Defensive back Kader Kohou made the play of the game for the Dolphins defense in Miami’s 29-17 win over San Francisco on Sunday evening at Hard Rock Stadium.
Coming out of the two-minute warning with the ball and trailing by five, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was picked off by Kohou on a pass over the middle that was intended for Jauan Jennings.
Three plays later, running back De’Von Achane iced the game on a 50-yard touchdown run that gave him 120 rushing yards and a score on 17 carries (7.1 avg.). He also added a team-high 70 receiving yards on six catches (11.7 avg.) for a season-high 190 total yards.
From the opening kickoff, Miami’s defense came to play.
The 49ers’ first drive ended in a swift three-and-out. Their second drive didn’t fare much better, as a second-down sack by linebacker Jordyn Brooks led to Miami’s second consecutive stop to start the game.
This second stop prompted the first Dolphins scoring drive, which was orchestrated by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Achane. Passes of 11 and 20 yards from Tagovailoa to Achane led to an eventual 44-yard field goal by kicker Jason Sanders. Sanders has made a field goal in 15 consecutive games, marking the longest streak of his career and the longest by a Dolphins kicker since Dan Carpenter had a 15-game streak between the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
San Francisco responded with a touchdown on their next drive, embarking on a 10-play, 70-yard drive that was capped off by a 16-yard completion from Purdy to wide receiver Deebo Samuel that gave the 49ers a 7-3 lead with 14:14 remaining in the second quarter.
Miami answered on its next two drives. The next possession was kicked off with a 24-yard completion from Tagovailoa to wide receiver Tyreek Hill. Sanders made sure the Dolphins came away with points, knocking down a 38-yard field goal.
Following a defensive stop, Miami ventured 68 yards downfield on eight plays to notch their first touchdown of the game. Running back Raheem Mostert was vital to the scoring drive, as his catch of 13 yards and run of 21 yards set the Dolphins up in scoring position.
Tagovailoa finished off the drive with a three-yard scoring connection to Hill. This touchdown, which was the 100th passing touchdown of Tagovailoa’s career, gave the Dolphins a 13-7 lead with 3:20 to go in the second quarter. 49ers kicker Jake Moody converted a 21-yard chip shot that cut the Dolphins’ lead to 13-10 heading into halftime.
Starting with the ball to begin the second half, Miami went 34 yards on eight plays to give Sanders a shot at another field goal. He made the 54-yarder, pushing his streak of made attempts from 50-plus yards to eight.
The Dolphins defense stepped up in a crucial moment on San Francisco’s first possession of the second half. With the 49ers on Miami’s 20-yard line, the defense held strong and forced San Francisco to lose three yards on the drive which led to a missed 41-yard field goal by Moody.
Miami pushed its lead to two scores on their next drive thanks to Tagovailoa’s precise passing. He completed 5-of-6 passes on the drive to set up Sanders’ fourth field goal of the game, this one from 33 yards away.
San Francisco did not back down in the fourth quarter, as they chipped into the Dolphins’ lead on a nine-play, 60-yard drive that ended on a two-yard passing touchdown from Purdy to tight end Eric Saubert. The 49ers, down by just two, had a chance to score on their next drive with 9:31 left in the game, but they could only manage 27 yards on four plays and were forced to punt the ball away.
Following the San Francisco punt, Miami stretched their lead to 22-17 with 2:10 left in the fourth quarter on a 48-yard field goal by Sanders. This was the first time since Week 16 of the 2023 season against Dallas that Sanders made five field goals in a game. Sanders has made his last 23 field goals, dating back to Miami’s Week 8 matchup with Arizona.
From there, Kohou’s interception and Achane’s long rushing touchdown cemented the Dolphins’ win.
Tagovailoa completed 22-of-34 passes (64.7 pct.) for 215 yards and a touchdown. Tight end Jonnu Smith caught all six of his targets for 62 yards. During the game, he set the single-season franchise record for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end.
Brooks, defensive tackle Zach Sieler and linebacker Chop Robinson all came away with sacks. Robinson also had a pass deflection on a key third down in the red zone that resulted in a 49ers field goal.
Miami will head back on the road to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Dec. 29. Kickoff is set for 4:05 p.m. EST on CBS.
