MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers, the reigning NFC champions, were eliminated from the playoffs prior to the start of their game at Miami on Sunday due to wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington.
After that, they were unable to play spoiler, losing 29–17 and preserving the Dolphins’ narrow hopes of making the playoffs.
After losing the last Super Bowl, the 49ers (6-9) were the 16th club to miss the postseason. On February 11, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 25–22 in Super Bowl 58.
Before Sunday, San Francisco had lost four of their last five games, sealing their doom. It wasn’t until after the Miami defeat that coach Kyle Shanahan learned of the team’s elimination.
Shanahan claimed that although I was unaware of it, it had no effect on the game. Last week, we kind of thought about that. Although it wasn’t official, we are aware of numbers.
11 penalties for 90 yards were one of the stats that signaled San Francisco’s demise on Sunday. The Niners received two pre-snap penalty flags and three flags for unsportsmanlike behavior.
At the two-minute warning, the Niners were behind 22–17 and had the ball at their 47, but Brock Purdy was intercepted by Miami defender Kader Kohu. De Von Achane’s 50-yard touchdown run three plays later gave the Dolphins the victory.
Purdy stated, “I just feel like we’re hurting ourselves offensively and then we have to go and capitalize when the defense gets a stop.” We did a great job on that last year.
The Niners missed the playoffs the following season after losing to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl and winning the NFC in 2019. The Niners visited South Florida for the first time since losing to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
You inquired as to whether that (game) had caused my PTSD. No. The stadium is fantastic. Great atmosphere, tight end George Kittle said. Regardless of the game’s result, I had a good time outside.
Kittle finished with eight catches for 106 yards. He is now 33 yards from a fourth 1,000-yard season in his eight-year career.
Although we are eliminated, we still have two weeks of football left and if I have football in front of me, I am going to play as hard as I possibly can and try to get the guys around me to do the same thing, Kittle said.
The Commanders win over the Philadelphia Eagleseliminated San Francisco from wild-card contention, andthe Rams victory at the New York Jetsended the Niners hopes of an NFC West title. The Rams have the tiebreaker over the Niners because of their season sweep.
This league is very tough and we ve been in the highest of highs for a long time and sometimes things don t go your way, defensive end Nick Bosa said. I don t think I ve played a game where you don t really have a chance in the playoffs. It s a different feel but it s always a blessing to be on the field and be a part of the Niners.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) is tackled by Miami Dolphins running back Jaylen Wright (25) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)AP
In addition to the Niners, the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints were eliminated from playoff contention because of Sunday s early results. The Commanders victory knocked the Cowboys out, and the Saints were eliminated by the Atlanta Falcons,who beat the New York Giants.
The Arizona Cardinals were eliminatedwith a loss at Carolina.
In the AFC, the Dolphins will need to win their remaining games and need either the Los Angeles Chargers or Denver Broncos, who are both 9-6, to lose out and Indianapolis (7-8) to lose one of its last two.
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