Mike White has come to save the day for the New York Jets.
East Rutherford, NJ– What is the difference between number 2 and number 5, apart from the incredible physical advantage of the former?
Simply put, No. 5 brings to the table the fearless Mokshe that No. 2 simply doesn’t match.
The football quarterback position is one that many talent evaluators consistently get wrong. The secret behind it why That’s the obvious thing to be angry about, but it doesn’t have to be such as The 2022 New York Jets quarterback case is a mystery after being investigated.
Zach Wilson, 23, enters the season as the undisputed face of the franchise. Selected No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, no one disputes that the kid brings an incredible physical advantage to the table.
His feet are quick, his arm is electric, and his release is incredibly quick—a perfect fit for today’s 3-phase loaded National Football League. No one would dare dispute those qualities against then-hero Mike White.
Yet, ironically, the person with the least talent is better suited to lead the charge.
Mike “Effin” White passes for over 300 yards and three touchdowns to lead New York #jets A 31-10 win over the Chicago Bears. pic.twitter.com/2i4D7IsAEH
— Jets X-Factor (@jetsxfactor) November 27, 2022
White, 27, threw for 315 yards and three touchdowns (no interceptions) in the Jets’ 31-10 upset of the Chicago Bears on Sunday. By lifting the team to 7-4, White earned praise for sticking himself into the atmosphere he was accustomed to.
“Mike White, Mike White, Mike White,” the MetLife Stadium crowd chanted on and off the steadily rainy afternoon.
Mike White is very *human* in the way he talks to the media. A hard thing to explain, no question, but he makes things relatable and smooth when he hits certain plays.
He also doesn’t complain about those “Mike White” chants. #jets pic.twitter.com/LWlUj7izXo
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) November 27, 2022
Although no one would confuse No. 5 with an arrogant individual, the kid’s human side was on display in the post-game presser.
“It’s always good,” White told the media after being asked about the chants. “I’m not going to sit here and give you some quarterback cliché. At the end of the game, there are times when I can’t hear it but (hearing the fans chanting).
Make sure your football IQ catches up with the football mind of the Jets’ newest quarterback.
“I think it would be cooler if they didn’t do it when we were trying to snap the ball,” White joked. But no, so I’m not complaining too much.
White’s communication is very human and relatable, which is a stark contrast to Wilson, whose machine-like personality could not even be seen from Mars. And then there’s the matter of the quarterback’s mind and attitude, both of which were on very good display against the Bears.
Not only did White lead the Jets on a nine-play, 75-yard opening scoring drive that led to an 8-yard Garrett Wilson touchdown reception, but he — along with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur — did something this unit failed to do. Do this often.
Running Gareth Wilson’s route in 1v1 situations is absurd. Corner here, with inside stump, clotheslines the Bears DB, and Mike White gets it for 6. #jets pic.twitter.com/moIL2ZbsXy
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) November 27, 2022
He spread the field in a way that forced the defense to make real adjustments.
Down 10-7 in the second quarter, White fired one up the middle in a game that featured an overmatched Jets defense. Wilson turned it into a 54-yard chunk touchdown.
The reason QBs are so hard to evaluate is because of the mental attributes they need to play the position. It’s about a certain MINDSET, no fear, emotion, leadership, etc.
Mike White has no fear as he gets Garrett Wilson for another 6. #jets Lead 14-10. pic.twitter.com/qyIO3SkOie
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) November 27, 2022
At that point in the game, Chicago was sitting on defense. Although Matt Eberfus’s defense is similar to Robert Saleh’s — a relaxed shell feeling that puts everything in front — the Bears’ unit comes out with an aggressive attitude.
The Bears crowded the box, played 1-high concepts, and defensive backs also broke tackles earlier than usual, which happened after White led the charge on the opening drive.
What the Jets needed was a quarterback to slingshot down the field — when it was necessary to do so. (This idea is similar to the way the Jets needed White to destroy the Cincinnati Bengals in two Halloweens — take what the defense has to offer.) What the Jets offense needed was a quarterback to right the ship.
He was a leader with a fearless attitude that Jets fandom needed.
Any professional athlete knows this: If you play to avoid injury, you’re more likely to injure yourself. If you play not to turn the ball over, chances are you will turn the ball over.
You simply have to to know That free-throw is going in, that putt is going down the hole, or that pass is going to go in that tight window in the middle.
Zach Wilson doesn’t really know if his confidence is left in Utah. Whatever the reason, he played with the fear ingrained in his mind.
Check out Devin McCourty’s before and after interception in New England’s game against the Patriots. After a confident puck on Tyler Conklin’s head early in the game and nearly turning the ball over, the turnover turned to the losing side.
This cannot be the only one. Regardless of the level of pressure coming from the defense-first coaching staff, the quarterback shouldn’t be that weak.
Mike White played like he had nothing to lose, while Zach Wilson played with the weight of the world on his shoulders.
“It’s great,” White said of the results after the game. “To go out there and play football with your friends, guys you’ve been with for two years (is great).”
Perhaps Elias Moore, who scored his first touchdown of the season on this Mike White day, noticed the frustrated Jets weapon.
Just a confident pocket presence from Mike White, understanding the depth of concept that comes with meeting sideline straight.
Elijah Moore this paydirt. #jets pic.twitter.com/UDRS7dY6rl
— Robby Sabo (@RobbySabo) November 27, 2022
Another third down, and another clutch play by Mike White, this time understanding the environment and what’s happening downfield in real time. He mastered the concept of developing high separation, long layup and floated just enough to sneak under the vertical-traveling Corey Davis while anticipating a corner pass from Moore.
So, yes, you’d be 99% correct to say that Zach Wilson is the more talented quarterback. That is, until you start getting into the feeling of actually playing the position.
What about thinking?
What about thinking?
What about strength?
What about awareness?
What about personality?
How about a group of dangerous men showing fearless skill sets in the backline looking to do damage?
That’s why evaluating quarterbacks is one of the hardest things in the world. It is almost impossible to predict how individuals will react in a situation where doubts are thrown against the weight of the world that is stacked against them.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) November 27, 2022
Tom Brady, a 2000 sixth-round pick out of Michigan, is right one An example of getting it wrong. There were countless others.
Mike White intends to add his name to that list.
The kid who grew up in the Fort Lauderdale, FL area and moved from South Florida to Western Kentucky languished on the fringes of the Jets’ active roster and practice squad, failing to make the cut from an NFL franchise. And now, he has the Cincinnati Bengals and the 2022 Chicago Bears in his back pocket by Halloween 2021.
Better yet, he now has the trust of his teammates and the organization as a whole. And it’s thanks to being armed with the right quarterback mentality — one that plays without fear, with energy, without apology and without losing — that’s the stark contrast to the quarterback mentality of yesteryear.
Even worse for Zach Wilson, the New York Jets, his teammates love Mike “Effing” White, just like No. 5 loves his teammates.
“When I wasn’t playing, I was really supporting them and having fun with them, but it’s always about being there, being a part of it and helping the team and helping the team win. Fun,” White said after the game.
Although this Chicago Bears defense stinks and the kid still has a lot to prove, Mike “Effing” White has come fearlessly for the New York Jets, yet again, and he’s arrived just in time for a talented team looking to do some damage this season.
