Setting the Stage for the Week 13 Dolphins-49ers Matchup

Dolphins — T Austin Jackson (ankle) is out; T Terron Armstead (toe/pec) is doubtful; QB Teddy Bridgewater (knee) and RB Myles Gaskin (shoulder/ankle) are questionable.

49ers — RB Elijah Mitchell (knee) is out; OL Spencer Burford (ankle), DL Charles Omenihu (knee), WR Deebo Samuel (quad) and T Trent Williams (back) are questionable.

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FOR EVEN MORE COVERAGE ON THE MIAMI DOLPHINS, CHECK OUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S MIAMI DOLPHINS PAGE ON SI.COM

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Regular season series history: Dolphins lead 8-5

Last five meetings:

Oct. 10, 2020 at San Francisco — Dolphins 43, 49ers 17

Nov. 27, 2016 at Miami — Dolphins 31, 49ers 24

Dec. 9, 2012 at San Francisco — 49ers 27, Dolphins 13

Dec. 14, 2008 at Miami — Dolphins 14, 49ers 9

Nov. 28, 2004 at San Francisco — Dolphins 24, 49ers 17

Dolphins' largest margin of victory: 26 (2020 at San Francisco; Dolphins 43, 49ers 17)

Dolphins' largest margin of defeat: 24 (1992 at San Francisco; 49ers 27, Dolphins 3 ... 1995 at Miami; 49ers 44, Dolphins 20)

Highest-scoring matchup: 64 points (1995 at Miami; 49ers 44, Dolphins 20)

Lowest-scoring matchup: 21 points (2001 at San Francisco; 49ers 21, Dolphins 0)

Former 49ers players with the Dolphins:

RB Salvon Ahmed (training camp), WR River Cracraft, RB Raheem Mostert, WR Trent Sherfield, RB Jeff Wilson Jr., offensive assistant Mike Person was an offensive lineman for the 49ers in 2018-19, offensive assistant Aldrick Robinson played WR for the 49ers in 2017.

Former 49ers coaches with the Dolphins:

Head coach Mike McDaniel was 49ers run game specialist, run game coordinator and offensive coordinator 2017-21, Assistant head coach/TE coach Jon Embree held the same title for the 49ers from 2017-21, WR coach Wes Welker held the same position with the 49ers from 2019-21.

Former Dolphins players with the 49ers:

OL Jake Brendel, LS Taybor Pepper, QB coach Brian Griese played QB for the Dolphins in 2003

Former Dolphins coaches with the 49ers:

Running game coordinator/offensive line coach Chris Foerster, defensive line coach Kris Kocurek

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49ERS SCOUTING REPORT

The 49ers took a detour to get where they are, but they entered December as a team regarded as a threat in the NFC picture riding a four-game winning streak that's got them atop the NFC West standings. Even after reaching the Super Bowl in 2019 and the NFC Championship Game in 2021, the 49ers decided to ride at quarterback with Trey Lance — acquired in a mega trade with the Dolphins stemming from the initial Laremy Tunsil deal of 2019 — instead of Jimmy Garappolo. But that lasted a little more than a game, with Lance going down with an ankle. With Garoppolo back leading the offense, it's the same 49ers formula of a punishing ground game and a stingy defense. San Francisco has rushed for at least 150 yards in five of its 11 games. The 49ers have allowed more than 315 total yards to an opponent only once (against Kansas City) and have shut out their last four opponents in the second half.

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THE BIGGEST REASON THE DOLPHINS WILL WIN ...

The Dolphins put up a lot of yardage in the first half against Houston last Sunday, but maybe the biggest reason they jumped out to such a big lead were the two takeaways that got them 14 points — Xavien Howard's touchdown on a fumble return and Andrew Van Ginkel's interception that he returned to the 3-yard line. Looking at the 49ers' game-by-game results, what jumps out is that they have four games with multiple turnovers — and that occurred in their four losses. So taking the ball away is a big key for the Dolphins. On the flip side, the fact that Kansas City torched the 49ers defense — at Levi's Stadium no less — should provide optimism that the Dolphins' high-octane passing game could have some success.

THE BIGGEST REASON THE DOLPHINS WILL LOSE ...

The question with that Chiefs game was whether the 49ers were exposed by an elite passing attack or it was simply an aberration. The bigger issue for the Dolphins, though, should be the status of left tackle Terron Armstead and his pectoral injury. He's listed as doubtful for the game, and the effects of his absence after he left the Houston game were painful obvious. After being sacked a combined three times in the previous four games, Tua Tagovailoa was sacked four times in three SERIES before the Dolphins pulled him from the game with their big lead. Oh, and in the one game Armstead missed earlier this season, Dolphins QBs Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater were sacked six times. So the question is: How well can the passing game function if Armstead doesn't play. On the flip side, the Dolphins run defense has generally been very good in 2022, but it definitely could have a problem with the 49ers ground game.

FINAL DOLPHINS-49ERS PREDICTION

This is a battle of two of the hottest teams in the NFL, with the Dolphins riding a five-game winning streak and the 49ers on a four-game run. So something will have to give. The close working relationship between head coaches Mike McDaniel and Kyle Shanahan, which has included 14 years together in the NFL, adds a great element to this matchup, which was a gem to begin with. Ultimately, this figures to boil down to the matchup between the Dolphins' third-ranked offense and the 49ers' top-ranked defense, and San Francisco has a bit of an edge coming in because of a home-field advantage but more importantly because of the Armstead injury because he's so important to the offensive line — and even if he does play, he's likely not going to be at 100 percent. This season has shown us not to count out the Dolphins or underestimate them, but this does look like a tough one to pull out. Final score: 49ers 20, Dolphins 16.

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Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Dolphins news and analysis year-round. Also, you can follow me on Twitter at @PoupartNFL, and that's where you can ask questions for the regular All Dolphins mailbags. You also can ask questions via email at fnalldolphins@yahoo.com.

Published Dec 3, 2022

ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.