The San Francisco 49ers are massive favorites over the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, and honestly, nobody’s surprised. San Francisco is coming off a huge win over the Super Bowl favorites, while the Dolphins got comfortably beaten by the Las Vegas Raiders in their opener and are already looking like a contender for the first overall pick. Still, with the 49ers recovering from travel back from Australia, you could call this a potential “trap game,” but Kyle Shanahan and his staff probably don’t even need to remind the team to take it seriously. If the 49ers play anywhere near the level they showed in Melbourne, this Dolphins matchup is a golden opportunity to build on what was a *shocking* area of strength in Week 1.
That 49ers Pass Rush? It’s For Real
Seriously, remember all those concerns about the 49ers’ defensive line depth heading into the season? Forget about ’em. The San Francisco pass rush *impressed* big time in their 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams. They didn’t even record a sack of Matthew Stafford, but their pressure rate was a ridiculous 41 percent against the Rams. Think about that for a second: that number was better than any single-game pressure rate they put up throughout *all of 2025*. That’s not just good; that’s setting a new benchmark right out of the gate.
Miami’s Offensive Line Is a Disaster Waiting to Happen
Now, let’s talk about the other side of the ball. The Dolphins’ offensive line had an absolutely *brutal* Week 1 in their loss to the Raiders. They surrendered a whopping five sacks, with quarterback Malik Willis getting pressured 17 times in what was a really rough debut for the former Green Bay Packers QB. Maxx Crosby did most of the damage with two sacks, but all three of the Raiders’ top edge rushers, Crosby (3.58), Kwity Paye (3.84), and Malcolm Koonce (3.9), had average separation from Willis well under the league average of 4.58 yards, according to NextGen Stats. Basically, those Raiders pass rushers consistently shrunk the pocket for Willis, and that should be *huge* encouragement for Nick Bosa and the rest of the Niners’ defensive line.
With all those external doubts swirling about their interior and edge depth, the 49ers entered this season with a lot to prove on the defensive line. One game against the Rams isn’t going to make all those doubts vanish, and frankly, a strong performance against Miami in Week 2 won’t either. But if the 49ers’ front can shake off that travel fatigue and take full advantage of this incredibly favorable matchup, it could be a massive confidence booster. This is a prime chance for this defensive line group to start exceeding expectations big time. This isn’t just another game; it’s a chance to solidify a surprising new identity.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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