Dolphins keep playoff hopes alive with 29-17 win over 49ers, who were eliminated before the game

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins were not ready for their season to be over, even after a disappointing loss at Houston last week that narrowed their faint playoff hopes.

“The whole year, even when things weren't going our way, I always knew we had a playoff team," said cornerback Kader Kohou. "So there's not any thoughts in our mind about going to Cancun or anything like that. We're still thinking playoffs, and we're just trying to win every game.”

Kohou helped keep those playoff chances alive when he intercepted 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy late 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) will need to win their final two games and get help from losses by the Broncos and Chargers to make the postseason.

The 49ers (6-9) were eliminated from the postseason before the game because of wins by the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Commanders earlier Sunday. The loss ensured that last year’s NFC champions will have a losing season for the first time since 2020.

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

Trailing by nine early in the fourth, Purdy found tight end Eric Saubert for a 2-yard score that cut the lead to 19-17, but the Niners couldn't get past self-inflicted wounds.

After punting the ball back to Miami with 6:45 left, San Francisco was hit with consecutive penalties for illegal substitution, unnecessary roughness and offsides to give Miami 25 yards, helping set up Sanders' 48-yard field goal that stretched the Dolphins' lead to five. The 49ers were penalized 11 times total 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 it with a 50-yard touchdown run.

“There’s a lot of fight left in us," Campbell said. "If we have a chance, we’re going to fight for it.

“I was proud of my guys. We kept believing and kept fighting. As long as we’re alive, we’re going to 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 first two drives of the game and another on a potential touchdown in the third.

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

“I completely blame myself for not getting my head around (on the first drop) and not seeing the ball," Hill said, “because if I see the ball, we’re talking cross-court, 70-yard touchdown.”

Jonnu Smith caught six passes for 62 yards to set the Dolphins' single-season franchise record for receptions (76) and receiving yards (802) by a tight end.

Sanders was 5 of 5, including a 54-yarder, which made him 11 of 13 on field goals of 50-plus 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 in which he muscled through several defenders on his way into the end zone.

Miami moved into 49ers territory three times in the first half but settled for field goals before Hill's 3-yard touchdown catch from Tagovailoa that put the Dolphins ahead with 3:20 left in the second.

Purdy then drove San Francisco 67 yards down the field to set up Moody's 21-yard field goal to cut Miami's lead to 13-10 at halftime.

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

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

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

49ers: Host Detroit on Monday Dec. 30.

Dolphins: At Cleveland next Sunday.

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

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

San Francisco 49ers tight end Eric Saubert (82) catches a pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) runs with the football during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) is unable to catch a pass as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (2) defends during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins cornerbacks Storm Duck (36) and Siran Neal (33) celebrate after San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) missed a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) catches a pass for a touchdown as San Francisco 49ers cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) gives him a push during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) aims a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) aims a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) breaks up a tackle by Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) to score a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Dolphins place kicker Jason Sanders (7) kicks a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) pitches the football to Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

SEATTLE (AP) — Sam Darnold has inspired confidence in his coach and teammates throughout this career-changing season. With the Vikings facing another late deficit, they had no doubt he'd deliver.

Darnold connected with a well-covered Justin Jefferson with 3:51 left for his third touchdown pass of the game, and Minnesota outlasted Geno Smith and the Seattle Seahawks 27-24 on Sunday to keep pace with Detroit for the top spot in the NFC.

After the Seahawks took the lead on Smith's third TD pass, Darnold led a 30-second drive that was aided by a 15-yard facemask penalty. He stepped up in a collapsing pocket and launched a deep ball that Jefferson hauled in just short of the goal line with two defenders closing in.

“There wasn’t really one guy — and I know I’m not speaking just for myself — (who didn’t think) we’re going to go down and we’re going to get a touchdown,” Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said. “And I think the level of confidence that that group has in their quarterback and the level of confidence the quarterback has in the 10 guys in the huddle is significant. And that’s how you’re able to go do that in that moment on the road at this place where you can’t hear yourself think.”

Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns as the Vikings (13-2) won their eighth straight. If they can beat Green Bay and Detroit to close out the season, they will earn the top seed in the conference and a first-round playoff bye.

Darnold threw for multiple touchdowns for the 11th time this season and more than 200 yards for the 10th. He finished 22 of 35 for 246 yards, helping O'Connell become the first Vikings coach with multiple 13-win seasons.

