MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins weren’t ready for their season to end, even after a disappointing loss in Houston last week that dented their slim playoff hopes.

“All year long, I always knew we had a playoff team, even when things weren’t going our way,” cornerback Kader Kohou said. “So we’re not thinking about going to Cancun or anything like that at all. “We’re still thinking about playoffs and just trying to win every game.”

Kohou helped keep those playoff chances alive when he intercepted 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in Miami’s 29-17 win over San Francisco on Sunday.

Tua Tagovailoa threw for 215 yards and a touchdown, and Jason Sanders kicked five field goals. The Dolphins (7-8) need to win their final two games and get help from losses to the Broncos and Chargers to make the postseason.

The 49ers (6-9) were eliminated from the postseason before the game due to wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders on Sunday. The loss left last year’s NFC champions suffering a losing season for the first time since 2020.

Coach Kyle Shanahan said he found out after the game his team was eliminated, but “last week we kind of had that vibe. I know it wasn’t official, but we know the numbers, so we kind of knew that last week.”

Down nine yards early in the fourth, Purdy passed tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score that cut the lead to 19-17, but the Niners couldn’t overcome their self-inflicted wounds.

After kicking the ball back to Miami with 6:45 left, San Francisco was penalized with consecutive illegal substitution, unnecessary roughness and offside penalties, which gave Miami 25 yards and helped set up Sanders’ 48-yard field goal to prepare, which extended the Dolphins’ lead to five. The 49ers were penalized a total of 11 times for 90 yards.

Kohou then intercepted Purdy on the next drive after the quarterback was pressured by defensive tackle Calais Campbell. Dolphins running back De’Von Achane sealed the win with a 50-yard touchdown run.

“We still have a lot of fighting spirit in us,” said Campbell. “If we have a chance, we will fight for it.”

“I was proud of my boys. We kept believing and kept fighting. As long as we’re alive, we’ll act like we’re alive.”

Tagovailoa finished 22 of 34. Purdy was 26 of 40 for 313 yards and two touchdowns.

Tyreek Hill’s inconsistent season continued. He caught just 3 of 7 targets for 29 yards and a touchdown, with drops on the game’s first two drives and another on a potential touchdown in the third.

After the game, Hill took responsibility for the poor performance.

“I totally blame myself for not clearing the first drop and not seeing the ball,” Hill said, “because if I see the ball, we’re talking about a 70-yard cross-court touchdown.”

Jonnu Smith caught six passes for 62 yards, setting the Dolphins’ single-season franchise records for receptions (76) and receiving yards (802) by a tight end.

Sanders was 5 of 5, including a 54-yarder, making him 11 of 13 on field goals over 50 yards this year. San Francisco’s Jake Moody missed a 41-yarder in the third.

Deebo Samuel caught his first touchdown since Week 6 on a 16-yard score, pushing through several defenders on his way to the end zone.

Miami entered 49ers territory three times in the first half but settled for field goals before Hill caught a 3-yard touchdown catch from Tagovailoa that gave the Dolphins the lead with 3:20 left in the second half .

Purdy then drove San Francisco 67 yards down the field, setting up Moody’s 21-yard field goal and cutting Miami’s lead to 13-10 at halftime.

“This was something we had to see together as a team,” Tagovailoa said of the win. “You could see in all three phases that we were able to play the complementary football we wanted to play.”

Injuries

49ers: LB Dre Greenlaw (right calf), LG Aaron Banks (knee) and LT Jaylon Moore (quad) are out with injuries. … DE Leonard Floyd played with a shoulder injury suffered in the first quarter.

Dolphins: WR Jaylen Waddle did not play because of a knee injury he suffered last week. … CB Kendall Fuller (knee) and LB Jordyn Brookes (quad/knee) exited in the second half.

Next

49ers: Host Detroit on Monday, December 30th.

Dolphins: Next Sunday in Cleveland.

——

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl