Lock did not hide his disappointment at the decision, but it was a popular one among fans, for whom DeVito remains an intriguing figure and a distraction from a second consecutive 2-8 start. Last season, he proved he could function in the NFL. Now, to figure in the team’s future plans, he must prove he can thrive consistently.

The mystery was over Monday when the Giants, fresh off their Week 11 bye, announced they were finally benching Jones. Only instead of Lock being named the new starter, the team surprisingly gave the job to third-stringer Tommy DeVito . It was as much of a surprise to Lock as it was to the rest of us.