The 49ers return from dominating win in Australia to take on the Dolphins in home opener

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The scenario to start the season for the San Francisco 49ers couldn’t have been much more challenging.

They traveled nearly halfway around the world to Australia where they dominated the Super Bowl favorite Los Angeles Rams in a 27-7 victory.

The task on paper for Week 2 appears much simpler. The Niners take on the team with the longest odds to win it all this season as the biggest favorites in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins in their home opener on Sunday.

The approach for San Francisco (1-0) remains the same.

“I think the greatness in our team in general is having a coach like Kyle Shanahan, he paints the picture perfectly for the situation week to week,” star linebacker Fred Warner said. “He did the same thing this week letting us know the challenge the Dolphins present and the challenge we have as a team to get better off the Rams game. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means, there’s things to clean up all across the board.”

Despite a few mistakes along the way in the opener, the results were overwhelmingly good.

Brock Purdy threw three touchdown passes, the offensive line allowed no sacks and cleared the way for 174 yards rushing and the defense shut down reigning MVP Matthew Stafford and the offense that led the NFL in scoring last season.

The Dolphins didn’t have nearly as good an opener under first-year coach Jeff Hafley, losing 27-13 to a Las Vegas Raiders team that finished at the bottom of the standings last season.

Miami played 11 rookies in the game for a combined 436 snaps — the most snaps by rookies for any team in Week 1 since at least 2006 when that stat started being tracked by Sportradar.

The Dolphins stayed close to the Raiders into the third quarter before Las Vegas pulled away for the comfortable win. Now they have to contend with a far tougher team in the 49ers with a star-studded roster featuring players such as Warner, Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Mike Evans, Nick Bosa and Trent Williams.

“We understand who we’re playing and I understand all these players that we’re about to play against,” Hafley said. “This game is going to be about us taking a step forward. And I really mean that, that’s not coach talk.”

The Dolphins spent the week preparing for the game in California, practicing in wine country in Napa instead of traveling back to Florida following the opener in Las Vegas.

Need to know

Miami (0-1) vs San Francisco (1-0)

When/where to watch: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, Fox

Latest odds: 49ers by 13 1/2.

Against the spread: Dolphins 0-1; 49ers 1-0.

Last week: Dolphins lost to the Raiders 27-13; 49ers beat the Rams 27-7.

Last meeting: Dolphins beat 49ers 29-17 on Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami

Series record: Dolphins lead 9-7.

Matchup to watch

Dolphins running game vs. 49ers run defense. Miami is hoping to rely on the run game this season with RB De’Von Achane the team’s most potent offensive player and QB Malik Willis a running threat. They were held to just 74 yards on the ground last week and will need to do better against a San Francisco defense that gave up 122 yards on the ground to the Rams and has major questions along the defensive line.

Stats and stuff

— Miami is trying to avoid starting the season 0-2 for a second straight year.

— The Dolphins were tied for the most sacks allowed last week with five and were one of five teams, along with the 49ers, to have no sacks in the opener.

— Miami third-round pick Caleb Douglas led all rookies last week with five receptions for 94 yards.

— The Dolphins also got big performances from two rookie defenders with first-round pick Chris Johnson having 11 tackles, two passes defensed and a tackle for loss. Second-rounder Jacob Rodriguez had 14 tackles.

— The 49ers are seeking their fifth 2-0 start in 10 seasons under coach Kyle Shanahan. They made the playoffs the previous four with two trips to the Super Bowl.

— San Francisco allowed a league-low seven points last week and pitched a shutout in the second half. The Niners allowed only six first downs passing, tied for the second fewest in the league in Week 1.

— Rookie RB Kaelon Black’s 65 yards rushing last week were the second most for a 49ers player in his NFL debut in the past 34 seasons and the most by any rookie last week.

— Warner had 11 tackles, one pass defensed and a forced fumble last week in his first game since a season-ending ankle injury last October. His 958 career tackles are the most for any San Francisco player since at least 2000.

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