It is probably wise not to look beyond Sunday, when Tommy DeVito starts again at quarterback for the Giants and gets to see what the Bill Belichick-vs.-rookie-quarterback narrative is all about. It is probably prudent to wait and see how DeVito handles his first start in his native state before we project what should happen next.

Wise and prudent are overrated, though. The Giants lost eight of their first 10 games this season and their lousy record made it acceptable to look beyond the next game. Just like that, the critical factors in the 2023 season gave way to finding ways to improve the product in 2024. The present is dreary; might as well look to the future.

Here we go. If (yes, this two-letter word is always filled with potential risk) DeVito plays with the verve and efficiency he displayed last week in Washington, he should remain the starting quarterback moving forward, even if Tyrod Taylor is healthy and ready to return. What seemed improbable and perhaps unthinkable as recently as a few weeks ago — sticking with DeVito down the stretch — is now the desirable option as the season heads into December.

This is not a knock on Taylor. He is a more-than-capable backup, a smart veteran who at 34 years old accepts whatever role is assigned to him. He was first in line after Daniel Jones endured his second neck injury in three years and had to miss three games. Taylor went 1-1 in two starts before suffering a rib cage injury against the Jets.

DeVito made his NFL debut in that game and was on the sideline in Las Vegas the next week when Jones tore his ACL on the final play of the first quarter.

DeVito made his first NFL start in Week 10 in Dallas and overcame a dreadful first half to throw two touchdown passes in a 49-17 blowout by the Cowboys.

Heading into Week 11, there was not much belief DeVito could do what he did at FedEx Field, where he tossed three more touchdown passes, withstood nine sacks and compiled a passer rating of 137.7 as the Giants snapped a three-game losing streak with a 31-19 victory over the sloppy (six turnovers) Commanders.

That one game is not enough to anoint DeVito as a legitimate NFL quarterback. Of course not. Perhaps that was an aberration, a blip on the radar screen. Maybe it was a peek into the potential of the 25-year-old from Cedar Grove, N.J.

DeVito does not have great size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds), nor does he possess a special arm, and he went through some rocky times at Syracuse before finding a haven at Illinois. He was not drafted. He was not anyone’s prize. He hooked on with the Giants and was supposed to spend the season on the practice squad, until the two quarterbacks ahead of him on the depth chart fell by the wayside.

But there is something about DeVito that demands further investigation.

Coach Brian Daboll rarely heaps praise on his players for public consumption, but his choice of words when talking about DeVito the other day were interesting.

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“I think he operates well in the pocket, he’s got quick feet, he throws with anticipation and timing and he’s instinctive,’’ Daboll said. “He does a good job of seeing defenders and feeling defenses. I don’t think he’s an overprocessor, an overthinker. He can make a variety of the throws and he was a good young player to try to work with and develop and hopefully that we spend a year with him and he gets a little bit better so that maybe he can have something the following year, but things have sped up for him.’’

Yes, things have sped up for DeVito. He is not supposed to be in this situation. There is much more for him to learn and experience. Maybe this is a launching pad for him.  Maybe this is as high as he gets. When Daboll, a proven quarterback guy, says things like “he’s instinctive’’ and that DeVito does not overprocess or overthink, though, it makes you wonder whether Daboll sees attributes in DeVito that are more natural than taught.

Taylor’s two-year contract expires after this season. It would be something if DeVito could play well enough in the coming weeks to make himself a viable roster option in 2024, competing for a backup job.

DeVito faces stiff odds, but that does not mean it cannot be done.

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Jones is undergoing reconstructive knee surgery on Wednesday, and if all goes according to plan, he should be ready for the start of the 2024 season. It’s also possible the Giants take a quarterback high in the NFL Draft.

This next challenge should tell us much about DeVito. The Patriots are 2-8 and going nowhere. There are rumblings that this could be it for Belichick in New England.

