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C.J. Beathard to start at QB for Niners vs. Seahawks

Niners fans will continue to wait for a look at Jimmy Garoppolo.

Coach Kyle Shanahan announced Wednesday that entrenched rookie starter C.J. Beathard will remain the team's quarterback for Sunday's bout with the Seattle Seahawks.

"I don't see it much different than other weeks," Shanahan said, pouring cold water on theories that San Francisco would come raging out of the bye with the newly acquired Garoppolo under center.

"As always, we'll see how practice goes," Shanahan added, but it would take a dramatic series of events to change his decision after announcing it to the media. Nothing less than an injury.

Beathard played his best of the season in a 31-21 win over the Giants in Week 10, completing 19 of 25 passes for 288 yards with two touchdowns and a pick. He also galloped for an 11-yard score.

The Niners were laughed at for telling reporters they felt no pressure to play Garoppolo after shipping a second-round pick to the Patriots for Tom Brady's coveted backup. So far, they've stuck to their word.

General manager John Lynch went out of his way Tuesday to say that Beathard "played extremely well," but noted that Shanahan would make the final call.

"We're both believers that this will play itself out," Lynch said, per The Sacramento Bee. "You guys obviously know what we think of Jimmy in terms of why we brought him here. But we also think highly of C.J., enough to trade up to the third round to get him."

After the Seattle tilt, the Niners play the Bears and Texans before facing the Titans, Jaguars and Rams to close the season.

While Beathard is a nice story, it would serve as a baffling decision to keep Garoppolo on the bench before he's scheduled to hit free agency. The safe money still rests with Jimmy G seeing the field sooner than later.

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