MIAMI (AP) -Last year the Miami Dolphins’ defective defense had a hard time getting off the field, and when it did, the stay was too often brief.
Turnovers by Miami’s equally inept offense were a problem.
“We would take our helmets off and go sit down, and – `Defense!’ – you’re going back on the field,” defensive end Vonnie Holliday says. “It’s definitely good not to be in that situation.”
As part of the Dolphins’ one-year transformation from laughingstock to playoff contention, they’re on pace to set an NFL record for fewest turnovers. They’ve made 10, a big reason they lead the league in turnover differential at plus-12.
San Francisco is last at minus-14. Not coincidentally, the 49ers (5-8) are reduced to the role of spoiler Sunday when they visit surprising Miami (8-5).
C East standings.
San Francisco won at Buffalo two weeks ago, then knocked the New York Jets out of sole possession of first place last week.
“We’re trying to make a statement about what we’re trying to do as a team,” said Mike Singletary, who is 3-3 since becoming the 49ers’ coach in October. “We should be able to handle the little amount of success that we’ve had. And I’m sure that we will.”
While the 49ers play for pride, the Dolphins are tied with the Jets and New England atop the AFC East and can win the division by sweeping their final three games.
Miami is well aware the 49ers are more dangerous under Singletary.
“They’re not a 5-8 team,” Miami quarterback Chad Pennington said. “If not for a slow start, they could easily be in our position right now.”
The Dolphins’ position is astounding, considering their record a year ago this week was 0-13. They’ve won six of their past seven games and have a shot at their first playoff berth since 2001.
Holliday said it’s fun to come to work again.
“Last year was the opposite – you wanted to stay in the house and not come out,” he said. “Now you’re sitting here exactly where you want to be. You’re in the hunt.”
A big reason for the Dolphins’ turnaround is turnovers. Last year they committed 29, and they’re on pace this season to finish with 12. That would break the record of 14 set by Bill Parcells’ New York Giants in 1990, when they won the Super Bowl.
Parcells now happens to be the Dolphins’ football czar, and he hired coach Tony Sparano, who’s quick to chew out players when they turn over the ball.
“Tony is on them all the time,” offensive coordinator Dan Henning said. “We’re lowest in the league, and you would never know it when Tony’s around. He sees that ball on the ground and he’s all over everybody.”
Sparano said he developed his distaste for turnovers seeing a lot of games lost because of them.
“When the ball comes out in practice, my immediate reaction is to find the reason why the ball came out and then the person, and then confront the person and let him know my displeasure,” Sparano said. “It’s probably funny to watch.”
Whatever works: The Dolphins have lost only four fumbles. Leading rusher Ronnie Brown has fumbled once in 208 touches, and he’s mindful of the coaching staff’s intolerance.
“I think that may one of the reasons we’re not doing it,” Brown said with a grin. “If it does happen in a game, you’ve got to listen to it all week until the next game, so you try to focus on it so you don’t have to deal with that situation.”
Also sure-handed is Pennington, who wins raves for the care he takes with the ball. He has fumbled just twice while throwing only six interceptions in 393 passes.
“You should take pride in not turning the ball over as a quarterback,” Pennington said. “When you have the ball, you have everybody else’s livelihood in your hands. The decisions you make as a quarterback affect the whole team. That’s a huge responsibility, and I take great pride in it.”
The Dolphins have yet to commit more than one turnover in a game. The 49ers are well aware Miami takes good care of the ball.
“Whenever you’re going out there and not killing yourselves, you’ll always have a chance to win the game. Always,” San Francisco linebacker Takeo Spikes said. “That’s something we’re going to focus on this week – trying to force some of those turnovers and making things happen for us.”
The 49ers’ turnover pace has slowed since Singletary benched quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan in favor of Shaun Hill in late October. O’Sullivan threw 11 interceptions and lost six fumbles, while Hill has thrown only four interceptions in nearly as many attempts while losing two fumbles.
“We have the ball in our hands every play, and it’s definitely on our shoulders to eliminate turnovers,” Hill said. “That is definitely huge for a quarterback.”
jet lag for a game that starts at 10 a.m. California time. Teams from the Pacific time zone are 1-15 this season playing in the East, with the only win by the 49ers at Buffalo last month.
“If anybody can do it, these guys can, because they’ve done it,” Holliday said. “We’ve got to be ready to take their best shot.”
Against the Dolphins, it may take the 49ers’ best shot to shake the ball loose.
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