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The San Francisco 49ers fell for a second straight week after the Seattle Seahawks edged them 28-21 in Week 5 action.
Beyond the second straight loss at home to begin the 2021 season, the 49ers are heading for a significant change under center due to injury. Jimmy Garoppolo didn’t play the second half due to a calf injury, pushing rookie Trey Lance into the starting spot.
Garoppolo went 14-of-23 for 165 yards with a touchdown and an interception before exiting the contest.
Jimmy Garoppolo's starting job for the 49ers in serious jeopardy
Lance finished completing 9-of-18 passes for 157 yards with two touchdown passes while rushing for 41 yards on seven attempts. Head coach Kyle Shanahan voiced that the injury to Garoppolo occurred in the first half and he played through but couldn’t give it a go right before halftime.
"It sucked," Garoppolo said via NFL.com. "I mean, just in between series, I could feel it tightening up and everything. I thought I could gut it out, tried to for the first half but it's just tough, man. I don't know. Been in this situation too many times, it's getting real old. So, just one of those things that's part of the business."
The expectation is that Garoppolo will miss some time due to the injury, opening the door for Lance to get the nod as the starter in his absence. His performance against the Seahawks displayed some promising moments that further cemented why the 49ers moved up in this year’s draft to take him.
Meanwhile, the injury absence could be much more than a few games sidelined for Garoppolo, as it may lead to the team electing to move forward with Lance as the starter. Injuries are part of the game, and he didn’t lose his starting status due to his performance, but this has commonly been the transition for many teams.
It’s now on Lance’s shoulders to showcase that he’s ready to take over the reins as a full-time starter. It may begin with his first career start against the undefeated Arizona Cardinals, who are coming off an impressive Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Rams.
The Cardinals look every bit the part of a team poised for a serious push into the playoffs and much more. The 49ers will likely allow Lance to use his dual-threat ability to lead the offense forward.
If he has a strong showing with Garoppolo out of the mix, it may be extremely difficult to envision him getting his starting job back with the 49ers.
In other words, he may have taken his last snap as a starter for the 49ers.
Poll : Will Trey Lance be the 49ers starter for the rest of the season?
Yes
No
68 votes
