NFL

Anything is possible! – Jets impressed as White display prompts Wilson questions

By Sports Desk November 01, 2021

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh insists "anything is possible" at the quarterback position after a stunning display from backup Mike White.

White stepped in for the injured Zach Wilson – the number two overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft – and led the Jets to an upset 34-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

With Wilson out due to a knee problem, White starred on his first career start, throwing for 405 yards and three touchdowns, recording the team's first 400+ yard passing day since 2000.

White was a fifth-round pick for the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 and has been cut five times in his career.

He was on the Jets roster bubble during training camp before winning the battle to backup BYU standout Wilson.

And after a surprisingly impressive performance, Saleh was ruling nothing out over White's long-term prospects with the Jets.

"We'll go day-to-day, but anything is possible, right?" Saleh said after White completed 37 of his 45 passes in a display that saw him bounce back from two first-half interceptions.

"Anything is possible. So 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. Someone gets an opportunity.

"And what Mike does with his opportunity - he's got the world in front of him and he's just got to take advantage of it."

The Jets improved to 2-5 while the Bengals fell to 5-3.

Saleh's team struck a trade to bring veteran Joe Flacco back into the building after Wilson's injury but it will be White who gets another opportunity to shine at the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football.

After Saleh kept the debate open, another good performance from the 26-year-old could provoke an unexpected quarterback controversy.

Asked about the Jets fans chanting his name during the game, White said: "At first, I had to kind of listen again! I was like, 'Are they chanting my name?' That was pretty cool."

Wilson will be watching the Colts game with interest. He produced some mixed performances in his first six NFL games, throwing just four TDs to nine interceptions.

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