Not a ton was expected of Mike White in his first career start. The 26-year-old looked pedestrian at best in relief of the injured Zach Wilson against the Patriots and it would have been a positive for the Jets if he could keep them in the game against a stout Bengals defense.
White blew past the most optimistic expectations anyone at One Jets Drive might have had for him entering Week 8, turning in one of the most prolific passing performances in franchise history with 405 yards and three touchdowns in a dramatic 34-31 upset of Cincinnati.
It was the first 400-yard game for a Jets quarterback since Vinny Testaverde in 2000.
White was cool, calm and collected in the pocket right out of the gate, completing his first 11 passes and leading the Jets to a first-quarter touchdown for the first time this season. White’s poise was on display again in the fourth quarter, as he did not flinch when New York went down by 11. Instead, the career reserve responded with two touchdown passes over the final 7:29 and a sliding catch in the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt.
Before and after the clock hit triple zeroes in the fourth quarter, Jets fans were chanting White’s name with gusto in a moment he never could have anticipated after bouncing on and off New York’s practice squad six times since 2019.
“At first I kind of had to listen again and I was like, ‘Are they chanting my name?’ White said. “And then I tried to stay locked in on the game.”
The Jets won’t have Wilson for their short turnaround against the Colts on Thursday Night Football and White will be the starter again vs. Indianapolis. Could White be the man under center even when Wilson is healthy enough to return to the field?
The way Robert Saleh sees it, it wouldn’t be the craziest thing to happen in the NFL.
“We’ll go day-to-day, but anything is possible, right?” Saleh said. “Anything is possible. It goes back to that whole theory of the difference between Player A and Player Z is an opportunity and reps. That’s what this league is. That’s professional sports.
“That’s why they come out of nowhere. Somebody gets an opportunity. And what Mike does with his opportunity… he’s got the world in front of him. He’s got to take advantage of it.”
It goes without saying that White has a lot more to prove before being in a position to usurp the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft under center. Wilson is the Jets’ future at quarterback and they are committed to him financially. One good game for White — albeit against a tough opponent — does not change that.
With that being said, riding the hot hand might not be a terrible idea for a Jets team that entered Week 8 with one of the worst offenses in the NFL. White is going to have to show he is more than a one-week anomaly, but if he can continue to produce at a high clip, maybe the Jets give consideration to letting Wilson marinate and learn on the sideline while White cooks on the field.
“I think Mike proved it,” Saleh said. “I know sometimes from the outside looking in, the decisions that scouts and coaches make can seem like it’s crazy, right? But we get to see these guys every day. We get to see these guys operate.
“We’ve been blessed to be around some of the great players in this league and Mike is fantastic. He’s poised. He’s shown it all throughout camp, throughout OTAs, that he deserves to be…he deserves to be one of those guys. And obviously, he showed it today.”
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