Dolphins-49ers 2024 Week 16 Five Biggest Storylines

Breaking down the Miami Dolphins matchup against the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) throws the ball under pressure from Miami Dolphins defensive end Zach Sieler (92) during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium in the 2022 matchup. / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

The Miami Dolphins will look to move their record to 7-8 and keep their faint playoff hopes liave when they face the San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.

The Dolphins are coming off their 20-12 loss against the Houston Texans in Week 15. The 49ers also are 6-8 and coming off a 12-6 loss against the Los Angeles Rams that all but ended their playoff hopes.

The Dolphins and 49ers are meeting for the first time since 2022 when San Francisco won 33-17 at Levi Stadium.

Here are the five biggest storylines for this year's Week 16 matchup.

1) THE QB BATTLE

This game will feature a matchup of two similar quarterbacks with clear qualities and concerns, and who have been among the most efficient in the NFL the past couple of years without getting universal acclaim. The last few weeks of the 2024 season are huge for Brock Purdy, who's hoping to land in the offseason the same kind of contract extension the Dolphins gave Tua Tagovailoa.

2) RUNNING ON EMPTY

The Dolphins running game has provided little to no help over the past month, and that certainly contributed to the losses against the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans. Running the ball won't be easy against the 49ers, but it certainly would help the cause in trying to get the Dolphins a victory they need to stay mathematically alive in the playoff race.

3) TIGHTENING UP ON THE TIGHT END

The Dolphins defense is coming off a strong performance in the game against the Texans, and the key to shutting down the 49ers just might be taking care of tight end George Kittle. The Dolphins have had problems with tight ends before this season, starting with Tre McBride of the Cardinals and Brock Bowers of the Raiders, and they can't let Kittle put up big numbers.

4) SPECIAL TEAMS ON THE SPOT

One of the key plays in the loss against Houston was the fake punt that set up a Texans touchdowns, the latest example of a Dolphins special teams breakdown. It came after the Dolphins had a strong outing in the kicking game against the New York Jets. The Dolphins need another performance like they had in Week 14 against the Jets, not like the one against the 49ers.

5) THE COACHING MATCHUP

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention the head coaching battle between Mike McDaniel and his former mentor, Kyle Shanahan. The two obviously are very familiar with each other, and it'll be interesting to see if either can come up with a new wrinkle to gain an advantage.