The 49ers finally found what they’ve been searching for, a running quarterback and a pocket quarterback, all rolled into one: Blaine Gabbert.

After lurking in the shadows all season, Gabbert came out in the drizzle Sunday and led the 49ers to a 17-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

And it was like all the scouting reports had said: Only Gabbert can stop Gabbert.

Actually, that’s not what the reports said. Media experts came out of the woodwork last week to trash Gabbert, not only maligning his skills but questioning his manhood.

Cowardly Lion Gabbert didn’t appear Sunday. Instead, the 49ers got a standup, hang-tough, run-hard, think-smart quarterback. Gabbert passed for both 49ers touchdowns, and his 5-yard run on 3rd-and-4 late in the fourth quarter locked up the win.

And he shook off a ferocious (and illegal) hit early in the fourth quarter.

So convincing was Gabbert’s performance that head coach Jim Tomsula probably thought about announcing that Gabbert will start the 49ers’ next game, against the Seahawks in Seattle after a bye week.

Tomsula refused to talk about who will start that game. He wouldn’t be bullied by the media into giving away team secrets.

It’s kind of silly, especially considering that the Seahawks own Colin Kaepernick. It’s almost like Tomsula saying, “I’m not going to commit to my guys wearing helmets next game.” But then, secrecy is a huge weapon in football.

Hey, embrace the new tough-guy Tomsula. Whereas in previous weeks, he has punted in fourth-quarter situations, denying his team’s last-ditch hopes, he was a new man Sunday. Tomsula twice went for it: first quarter, 4th-and-1 at the Falcons’ 9; and fourth quarter, 4th-and-1 near midfield with a 17-13 lead.

On the first one, Tomsula seemed to heed the pleas of several of his players on the field, urging the coach to go for it.

This game, the faint heart was on the other sideline: Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn astoundingly opted for a field goal a long yard from paydirt with three minutes left, down 17-13. The good news for Quinn is that, according to the Bible, he shall inherit the earth. Which, with global warming, might not be such a bonanza.

Tomsula’s new go-for-it mentality might have been sparked by the play of Gabbert, who surely put a charge into the team and the offense.

Freight Train Blaine had a big fourth-quarter run on a read-option play. Remember those things?

You know where that play might have looked good? At the Ravens’ goal line in the Super Bowl 2½ years ago.

Gabbert, since being named the starter early last week, has been getting a lot of attention. By consensus, he has been named to the all-time Cruddy Quarterback Club, along with guys like Ryan Leaf and JaMarcus Russell.

Gabbert shook off that chatter much like he shook off the Falcons’ rush Sunday. Zero sacks!

Instead, Gabbert talked all week about how the hard times were all part of a glorious journey, one of growth and enlightenment. He made that journey sound like a bracing trek through Nepal, leaving out the part where he was mugged by highwaymen and clawed by a yeti.

Sunday wasn’t exactly a walk in the park, but Gabbert showed that maybe he did learn a few things on that journey, and maybe he’s not the Cowardly Lion, after all.

“Hey, their opinions are their own,” Gabbert said of his critics. “I know the way I play, my teammates know the way I play. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions. Maybe I don’t agree with it, but at the end of the day, they can say whatever they want.”

Gabbert’s journey apparently has taught him not to sweat the small stuff. When asked about Tomsula not committing to start him next game, he shrugged it off.

He was asked, “Is that what (Tomsula) told you to say, or did you come up with that on your own?”

“No,” Gabbert said with a smile, “I consider myself a smart guy, so I can form my own words and sentences.”

He was smart enough to shrug off the type of pressure that, early in his career, got to him.

“I told that O-line I was going to stick in there and take some shots to the chin, but get the ball out,” Gabbert said.

All things considered, a remarkable performance. Gabbert was without ace possession receiver Anquan Boldin, departed tight end Vernon Davis, and recognizable running backs.

Plus, his receivers dropped at least four balls. At some point, Tomsula and his aides had to be wondering to themselves, “Can Kaepernick catch?”

Also, the home-field advantage was undercut by a half-full stadium. The 49ers have to be giving some thought to tarping off the stadium’s top deck.

No matter. They’ve got a new outlook, and the journey continues.

Scott Ostler is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. E-mail: sostler@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @scottostler