White and offense powered the Jets to victory! When the Jets elevated Mike White to the starting quarterback position this past week, the thought was that he would help stabilize the team’s recent inconsistencies and struggles. Unfortunately, Zach Wilson, the second-year quarterback drafted number two overall in 2021, struggled in many facets of the game. Wilson’s play was sinking the Jets’ entire offense because he was unable to go through his reads, overshooting open receivers, and having poor mechanics. Through this inability to execute at times, Wilson cost the Jets wins, namely the two games against the New England Patriots.
From his prior play, White was known as a quick processor who could get through his reads and deliver the ball on time. In addition, he was seen as a quarterback who plays within the structure of the offense, not trying to be a hero in any given play. Essentially, he was the antithesis of the current version of Zach Wilson. With the defense playing at an elite level and the Jets having talented playmakers on offense, the Jets just needed their quarterback to distribute the ball and play safe football.
And against the Bears in Week 12, White elevated his play beyond the manager level the Jets needed, leading the team to a 31-10 victory at home. In less-than-ideal conditions, White threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns, having 22 completions on 28 attempts. He had a 149.3 quarterback rating and managed his second 300-plus yard passing game of his career, with the first coming against the Bengals last season.
White said it was “awesome, just going out there and playing football with your friends” when asked how it felt to play this week. He also spoke about his mentality of playing the quarterback position, saying, “I think, personally, the way I approach the quarterback position is being a calming presence in the huddle, especially when things aren’t going well, because that’s when things can start to spiral and snowball, but it’s just distributing the ball and letting them be who they are.”
For as good as they are, the stats do not tell the whole story. While White was precise and quick with his decision-making, he also showed an ability to hang in the pocket and face pressure. He found receivers late in his progression, not bailing at first sight of pressure. With the pass blocking being solid, White, on multiple occasions, maneuvered vertically and found receivers open down the field.
White spread the ball around in the Jets’ offense, finding ten different receivers at different points of the game. To this point, White said that “I think it’s just going through your progressions as a quarterback and taking what’s there. When you get man coverage, then you might be picky to your matchups, but it’s just playing within the offense and executing the play that’s called and guys stepping up. That just shows the confidence that those guys have and we have in them. It’s not so much who, but what route.
Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore, the Jets’ highly drafted wide receivers, were the biggest beneficiaries of White’s insertion into the lineup. Wilson exploded for 95 yards receiving and two touchdowns, while Moore had 64 yards receiving and a touchdown. Unlike in past weeks, both Wilson and Moore were able to get the ball down the field and showcase the elite separation and athleticism they have.
Week 12 Recap: Mike White and Offense Powered the Jets to Victory
Moore said he was “filled with joy” after scoring his touchdown today and spoke about the difference the offense showed against Chicago.
“I feel like when we’re in a game where everything is flowing, they don’t know who to go to, who to cover. So, that’s how I feel like every game should be. Everybody was making plays and that’s a slight sight of what offense could be with bad weather. I’m proud of these guys and I’m thankful for the whole situation.”
It was not just Mike White and the receivers that were instrumental in the Jets’ victory, though. Zonovan Knight and Ty Johnson stepped up in both aspects of the offense, allowing the Jets to be two-dimensional. In his first career game, Knight had 69 yards rushing and 34 yards receiving, totaling 103 yards from scrimmage. Johnson had 62 yards rushing and a touchdown while also adding 16 yards receiving.
On defense, the unit started shakily but found its footing reasonably quickly. Bryce Huff had another critical sack in his pass-rushing role. John Franklin-Myers was vital in the run defense and had a sack, while Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed mostly shut down the Bears’ receivers after some early struggles. C.J. Mosley also had a key interception late in the second half.
Head Coach Robert Saleh spoke about the overall play of the Jets offense after the game.
“I thought we played an efficient style of football. We ran the ball well. Mike (White) was efficient with the football. I thought (Mike) LaFleur called a really good game. We pushed the ball down the field when we needed to. We broke tackles in the run game. (The) o-Line strained. Just from an efficiency standpoint, it was really good.”
Saleh also spoke about the overall experience of the past week and the controversy surrounding it.
“I’ve said it a million times: we have an unbelievable locker room. Unbelievable coaching staff. Nobody flinched. Took care of their business. The big thing we talk about is just focusing on your individual moment. Just take care of your job. Do your job. Do your job to the best of your ability. If we focus on our moment and we try to be the best we can be, we will all be OK. I thought our locker room did a great job and ignored all of the noise. I thought everybody put together a really good game plan and the guys did a great job executing.”
Sitting at 7-4, the Jets now face a tough matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Sitting at 9-2, Minnesota will be a step up for the Jets when compared to the Chicago team they faced this week, sporting both a more talented offense and a more sound defense.
Yet, this Jets team is highly talented in its own right. With an elite-level defense that has already shut down the likes of Josh Allen this season, the Jets will be able to give the Minnesota offense one of its toughest challenges this season. So it is no surprise that, once again, the Jets’ prospects next weekend depend on the production level of the offense.
The blueprint has been provided, and it is up to White and the Jets’ offense to continue executing it. White provided stability against the Chicago Bears and showed what the Jets’ offense could be with average-quarterback-play, which is how White and offense powered the Jets to Victory in week 12. If he can continue this play into next week and beyond, the Jets have a shot at winning every game they play the rest of this season, truly giving them a chance to break their long postseason drought.