A look at some instant takeaways from the Miami Dolphins' loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Miami Dolphins took on the San Francisco 49ers, and the sheer difference between the two teams' talent and roster strength was clearly evident.
While Miami came out hot in their first two offensive drives, they quickly lost control of their chance to keep pace with San Francisco.
Here are five takeaways from the Dolphins Week 2 loss.
Dolphins Commit to Run Game
The Dolphins made up for their poor rushing game in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders by ensuring they gave running back De'Von Achane the ball early and often.
Achane had 11 carries before the second quarter, and he had 10 total during the first game.
With 20 carries and 74 yards, he secured a 3.7-yard-per-carry average, which was certainly not near what he secured in 2025. Still, the Dolphins offense attempted to correct that ship.
The issue is that head coach Jeff Hafley still had Achane running the ball in garbage time, with the 49ers being way ahead. There is no sense in risking an injury to the back.
49ers Show Pure Disparity of Talent
Miami showed exactly how far away from having a talented team they are when compared to the 49ers. Earlier in the week, Hafley said that what Kyle Shanahan has done in San Francisco is the "blueprint," and it was clear the Dolphins are way behind.
The team may have talented players, but the roster overall is just not ready to hang with upper-echelon teams. Granted, the 49ers are expected to be, and have been, one of the best teams in the NFL, but Hafley and company have a lot of work to do.
Wide Receivers Are Needed
Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis took four sacks, and that is coupled with the five sacks he took in Week 1. A big reason for this could be due to the lack of separation and talent in the receiving room.
Willis did not have much time to throw the ball, which is a testament to how good the pass rush for the 49ers is, but there were often no receivers open for him to get the ball to.
The Dolphins need to stop expecting that Willis should stand in the pocket and deliver a big shot, when he needs to take the checkdown and just have the team move the chains.
Having strong receivers who can get open matters a great deal, and the Dolphins simply do not have that.
Austin Jackson Struggles Mightily
There was a big concern when it came to tackle Austin Jackson staying healthy, but that is no longer the concern. What is far worse is his inability not to draw a penalty.
Jackson was penalized three times, and that is something that simply cannot happen with a veteran lineman. The Dolphins cannot afford pre-snap penalties or any penalties if they are expecting to compete and try to win games.
