Will Blaine Gabbert make another start?

What is next for Blaine Gabbert?

The 49ers eventually hoped that, with a breather, Colin Kaepernick would shed himself of whatever was ailing his play and return to his status as a franchise quarterback.

Instead, he bore witness to a relatively gritty Gabbert, who was effective enough in a 17-16 win over a very good Falcons team. Gabbert was 15 of 25 (60 percent) for 185 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Falcons' defense was banged up but it was still the Falcons' defense, and Gabbert was still playing for the 49ers.

It's safe to say he exceeded just about everyone's expectations but his own.

"I'm so appreciative for this opportunity," Gabbert said via the team's official site. "I just wanted to go out there today and just have fun. You play well when you're having fun and that was the biggest thing."

Let's allow our minds to wander a bit. The 49ers have not named Gabbert the starter for next week yet, but can Jim Tomsula really go in any other direction and convince 49ers fans that he's still interested in making a run at the division?

"Gabbert was our starter today, and I don't have a comment past that," Tomsula said after the game. The coach reiterated Monday that he would not comment on his QB situation until meeting with his staff.

Gabbert's next two games are against the two teams ahead of San Francisco in the NFC West, and there's no way he performs any worse than Kaepernick did against the Seahawks or Cardinals earlier this season, so what is there to lose?

Maybe it won't refurbish San Francisco's franchise quarterback, but it will show that Tomsula's staff is smart enough to cut bait when they have the chance.

UPDATE: In his Monday press conference, Tomsula named Gabbert the 49ers' starting quarterback against the Seahawks after the Week 10 bye.