Brock Purdy’s surgical efficiency and Christian McCaffrey’s milestone score fueled a second-half surge, overcoming early jet lag to dismantle the Dolphins and maintain a perfect season start.
The San Francisco 49ers successfully navigated the logistically tricky opening stretch of their 2026 campaign. After a trip down under to open the year with a win over the Rams in Melbourne, the 49ers returned home, shook off any potential travel fatigue, and put on a show for the Levi’s Stadium crowd in a 35-13 rout of the Miami Dolphins.
Miami managed to keep things interesting through the first 30 minutes by leaning on their ground game to control the clock, sending the teams into halftime at 14-6. Once the second half kicked off, however, San Francisco’s experience took over. The offense went 5-for-5 scoring touchdowns on their first five possessions of the game to put things completely out of reach.
Here is the 49ers’ report card following their Week 2 victory over Miami:
Rushing Offense
San Francisco didn't put up staggering numbers on the ground, totaling 95 rushing yards as a team, but they used the threat of the run to set up everything else.
Quarterback Brock Purdy actually spearheaded the ground attack in the first half, pacing the team with 30 scrambling yards which was highlighted by an 18-yard burst and a 2-yard touchdown leap. Christian McCaffrey was bottled up for much of the afternoon, averaging under 3 yards per carry, but he delivered where it mattered most, punching in two short goal-line touchdowns. The second score marked the 100th total touchdown of his storied career.
Grade: B-minus
Passing Offense
Brock Purdy was virtuosic in front of the home crowd. Directing Kyle Shanahan's scheme with surgical precision, Purdy completed 20 of his 22 pass attempts for 287 yards, two passing touchdowns, one rushing touchdown, zero interceptions, and finished with a near-perfect 149.1 passer rating.
After going untargeted in the first half, George Kittle erupted out of the locker room with a 40-yard catch to open the third quarter and later hauled in a 12-yard score. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk also caught a 6-yard touchdown pass. Up front, the offensive line posted another flawless pass-protection performance and Purdy has yet to be sacked through the first two games of the season.
Grade: A
Rushing Defense
The 49ers stacked five-man fronts early on to stifle Miami's run scheme, but the Dolphins found initial success behind De'Von Achane. Miami racked up long drives in the first half that kept San Francisco's offense watching from the sideline.
However, the unit adjusted after halftime and limited the damage. Achane finished with 74 yards on 20 carries (3.7 YPC), finding few lanes once San Francisco tightened up its gap discipline. Safety Ji'Ayir Brown led the defensive effort with a team-high 12 tackles, while Dre Greenlaw added eight stops and rookie defensive lineman Gracen Halton recorded five tackles (including a tackle for loss).
Grade: C+
Passing Defense
Miami quarterback Malik Willis found some rhythm early by making quick, short throws, but San Francisco's pass rush eventually broke through. After going sackless through Week 1, the 49ers piled up four sacks on Willis, including crucial back-to-back sacks by Fred Warner and rookie Romello Height that forced Miami into a second-quarter field goal.
The only real blemish came late in the fourth quarter when, with starters resting and backup defensive backs on the field, Willis connected on a 77-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Miller.
Grade: B
Special Teams
Eddy Piñeiro shook off a mid-week illness to convert all five of his extra-point attempts cleanly. The coverage units caught a major break when Dolphins punter Bradley Pinion mishandled a snap, giving San Francisco's offense a short field on the 28-yard line that turned into seven quick points.
Rookie Jacob Cowing displayed explosive vision on a long punt return, though it was erased by a holding flag against Siran Neal. Corliss Waitman was effective in limited action, pinning both of his punts inside the 20-yard line.
Grade: B
Coaching
It’s hard to ask for a better coaching performance given the circumstances. Kyle Shanahan had his offense executed to near-perfection, dialing up plays that exploited a young Miami defense and scoring on five straight drives. Managing the post-Australia travel turn-around seamlessly is a credit to the entire staff's preparation.
On defense, the staff recognized Miami's early ball control strategy and made effective second-half tweaks to get off the field quickly and let the offense put the game away.
Grade: A-
Overall
Miami kept the game competitive early by leaning on a methodical ground game to control time of possession. But the gap in experience and execution between these two rosters became undeniable in the third quarter. San Francisco flipped the switch, blew the game open, and earned a well-deserved 2-0 start to their 2026 campaign.
Grade: A-
