Dolphins target backup defensive back, torch 49ers
formance because their other players, most of whom played in last season’s Super Bowl, were light years from championship quality.
The 49ers trailed 307 at halftime against an eightpoint underdog that arrived with a 13 record, and it never got better: They had three turnovers, allowed five sacks, committed seven penalties, surrendered a successful fake punt and went 2for12 on thirdand fourthdown conversions.
Recently retired Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Staley, watching on TV, channeled countless fans when, via Twitter, he posed this question just before halftime: “What the hell is this??!”
That, Joe, was the 2020 49ers ( 23), who have now matched their regularseason loss total from 2019 after three upset losses at home. Their wins have come against the Giants and Jets, who are both 05.
Sunday, the 49ers allowed their most points at home in 11 years: They lost 4510 to Atlanta on Oct. 10, 2009.
“We’ve got to look at the film and see where we sucked at, which was a lot of places,” tight end George Kittle said.
Said fullback Kyle Juszczyk: “That was embarrassing, what we just did out there. … We’ve set a standard, and that wasn’t even close to it.”
They weren’t mincing words. And head coach Kyle Shanahan had few words for them after it was over. His postgame message?
“There’s no magic thing you can say when you play like that,” Shanahan said. “You either get better or worse. And if we don’t get better, it’s going to be a long season.”
It was a short day for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was replaced by C. J. Beathard after halftime. Garoppolo threw two ugly interceptions, completed 7 of 17 passes and posted a 15.7 passer rating while taking three sacks and absorbing five hits. Garoppolo, who was returning after missing two games with a high ankle sprain, clearly wasn’t fully healthy.
“He normally doesn’t throw the ball that way,” Shanahan said.
Meanwhile, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was throwing the ball at will against a secondary that was missing starting cornerbacks Richard Sherman ( calf ) and Emmanuel Moseley ( concussion), along with firststring nickel corner K’Waun Williams ( knee).
Fitzpatrick completed 22 of 28 passes for 350 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions ( 154.5 rating).
The 49ers started Allen because Shanahan said cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon told coaches before the game he could only play in emergency because of a hamstring injury that had forced him to miss the previous two games.
Witherspoon was active, but he was a spectator as Fitzpatrick, 37, making his 144th career start, relentlessly picked on Allen. A 2017 fifthround pick of the Steelers, Allen has been employed by four teams in his fouryear career, hadn’t played in a game since 2018 and was signed to the practice squad Sept. 16.
After he was benched, Allen, alone, sat on a Gatorade cooler on the sideline.
Why didn’t the 49ers try their other available cornerback, Ken Webster? A 2019 seventhround pick of the Patriots,
Webster has five career starts and had been on the 49ers roster since he was signed off Miami’s practice squad on Sept. 16. Shanahan said Webster was in a “similar situation” to Allen.
After Allen had a horsecollar tackle penalty, a passinterference penalty and allowed receptions of 47, 15, 8, 28, 19 and 22 yards in three series, Witherspoon said he was available.
“I was glad Ahkello was up for the challenge,” Shanahan said, “and came in when he was able to.”