SANTA CLARA, California — Just how far are the Miami Dolphins from the top teams in the NFL in 2026?

Take Sunday’s 35-13 defeat against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium as a measuring stick.

The 49ers (2-0), who came off an impressing season-opening win in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia, scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and cruised against the rebuilding Dolphins (0-2), showing they were better and more experienced in every aspect of the game.

“Really disappointing,” Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley said. “Thought we had a great week of preparation, and I felt like we were ready to play better. In the first half we did. In the second half, just not good enough in any phase.”

It was a sobering loss for Miami, but leaders vowed it’s not one that will snowball into deteriorating team morale.

“It won’t unravel,” linebacker Jordyn Brooks said. “We have the right guys in the locker room, and it’s just a matter of time. We got to go through this. When you’re a young team, you got to go through this.”

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy was 20 of 22 for 287 yards, two passing touchdowns and another one on the ground. Running back Christian McCaffrey added a pair of touchdowns.

Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis went 14 of 23 for 197 yards and a late touchdown.

“I didn’t do good enough to win the game,” Willis said. “So, just got to continue to get better and learn from this and implement it as fast as possible, because this season is going to keep going. We got to get better.”

He took four sacks while being hit with pressure all game.

Said right tackle Austin Jackson, who was consistently beat by 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa: “I got to play better.”

Running back De’Von Achane had 62 of his 74 rushing yards come in the first half. There was a concerted effort to run the football and get Achane, who finished with 20 carries and three catches, his touches.

After leading by a modest 14-6 score at halftime, the 49ers immediately went to work early in the second half.

They went 65 yards in four plays, with tight end George Kittle breaking free from linebacker Willie Gay Jr. for a wide-open 12-yard touchdown shortly after streaking for a 40-yard catch and run over the middle earlier in the drive.

On the next San Francisco possession, fullback Kyle Juszczyk was the featured eligible receiver, making one catch on a corner route for 21 yards and then hauling in a 6-yard touchdown reception.

With it all falling apart for Miami, the onslaught continued before the third quarter was over. Punter Bradley Pinion dropped the football before he could punt it away following another empty possession. It gave San Francisco favorable field position to have McCaffrey punch in another 1-yard touchdown after Purdy found wide receiver Mike Evans for a 27-yard reception.

The Pinion fumble came directly after rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas, who left with an ankle injury, dropped a third-down pass.

“It hit us in the face really hard in the second half,” Hafley said, “and we just didn’t coach well enough in the second half, we didn’t play well enough.”

Before the evening was over, Willis hit wide receiver Ryan Miller, more commonly known for special teams contributions deep over the top for a 77-yard touchdown.

“I felt good for Ryan. I didn’t feel good for the Miami Dolphins,” Willis said. “That didn’t help us. Obviously, it helped us on the stat sheet, but it didn’t help us as a team.”

The Dolphins stayed in the game in the first half by controlling the clock, winning time of possession to that point, 19:17-10:43.

The 49ers had two possessions before halftime and scored on each.

Dolphins Deep Dive: Perkins, Furones break down loss to 49ers | VIDEO

First, after Miami started Sunday with a 51-yard missed field goal by Riley Patterson that sailed wide right, San Francisco put together a 12-play, 59-yard drive that was capped by McCaffrey’s 1-yard touchdown plunge. Miami nearly had a stop on a third down, but Purdy made an impressive play to extend his time and find Evans tip-toeing the sideline.

The Dolphins responded with a field goal in which they debuted their version of the Philadelphia Eagles’ “Tush Push” play and Willis snuck for a first down on fourth-and-1.

Miami got into a goal-to-go situation, but Willis took a sack running out of bounds when he faced pressure from linebacker Fred Warner and nickel cornerback Upton Stout. The offense settled for a field goal after a 17-play drive that took up 9:21.

The 49ers responded with Purdy rushing for a 2-yard touchdown that put them up, 14-3. Purdy took a shot from Dolphins safety Michael Taaffe after he crossed the end zone, but he was fine as he immediately began his celebration.

The following Miami drive saw the Dolphins run the clock down to the half and kick another short field goal. That series was extended when 49ers defensive end Keion White was called for roughing the passer as he drove Willis to the ground on his third-down incompletion.

“We got to the red zone and we finished with field goals and not (touchdowns),” center Aaron Brewer said. “That’s the biggest thing we got to do, finish in the red zone, lead with 6 instead of 3.”

The Dolphins return home after spending a week and two weekends out west between Sunday against the 49ers and last week’s season-opening loss to the Raiders in Las Vegas. Miami has its home opener against the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday.