QB White gives Jets offense needed jolt in romp

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On Saturday night, successful a last portion of proposal to his caller starting quarterback, New York Jets manager Robert Saleh told Mike White to beryllium himself and not to interest astir doing thing bonzer successful his play debut.

"We didn't request to crook into The Greatest Show connected Turf," Saleh told reporters Sunday.

As it turned out, White delivered a show worthy of the turn-of-the-century St. Louis Rams, passing for 3 touchdowns and 315 yards successful the Jets' 31-10 victory implicit the Chicago Bears successful a dependable rainfall astatine MetLife Stadium.

Replacing the demoted Zach Wilson, who watched from the sideline arsenic the third/inactive quarterback, White completed his archetypal 5 attempts and ne'er mislaid his rhythm. He parted the raindrops, completing 22 of 28 passes and connecting with 10 antithetic receivers successful 1 of the champion passing performances successful franchise history.

It was a much-needed spark for the Jets (7-4), who endured a tension-filled week that included a dismal violative show successful a last-second nonaccomplishment to the New England Patriots and the eventual benching of Wilson, the No. 2 wide prime successful 2021. By the extremity of the soggy day, the assemblage was chanting, "Mike White! Mike White!"

"It's ever cool," White said of proceeding his sanction successful the stadium. "I'm not going to beryllium present and springiness you immoderate backmost cliché that I'm not focusing connected that, which determination are times I'm not."

With a smile, helium added, "I deliberation it would beryllium a batch cooler if they didn't bash it erstwhile we were trying to drawback the ball, but I'm not going to kick excessively much."

White is the archetypal backmost successful NFL past to person aggregate games with astatine slightest a 75% completion rate, 300 passing yards and 3 touchdowns wrong his archetypal 4 vocation starts. He did it past play successful Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals successful his archetypal vocation start.

Only 1 different backmost successful Jets past has reached those thresholds successful much than 1 crippled -- Ken O'Brien, who did it 4 times during his Jets' vocation (1983 to 1992).

White already has 2 300-yard passing days; Wilson has lone 1 successful 20 starts. Clearly, the discourtesy functions amended with White, who delivers the shot rapidly and accurately.

"He made the casual look easy," said Saleh, calling White "the maestro of the obvious."

When helium made the backmost alteration connected Wednesday, Saleh said helium intends to get Wilson backmost connected the tract this season. That volition beryllium hard to bash arsenic agelong arsenic the Jets stay successful the heavy of the playoff race.

"Electric," linebacker C.J. Mosley said of White's performance.

"Helluva game, man," tackle Duane Brown said. "He commanded the discourtesy truly well. Made timely decisions, made immoderate large plays astatine immoderate captious moments. Great poise. Great time for him."

White completed passes to 10 of the 11 accomplishment players that were progressive for the game, which was large for squad morale. Wide receiver Elijah Moore, a non-factor with Wilson astatine quarterback, enjoyed his astir productive crippled with 2 catches for 64 yards and his archetypal touchdown.

Moore, truthful disgruntled aboriginal successful the twelvemonth that helium requested a trade, was ebullient aft the game.

"I'm conscionable grateful I get to basal up present contiguous and beryllium the idiosyncratic who I cognize I am, and lend to a winning game," Moore said.

Having immoderate fun, Moore said helium talked to a shot earlier the game, saying, "I missed (the ball). I was talking to the ball, and I was like, 'You already cognize however I consciousness astir you.' I was kissing her, and I was telling her it's going to beryllium soon, it's going to hap soon. She told maine she loved me, and she wanted to get back."

Fellow receiver Garrett Wilson caught 5 passes for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns, including a 54-yard score. He was outspoken aft past week's loss, arsenic helium harshly criticized the offense.

"There are immoderate things I astir apt shouldn't person said, and I privation I could person back, but I'm affectional and we weren't playing up to our standard," helium said. "When that happens, I clasp myself accountable. I conscionable wanted to spot a alteration and that's what came retired of me."

The mediocre violative showing past week, coupled with Wilson's refusal to judge accountability aft throwing for a career-low 77 yards, caused immoderate grumbling among antiaircraft players. It accrued the unit connected White, but helium responded rapidly and decisively.

The Jets went 9 plays, 75 yards to commencement the game, ending with their archetypal opening-drive touchdown of the season. It was a accent reliever.

"I deliberation it was conscionable bully for not lone the offense, but the team, too," White said. "It was a bully mode to respond to the week we had, and it got everybody's assurance going."

Garrett Wilson added, "It felt similar we got thing disconnected our chest, and we took the unit disconnected our defense."

Soon the stadium was chanting White's name. Tight extremity Tyler Conklin joked that White is "the king of New York." He added, "That's a imagination travel true, being successful the NFL and proceeding them chant your name."