Belichick might be losing his touch — not having Tom Brady could have a lot to do with that — but he has not forgotten how to deal with inexperienced quarterbacks. Belichick with the Patriots is 22-6 in games when the opponent starts a rookie quarterback. The six to beat him are Ben Roethlisberger (2004), Mark Sanchez (2009), Colt McCoy (2010), Russell Wilson (2012), Geno Smith (2013) and Tua Tagovailoa (2020). If DeVito adds his name to that list, it will serve him well in trying to stick with the Giants.

Taylor is eligible to come off injured reserve after this week’s game. If DeVito looks shaky, Taylor can take over, assuming he has healed.

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If DeVito rises to the occasion once again, leave him in there.

He might not be a part of the future plans. But he might be. He has already done more than anyone could have anticipated. Maybe he can forge a nice NFL career for himself. Maybe he can actually be an NFL starter. Stranger things have happened.

Want to catch a game? The Giants schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.

Saquon Barkley thought he saw something in DeVito. Maybe it was a Jersey thing.  Maybe it was that Barkley wanted to see something in the rookie quarterback because he was a spirited competitor and confident guy, and players have a tendency to root for other players who exhibit those traits.

“I definitely think he’s proving people wrong,’’ Barkley said. “It’s the National Football League; you don’t get here by accident.’’

This is true, but DeVito did not exactly “get here’’ when he was signed by the Giants to the practice squad. That is a measure of achievement, of course, but it was not an actual NFL roster.

Barkley liked what he saw and sensed from DeVito, but he acknowledged he could not be sure about him.

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“You don’t know,’’ Barkley said. “For me, the first game he got in [vs. the Jets], he may not have thrown the ball that much but just the confidence, the swagger he has, I feel it goes a long way.’’

Barkley made an interesting comparison as he considered the way DeVito plays and comports himself on the field and around his teammates.

“I’m familiar with that, going back to college, playing with a guy like Trace McSorley, kind of had that same mentality,’’ Barkley said. “You can see it, it shows when he goes out and plays.’’

McSorley was Barkley’s quarterback at Penn State for the duration of his college career. A scrappy over-achiever, McSorley went 31-9 in 40 starts for the Nittany Lions, throwing 77 touchdown passes and 25 interceptions. He also ran for 30 touchdowns and was one of those never-give-up leaders who at times seemed to play harder than his body allowed him to play.

McSorley was not considered to be a premium NFL prospect. He was taken in the sixth round of the 2019 draft by the Ravens. He has since been with the Cardinals and Patriots, and was on the Bears practice squad until Tuesday. He has made one start in his NFL career and has yet to throw a touchdown pass in the NFL. DeVito already has six.

Here are two questions that have come up recently that we will attempt to answer as accurately as possible:

Are fans really rooting for the Giants to lose so they can make sure they get the first or second pick in the 2024 NFL Draft?

Some of them are. Maybe more than some of them. It really does not make sense.

Before they won in Washington, the Giants were 2-8, and it was clear this was going to be a highly disappointing season. Looking ahead and considering what might be available at the top of the draft — quarterbacks are always enticing — is a natural diversion when there is no playoff chase to look forward to. But at 2-8, the Giants had seven games left — nearly half a season — and that is way too many to start thinking about building for what comes next.

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Now they are 3-8. Losing games wears on players. You think Dexter Lawrence or Andrew Thomas or Deonte Banks or Bobby Okereke or John Michael Schmitz — core players for the future — would not be adversely affected by their team not doing everything possible to win? You think they could tolerate a two-win or three-win season? Sometimes fans overthink the situation at times like this. The best players are the top competitors and they need to play to win, period.

Why did Daboll say he thought the offensive line played well when the Giants gave up nine sacks to the Commanders?

Yeah, allowing nine sacks usually means poor play up front, and a team that gives up that many sacks usually loses. Daboll gave DeVito plenty of praise, but he quickly made sure to note that several of the sacks were more on DeVito than the failings of the offensive linemen.

DeVito is a rookie, and he does not always see or sense where the pressure is coming from. He also hangs in the pocket and does not give up on plays. His first instinct is not to throw the ball away. At times, this can lead to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Offensive linemen want to know where their quarterback will be, and they are still getting on the same page with DeVito. More time together should help alleviate this issue.