MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Much of this season for the Miami Dolphins will be about small victories — even if actual wins are hard to come by.
asserted
wins → come → victories
Miami stayed close to the San Francisco 49ers for the first half on Sunday.
asserted
Miami → stay → Sunday
But contending for four quarters with a star-studded roster featuring All-Pros like Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Nick Bosa was too hard a task for the young Dolphins.
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contending → contend → Dolphins
“I think the game was really a tale of two halves,” Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said.
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Hafley → think → halves
“If you want to look at the whole game, I thought our guys came out.
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guys → want → game
I thought we showed improvement.
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we → think → improvement
I thought we played hard. ...
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we → think → ?
It hit us in the face really hard in the second half, and we just didn’t coach well enough.
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we → hit → half
We didn’t play well enough.
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We → play → ?
“I thought we had a great week of preparation and I felt like we were ready to play better, and in the first half we did.
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we → think → half
A small victory in the 35-13 loss: Quarterback Malik Willis has shown an ability to put the offense in good positions despite the unit’s inability to finish drives.
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Willis → show → drives
His lone touchdown Sunday came with the game already out of reach when he connected with Ryan Miller for a 77-yard score in the fourth.
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he → come → fourth
Willis has barely had enough time to make plays because he’s been under constant pressure the first two games of the season.
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he → have → season
Another small victory on a Dolphins defense that has otherwise been woeful has been rookie safety Michael Taaffe, who had an interception last week and finished with a team-high nine tackles Sunday.
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who → have → tackles
Taaffe also came closest to sacking quarterback Brock Purdy with a pressure in the second half that caused an intentional grounding.
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that → come → grounding
The Dolphins will likely have more results like they’ve seen in the first two weeks, but in a season where wins won’t be the focus, finding young players like Taaffe who could be key pieces to build around will be a priority.
uncertain
who → have → Taaffe
What’s working
De’Von Achane had 20 carries compared to just 11 last week and the Dolphins moved the ball well in the first half as a result.
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Dolphins → work → result
They moved into San Francisco territory on their first three drives, but those possessions ended in three field goal attempts by Riley Patterson, one of which he missed.
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he → move → which
What needs help
Special teams is an obvious area that needs improvement.
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that → need → improvement
In addition to miscues that have allowed big returns in the first two matchups, Patterson missed his second field goal in two games and punter Bradley Pinion dropped a snap in the third quarter that resulted in a two-play touchdown drive by the 49ers.
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that → allow → 49ers
Miami also hasn’t been able to generate any pressure on opposing quarterbacks through the first two games.
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Miami → generate → games
Hafley said he tried multiple different pressure packages against the 49ers, and none worked.
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none → say → 49ers
San Francisco scored touchdowns on each of its first five possessions, and Purdy finished with just two incompletions while completing 18 straight passes during one stretch.
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Purdy → score → stretch
The Dolphins had 84 yards rushing with Achane averaging 4.4 yards per carry in the first half.
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Achane → have → half
That helped Miami sustain drives and limit the 49ers’ potent offense to just two possessions through the first two quarters.
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Miami → help → quarters
That unit struggled in run blocking in Week 1 against Las Vegas and couldn’t hold up against San Francisco’s pass rush on Sunday.
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unit → struggle → Sunday
Veteran right tackle Austin Jackson has really struggled with tough matchups against Maxx Crosby and Nick Bosa the first two weeks.
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Jackson → struggle → Crosby
Injuries
Hafley did not have an update on WR Caleb Douglas, who left with an ankle injury.
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who → have → injury
... LB Chop Robinson missed Sunday’s game, but is progressing through the concussion protocol.
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Robinson → miss → protocol
Key number
9 — The number of sacks Miami has allowed while failing to produce a sack through the first two games.
Next steps
The Dolphins will face Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs their home opener on Sunday.
asserted
Dolphins → allow → Sunday
The Aporia
