Mike White’s name isn’t particularly difficult to remember. Nonetheless, it’ll be difficult to overlook his spectacular Week 8 performance. In his first NFL start against the Bengals on Sunday, the Planes’ quarterback blew the roof off the MetLife Arena, tossing for 405 yards and three touchdowns while throwing two catch attempts and being sacked twice in a 34-31 rout.
Robert Saleh, who was beaming after his team’s second win of the season, praised White for his polished ability in the wake of being thrust into the spotlight instead of injured teenager Zach Wilson. Wilson, the No. 2 overall choice in the 2021 NFL Draft, is expected to be out for a few more weeks after sustaining a knee injury last week.”
“Mike is amazing,” Saleh said. “Unless anything is imaginable,” Saleh remarked, “we’ll accept it every day.” White would start against the Foals on Thursday night, according to Saleh. Not long before halftime, White-capped an eight-play, 67-yard drive with a touchdown pass to Braxton Berrios, bringing the score to 17-14. Then, with New York behind 31-20 after a couple of Bengals touchdowns and Planes field goals, White went to work.
He connected with running back Ty Johnson for a 19-yard catch-and-run touchdown, then threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to tight end, Jordan Reed. The inevitable Tyler Kroft-who was helped out by a field-flipping Shaq Lawson INT-finished things up with a throw for the two-point conversion and the inevitable match dominating focus. He’s a canine, he’s a beast, he’s a savage “Johnson was elevated as a result of his support for the quarterback’s ability, laying the way for the historic day.
I said it on Monday, and I’ll say it again. Will it be possible for White, fresh off being only the second quarterback since 1950 to throw for 400 yards or more in his first career start, to be all Johnson believes he is and the Planes believe he will be? On Thursday Night Football, he’ll get another chance to show what he’s made of.
Jets’ Robert Saleh On QB Mike White Remaining Starter After Monster Week 8: ‘Anything’s Possible. (n.d.). NFL.com.
