Despite Sunday afternoon’s 27-22 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Jets quarterback Mike White left his teammates and head coach impressed with his play in his second start of the season.
The Jets offense sputtered early, putting up just six points in the first half on a pair of Greg Zuerlein field goals. White was a bit shaky as the Vikings pass rush was able to get to him a few times.
They put together just 150 total yards of offense and found themselves trailing 20-6 heading into the locker room. Minnesota looked to be well on their way to an easy win, however, White stayed composed and turned things around in the second half.
In just his sixth career game, the Western Kentucky product settled in nicely and made big throw after big throw with the game on the line down the stretch.
“There were some ups and downs, like you normally would have in a football game, but I thought he kept his composure and stayed within the game. He made some big throws,” head coach Robert Saleh said postgame.
White’s fourth-and-goal quarterback sneak from the one pulled the game to within five points with about six minutes remaining. He hit Corey Davis on some big throws over the last two minutes of the game, but ultimately fell just short.
White finished the day 31-of-57 passing with 369 yards, the rushing touchdown, and a pair of interceptions. This marked the third time in five starts that White has thrown for more than 300 yards.
Despite the comeback attempt falling just short, White certainly seems to have the support of his teammates moving forward. Rookie wide receiver Garrett Wilson told reporters postgame that the quarterback "has something special about him."
"That boy's a dog, man," Wilson said. "He was out there controlling the huddle and never letting the moment get too big. It was cool to see, looking back on it now it’s cool to think about. I know I’d go to war for that boy."
As for White himself, he's just proud of the way the team stayed together and kept battling in the second half.
“By no means are we trying to make this a moral victory because moral victories don’t count in the NFL, but I’m really proud of how the guys stayed together," White said. "We stared adversity straight in the face and responded, we just gotta respond better."
White certainly earned himself another start next week as the Jets travel to Buffalo to take on Josh Allen and the first-place Bills.