On the final drive, O'Connell's headset malfunctioned and Darnold improvised, calling his own play and his own number on a short scramble. He finished with a quarterback rating over 100 for the 12th time.

Not bad for a veteran who was signed to a one-year deal as a placeholder after the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason. The final play showed his chemistry with Jefferson, who made a decision mid-route that Darnold recognized.

“We spend a lot more time than in college with each other and I definitely felt that going into the season and especially throughout the season,” Jefferson said. “Seeing how much fun we were having together, seeing the different plays that we were making, all of us came together every single game. We just lean on each other to fight for one another.”

Said Darnold: “I just needed to give him a shot, you know, put it on his back hip and let him do the rest.”

Smith threw for 314 yards and his 4-yard TD pass to AJ Barner gave the Seahawks a 24-20 lead with 4:41 left, but he couldn't rally Seattle (8-7) after Jefferson's late TD. Jason Myers missed a 60-yard field goal try after the two-minute warning, and Theo Jackson picked off Smith with 49 seconds left to seal it.

The Seahawks have lost two straight after a four-game winning streak and fell one game behind the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West.

Smith also had scoring passes of 25 yards to DK Metcalf and 18 yards to Jaxon Smith-Njigba. He was also intercepted twice. Smith-Njigba had eight receptions for 95 yards.

Minnesota improved to 8-1 in one-score games this season.

“The reason that their record is what it is and what their record is in one score games is because they’re a good football team,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. "We hung right in there. We had an opportunity to win the game, and we didn’t. There’s things in all three phases that we can do better, but we also did a lot of great things. We gave ourselves a chance to win.”

The Vikings ran a 12-play opening drive, consuming 6:54 on the way to a 7-0 lead on Darnold’s 5-yard pass to Jordan Addison, who was open in the middle of the end zone for his third catch of the series.

Smith found Metcalf in man-to-man coverage with Stefon Gilmore early in the second quarter in the right corner of the end zone. It was Metcalf’s first TD reception since Week 7.

Darnold responded two drives later to make it 14-7 on a 14-yard pass to Jefferson over Tre Brown, who was left in single coverage on the All-Pro’s corner route.

Joshua Metellus pressured Smith on the first play of Seattle’s ensuing drive and Dallas Turner stepped in front of a pass to Noah Fant for an interception that set up Minnesota at the Seattle 31. The Vikings settled for Will Reichard’s 52-yard field goal after Boye Mafe sacked Darnold.

Smith drove the Seahawks 88 yards in 1:05 on five plays to cut the lead to 17-14 with 20 seconds left in the half. He found Smith-Njigba three times on the drive. The first, a 13-yard reception, put the second-year player over 1,000 yards receiving for the first time. The second, for 25 yards to the Vikings 18, drew a biceps flex from Smith-Njigba for the cheering crowd. And the third went for the score.

Metcalf shook off a long scoreless streak to catch his 47th career TD with the Seahawks. That helped him pass Hall of Fame receiver Steve Largent and move into sixth on the team's career touchdown list.

Smith-Njigba became the 10th Seahawks receiver to record a 1,000-yard season.

Vikings: S Harrison Smith (foot) was inactive, missing a game for the first time since 2022.

Seahawks: Placed LB Trevis Gipson (ankle) on injured reserve. ... RB Kenneth Walker III left the game with an ankle injury.

Vikings: Host Green Bay next Sunday.

Seahawks: At Chicago on Thursday.

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

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf (14) catches a 25-yard touchdown pass ahead of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore (2) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Jarran Reed (90) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15), center, celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (11) celebrates after scoring an 18-yard touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) catches a 14-yard touchdown pass ahead of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Seattle Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen (27) breaks up a pass intended for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) runs with the football as Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum (24) tries to tackle during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to pass while pressured by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman (51) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner (88) celebrates after catching a 4-yard touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks tight end Noah Fant (87) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (43), right, celebrates after sacking Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) celebrates after forcing a incomplete pass intended for Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) celebrates after catching a pass against Seattle Seahawks safeties Julian Love (20) Rayshawn Jenkins (2) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) is sacked by Seattle Seahawks linebacker Boye Mafe (53) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) scores a 39-yard touchdown ahead of Seattle Seahawks safety Julian Love (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)