Deebo Samuel's Valiant Efforts Wasted in 49ers Loss to the Dolphins

Deebo Samuel decided to finally awaken for the 49ers, but his valiant efforts proved moot against the Dolphins.

Dec 22, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) runs with the football for a touchdown past Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland (8) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

What a rough game to watch.

Coffee was needed to stay locked into the snooze fest between the San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins. However, there were moments of flare and excitement in the game and it came from a surprising source.

Deebo Samuel was the star of the game for the 49ers. Unfortunately, Samuel's efforts were wasted as the 49ers loss 29-17 to the Dolphins. Samuel tallied seven catches for 96 yards and one touchdown. He even ran well with the ball rushing for 25 yards on five carries.

It was a complete 180-degree flip from his last performance against the Los Angeles Rams. Samuel went from a negatively impactful player to a positive one. He bounced back tremendously in this game and had arguably his best game of the season.

Today's performance by the 49ers can best be summarized as "same thing, different day." It was ugly, ugly football by the 49ers. Their offense struggled for the majority of the game, their special teams were awful, injuries ran rampant with Dre Greenlaw exiting early again, and they played incredibly undisciplined with 11 penalties worth 90 yards.

Samuel looked faster than before, focused, and was breaking tackles in vintage fashion. Tip of the cap to Samuel for how well he played but where was this version for the majority of the season? Injuries and pneumonia threw off a portion of his season but he still was a nonfactor for the last month of the season.

Injuries and sickness weren't there against the Rams, which was a perfect chance for him to have a breakout game. The game plan was made to set him up for one. Unfortunately, he saved his best for when the 49ers were out of the playoffs in a meaningless game against the Dolphins. The positive from his performance is it shows he cares still.

Another player who has cared and has been the best on the 49ers this season is George Kittle. He brought in eight catches for 106 yards on nine targets. No other player has had close to the performance Kittle has had all season long. He's been the most elite player this year and proved it again versus the Dolphins today. Kittle should be a strong candidate for a contract extension in the offseason with a year left on his deal.

Despite how ugly the game was for the majority, the 49ers played hard for all four quarters. It was enough for them to make it a game with two minutes left. The 49ers had the ball at their 47-yard line coming out of the two-minute warning. Brock Purdy, who had played a decent game up until that point, had a chance to lead a game-winning drive.

But as usual, the opportunity to win the game was surrendered. Purdy threw an atrocious interception intended for Jauan Jennings to give the Dolphins the ball back at their 38-yard line. Miami would score a touchdown in three plays on a De'Von Achane 50-yard run. This is the 2024 49ers in a nutshell.

The opportunities are there for them to win, but they shoot themselves in the foot. As I've stated all season long, the 49ers are their own worst enemy. At least now a loss will benefit them more than a win as it helps them with their draft position. That's the only good to come from this game and the remaining two on their schedule.

The conclusion to this season cannot arrive soon enough.

Read more of 49ers on SI

• San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins Week 16 Live Blog

• 49ers OL Coach says Jaylon Moore is a Starting-Caliber Left Tackle

• 49ers Handled the De'Vondre Campbell Situation Perfectly

• Brock Purdy Sets the Record Straight on his Shoulder Injury

• One Factor Contributing to 49ers' Brock Purdy's Regression

• Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel Aren't Fit to be 49ers Captains

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