Dolphins at Santa Clara, Calif.
Purdy, who was 25 of 37 with an interception, took over in the first quarter for an injured Jimmy Garoppolo and delivered a touchdown on his first drive. The 49ers’ defense added three interceptions and a fumble return for a score by Dre Greenlaw, all in the second half.
Christian McCaffrey caught eight passes for 80 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers (8-4), while also rushing for 66 yards on 17 carries. McCaffrey’s 3-yard TD reception from Purdy with four seconds remaining in the first half broke a 10-10 tie.
Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa was 18-of-33 passing for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but his two third-quarter interceptions were his first in a span of six games.
Tyreek Hill had nine receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown for the Dolphins (8-4), who saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. Miami entered with an average of 34.7 points per game in three November contests.
Tagovailoa had the Dolphins’ offense on track early, hitting Trent Sherfield with a short pass on the first play of the game that turned into a 75-yard touchdown scamper.
Garoppolo pushed the 49ers inside the Miami 20-yard line on San Francisco’s first possession, but the knee of Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips landed on the side of the quarterback’s left foot during a sack. Garoppolo had to be carted from the sideline to the locker room.
The 49ers got a 47-yard Robbie Gould field goal one play after Garoppolo’s injury, with Purdy immediately leading San Francisco on a nine-play, 54-yard scoring drive during his first series. Purdy, who had nine pass attempts prior to Sunday, threw a 3-yard TD pass to Kyle Juszczyk for his first NFL score.
The 49ers turned third-quarter interceptions from Jimmie Ward and Deommodore Lenoir into a pair of Gould field goals for a 23-10 lead. Hill grabbed his 45-yard TD reception with 14:28 remaining to pull the Dolphins within 23-17.
Gould kicked a 48-yard field goal with 2:03 left for a 26-17 lead. On Miami’s first play after the Gould field goal, Nick Bosa’s third sack caused Tagovailoa to fumble and Greenlaw returned it 23 yards for a score.
–Field Level Media