SANTA CLARA — C.J. Beathard had the best game of his young NFL career Sunday,Authentic Khalil Mack Jersey, leading the 49ers to their first win of the season with a gutty three-touchdown performance against the New York Giants.

intermediate passes (he had a YAC-tastic 47-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Celek), long passes (an 83-yard touchdown to Marquise Goodwin),Beathard was good on short passes,Authentic Bo Jackson Jersey, and on the ground (he had an 11-yard touchdown run) Sunday.

He looked like an NFL starting quarterback against the Giants. (Take note of that last part.)

In fact, Beathard looked so capable Sunday that there will surely be calls — emboldened by head coach Kyle Shanahan’s “there is no plan” comments — for him to start against the Seahawks when the 49ers come back from their bye week.

I’m already seeing the thoughts bubble up in Twitter mentions — no doubt they’ll be prevalent at the water cooler Monday.

But before this conversation gets too much traction, I’d like to stop it firmly in its tracks.

There’s only one quarterback who should start for the 49ers on Nov. 26 against the Seahawks: Jimmy Garoppolo.

Beathard played well and won Sunday’s game — and winning, despite what some in the Niners fanbase might have thought, was the goal going into the contest. And yes,Yes, it’s difficult to say after the fact that it was a mistake to start the guy who led a team to their first win of the year. But I question why Garoppolo was in uniform if the Niners didn’t trust him to play.

again),That incongruence shouldn’t continue for another game — if Garoppolo is in uniform (and there’s every reason to expect him to be, then he has to start against the Seahawks in two weeks.

The 49ers didn’t trade away a high second-round draft pick for a pending free agent to have him sit on the bench behind a third-round rookie who went into Sunday’s game averaging 5.85 yards per attempt and with four interceptions and two fumbles in four games.

so this season is now officially what it has always been unofficially about: talent evaluation. The verdict is in on Beathard — he was a shrewd pick by Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, and a tough-as-nails gamer,The 49ers are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but he’s not “the guy”. We knew that going into Sunday’s game and the win over the Giants shouldn’t change that evaluation. There’s no shame in that.

Garoppolo moves to the top of the scouting list — after all, the Niners brass has called him the future of their franchise,But with that figured out, shouldn’t they find out if he can perform on the field?

too: the 26-year-old is a pending free agent who will surely command $20 million a year on the open market, or a bit more,Authentic Leonard Williams Jersey, should San Francisco franchise tag him — the Niners need to see as much of him on the field as possible before committing that kind of money. They missed an opportunity — right or wrong — to see him in seven games this season,The clock is ticking on Garoppolo,Authentic Joe Namath Jersey, but they shouldn’t miss the opportunity to see him in six games.

no one could expect Garoppolo to have a full grasp of Shanahan’s offensive system,Authentic Howie Long Jersey, but he better be abreast enough to play — if he isn’t,After four weeks in Santa Clara,Authentic Derek Carr Jersey,that’s a major red flag.

Beathard is not the 49ers’ quarterback of the future. He’s not a $20 million man. He played well on Sunday,Womens Bo Jackson Jersey, but that was one game. Credit to him for his quality of play — he has proven that he has what it takes to play in this league, but as any Niners fan can tell you,Again, there’s a big gap between being an NFL-caliber player and being a viable starting quarterback. There’s an even larger gap between being a starting quarterback and being a franchise quarterback.

as evidenced by Garoppolo’s perceived market value,The Niners (and they’re not alone on this, which is no accident) view Garoppolo as a possible franchise quarterback.

Beyond that, Beathard’s performance was against a Giants team that showed a complete disdain for exerting effort. I don’t think I’ve ever seen an NFL team quit the way the Giants quit on Sunday in person — it was truly incredible.

a week after being hit 16 times,Beathard, saw only two quarterback hurries Sunday — it should be no surprise that he played better.

But the 49ers’ offensive line didn’t suddenly become indomitable in the course of a week (though they were unquestionably better) — they went up against a willfully inept opponent.

(Which makes me wonder how Garoppolo would have looked against New York…)

with their perennially elite defensive line,The Seahawks, won’t make things as easy on Nov. 26.

sustained when he scored his rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter (gritty), will make the 49ers’ decision. If so,Perhaps Beathard’s thumb injury, Beathard rides out of this season as a hero.

But if not — if Shanahan has to choose between Garoppolo or Beathard ahead of the game against Seattle, again,Womens Joe Namath Jersey, should be to win every game — I tend to think Garoppolo, no matter how versed he is in the Niners’ playbook, he shouldn’t hesitate to go with the new guy. The goal, gives San Francisco a better chance to win (it’s not like Shanahan is able to go to his full playbook with this personnel on the field,Womens Leonard Williams Jersey,and it’s not like the offensive line is going to get any better) — but the more important thing is seeing what Garoppolo can bring a team.

What’s the benefit of seeing Beathard start another game? He’s not going to turn into Tom Brady.

I can think of every reason (20 million of them,Womens Khalil Mack Jersey,Meanwhile,Womens Howie Long Jersey, perhaps) to start Garoppolo against the Seahawks.

Shanahan played coy Sunday because he wants to foster competition and be respectful to the quarterback who won him a game,Womens Derek Carr Jersey, but this isn’t a controversy — Garoppolo has to start against the Seahawks.