Trey Lance carted off in 1st quarter with an apparent ankle injury

A holy hush fell upon the grounds of Levi's Stadium as San Francisco 49ers' Trey Lance was carted off in the first quarter of their match against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

What started out as a seemingly harmless play resulted in what turned out to be an ankle injury to the 49ers' rookie QB. The subsequent play occurred on 2nd and 8 inside Seattle territory. It was a heartbreaking sight for 49ers fans who have been excited to watch the young talent under center blossom before their eyes.

You could hear a pin drop following the play as Trey Lance's emotions were visible in the presence of fans and on-field physicians. It was a sad side to see the 22-year-old being carted off with a support cast around his right ankle.

"Trey LAnce on the cart headed to the #49ers locker room. Cast on his lower right leg - likely ankle injury but will get more updates soon."- Jennifer Lee Chan

Jimmy Garoppolo was inserted, completing his first pass for 7 yards before settling for a field goal to extend the 49ers lead to 6-0, approaching the end of the 1st quarter.

An additional question mark for Trey Lance and 49ers' future

Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers during warmups before the game against the Seattle Seahawks

It's a sad sight to see such a promising quarterback go down early in Week 2. Prior to the season, Trey Lance was the proclaimed direction under center.

His injury suddenly brings about many questions that remain to be answered as the season unfolds. Sunday afternoon's matchup began impressively for Lance in his first game without unfavorable conditions.

Prior to his injury, Lance had completed 2 of 3 passes for 30 yards and 13 yards on the ground. One of those possessions saw Lance almost single-handedly command the 49ers the length of the field, resulting in their first score.

Regardless of what happens later in the year, retaining Garoppolo's services suddenly looks like a smart move by the front office. Without a proven presence as a backup, San Francisco's season could suddenly be under dire straights.

Though Garoppolo's unexpected reinsertion into the lineup arises many questions at the quarterback position, their expected success remains the same.

Thus, the silver-lining for the 49ers is that their provision of a backup helps them maintain their Super Bowl aspirations. The success they've found in the past with an above-average quarterback in Garropolo means Kyle Shanahan's system will continue to be the cornerstone of the team's progress.