49ers at Miami Dolphins

Chad Pennington threw two touchdown passes and the Miami Dolphins beat the 49ers 14-9 at Dolphin Stadium. Pennington finished 12-of-19 for 156. Ronnie Brown ran for 67. Shaun Hill threw for 233 yards but no touchdowns and no interceptions. Isaac Bruce caught seven for 71. DeShaun Foster ran for 76. The 49ers managed three Joe Nedney field goals. The 49ers fell to 5-9 with the loss.[1][2][3]

Chad Pennington threw two touchdown passes Sunday morning at Dolphin Stadium. The Miami Dolphins beat the 49ers 14-9 in the kind of cross-conference road loss where the 49ers' offense produced three field goals and no touchdowns, the kind of game where Shaun Hill's clean line (no interceptions) was not enough.

Isaac Bruce caught seven passes for 71. DeShaun Foster, filling in for the injured Frank Gore, ran for 76 yards. Vernon Davis caught two for 27. The defense generated three sacks of Pennington but could not get the offense the kind of short field it needed to break through. Joe Nedney made three field goals.

5-9. The kind of cross-conference road loss that, against an AFC playoff team, was the kind of result the box score predicted. The St. Louis Rams come to Candlestick next Sunday for the home division rematch. The 49ers' season-closing path runs through two NFC West games. A win at home, plus a road finale win, would close the year 7-9.

Dolphins 14, 49ers 9. Margin: -5. Fourteen-game record: 5-9, -46 differential.

* Chad Pennington: 12-of-19 for 156, 2 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Ronnie Brown: 10 carries for 67.
* Shaun Hill: 30-of-46 for 233, 0 TDs, 0 INTs.
* Isaac Bruce: 7 catches for 71.
* DeShaun Foster: 18 carries for 76.
* Vernon Davis: 2 catches for 27.
* Joe Nedney: 3 FGs.
* 49ers D: 3 sacks of Pennington.
* 49ers 5-9; Dolphins 9-5.

A 14-9 cross-conference road loss at Dolphin Stadium. The 49ers fall to 5-9.

How it unfolded

Miami scored on their opening drive with a Pennington touchdown to make it 7-0. The 49ers answered with a Joe Nedney field goal. The Dolphins added a second touchdown to make it 14-3 in the second quarter. The 49ers added a Nedney field goal before halftime to make it 14-6. The third quarter was a Nedney field goal that made it 14-9. The fourth quarter was scoreless. The 49ers' final possessions ended on punts and a missed field-goal attempt.

The turning point

The Pennington second-quarter touchdown that pushed the lead to 14-3. With the 49ers down 7-3 and the defense looking for the kind of stop that has been the Singletary identity, the second touchdown gave Miami the two-score lead the defense could not give the offense the chance to overcome.

By the numbers

Hill 233 passing on 46 attempts with no TDs and no INTs. Bruce 71 receiving on 7 catches. Foster 76 rushing on 18 carries. Vernon Davis 27 receiving on 2 catches. Pennington 156 on 19 attempts with two TDs. Ronnie Brown 67 rushing.

Personnel watch

Shaun Hill in his clean-stat-line loss (no INTs but no TDs). DeShaun Foster in his most productive game as the fill-in for the injured Frank Gore. Joe Nedney made all three of his field goals but the offense never produced a touchdown. The defense generated three sacks but no takeaways. Frank Gore inactive (knee).

What it means

5-9 with the Rams at home next Sunday. The kind of cross-conference road loss where the offense's failure to convert in the red zone became the year's most pointed deficiency. A home win against the Rams plus a road win at Washington would close the season 7-9, the same record as 2007.