For the first time in their illustrious franchise history, the San Francisco 49ers have lost 10 games in a row.
The Miami Dolphins were the latest team to victimize the 49ers and handed San Francisco a 31-24 loss Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.
Hey, at least the ending was fun to watch.
With 1:44 left in the fourth quarter and the ball at the 38-yard line, the 49ers had an opportunity to tie the game, and they nearly pulled it off. Colin Kaepernick connected with Torrey Smith to keep the chains moving on fourth-down, had a mad-dash scramble and a leaping snag from Jeremy Kerley which was overturned by the officials.
But the drive eventually fell two yards short when Kaepernick was crushed on another scramble next to the goal line as time expired.
The good news? The 49ers (1-10) are no longer getting demolished every Sunday like earlier in the losing streak. After putting up a fight against Arizona and New England, that same type of effort was prevalent in Miami. Kaepernick threw two resilient touchdown passes in the second half to Garrett Celek and Smith. This football team is not quitting late in games.
The bad news? There will be firings, a roster overhaul and another rebuilding year on deck in 2017. CEO Jed York will control how much blood will be shed. Losing 10 games in a row is completely unacceptable.
The Dolphins punted twice to start the game, and then remembered they possessed superior playmakers. Ryan Tannehill (285 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT) spread the football around to his overflow of young weapons, including a 43-yard touchdown bomb to Kenny Stills in the third quarter. Adam Gase, a head coaching candidate the 49ers courted in 2015, has now won six games in a row in his first year with the Dolphins.
Kaepernick started the game with a bang — an eight-play, 62-yard touchdown drive and an early 7-0 lead. The 28-year-old QB launched three touchdown passes on the day in one of his most impressive games of the season. There were stretches of nothingness on offense that led to a 31-14 Miami lead, and a key turnover. Kaepernick’s first pass of the second half went off the hands of Torrey Smith and into the arms of linebacker Kiko Alonso for an interception. While Kaepernick led the 49ers in rushing 113 yards, his legs alone are not enough to sustain an NFL offense.
Defensively, at least the 49ers have finally figured out to stop the run. Jay Ajayi did absolutely nothing on the ground (18 carries, 45 yards). But woes in the secondary continue. Tramaine Brock, Antoine Bethea and Rashard Robinson were all on the receiving end of a toasting session from Tannehill and the Dolphins receivers. The secondary was supposed to be the strength of this 49ers team in 2016.
Quinton Patton left the game with a concussion and did not return. Shane Skov injured his knee and did not return.
The 49ers will practice all week in Orlando at UCF before heading to Chicago to face the Bears next Sunday.