The San Francisco 49ers fell short of a second Super Bowl appearance in three years.
They had the Los Angeles Rams on the ropes but let the game slip away.
Ask anyone on that team, and they would want to play at SoFi Stadium again and possibly add to the franchise’s Super Bowl collection.
But in some ways, the defeat also signified the transition from Jimmy Garoppolo to Trey Lance next season.
A Sigh Of Relief For The Niners Front Office
Odell Beckham Jr. consoled a grieving Deebo Samuel after the NFC Championship Game and shared the words, “I feel your pain.”
On one end, defeats sting harder when they happen closer to the end goal.
Yet reading between the lines, that could be the Rams’ wide receiver’s way of sharing empathy with the versatile 49ers sensation.
Beckham alluded to the reality that he once played for a quarterback who couldn’t get it done, as shown by the video posted by his father on social media.
Odell Beckham Jr consoling Deebo Samuel after the NFC Championship Game.
Remind me how OBJ is a “locker room cancer” again? Oh wait…. 🤦🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/b7ceYoeRFA
— Doug Rush (@TheDougRush) January 31, 2022
Garoppolo had a chance to be the hero for San Francisco after the Rams shut down the Niners’ run game.
Instead, the former Eastern Illinois standout couldn’t get them over the hump.
He played better than in the two previous playoff games, but it wasn’t enough compared to Matthew Stafford’s production.
Of course, the 49ers’ top brass would want another shot at the Super Bowl.
Last question for Jimmy Garoppolo? SF QB obviously emotional after what was likely his last game with the team. pic.twitter.com/JZGL883z4i
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) January 31, 2022
But imagine the dilemma they will face if Garoppolo led them to the big game.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and General Manager John Lynch would find it difficult to part ways because of that achievement.
They might fall into a recency bias and declare Garoppolo as next year’s starter.
The defeat undoubtedly saved them from weighing their options.
It cleared the path for Lance to take over and for Garoppolo to continue playing elsewhere.
Trey In, Jimmy Out
Lance appeared in six games for San Francisco and showed the skills that make him a viable option at quarterback.
He scored a touchdown in four of those games and started two games.
He lost his first start against the Arizona Cardinals but bounced back with two touchdown passes versus the Houston Texans.
Lance also threw for two scores after replacing Garoppolo in their game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Trey Lance era starts now📌 pic.twitter.com/E97F3JzduB
— ¹¹ (@LanceToAiyuk) January 31, 2022
The former North Dakota State product ended his rookie season with 603 yards, six touchdowns, and a 57.7 percent completion percentage.
The 49ers hope that the last number above will improve once he takes over the team.
But aside from passing, Lance’s mobility adds more wrinkles to the team’s dominating run game.
That’s an aspect of the game that Garoppolo couldn’t add because he’s not as shifty.
And with this interception, the Trey Lance era has begun.
pic.twitter.com/fxXGjlsSO0— C.J. Holmes 🦹🏾♂️ (@CjHolmes22) January 31, 2022
Despite that limitation, now is the best time to make Garoppolo available on the trading block.
Say what you want, but there will be interested teams because he does enough to win games.
Teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos might find him valuable as a bridge quarterback until they draft a potential franchise play-caller.
I hope Trey Lance has thick skin because he needs to be ready for the ridicule and criticism he will get week to week with regard to his performance. Say what you want about Jimmy but he dealt with a lot and was a pros pro week to week.
— nandeezy (@DEEZY0880) January 31, 2022
It’s challenging to see Garoppolo suiting up for 49ers in 2022.
After all, why trade up and draft a quarterback if you don’t intend to play him?
NEXT: Why Does Jimmy Garoppolo Draw So Much Criticism?
