Comparing Mike White’s first start to what we’ve seen from Zach Wilson
The Jets averaged just 13.3 points and 200.33 passing yards prior to Week 8, so no one in their right mind thought New York could double those numbers with a backup quarterback making his first start against a talented Bengals defense.
But Mike White did it. He finished Sunday’s win with 405 passing yards and three touchdowns as the Jets put up a season-high 34 points and 511 total yards of offense. This was more or less with the same team Zach Wilson had for the previous six games; White actually had fewer skill position players with Corey Davis and Tevin Coleman out.
So how did White, a long-time reserve, play so much better than anything we’ve seen from Wilson, the No. 2 pick? Let’s break it down …
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Short passes
(Noah K. Murray-AP)
Robert Saleh implored Wilson to check the ball down instead of airing it out earlier this season. He called it “boring football.” Wilson did it at times, but White thrived playing this way. None of White’s 45 attempts traveled more than 15 air yards and he finished with the second-most yards on short passing attempts (throws fewer than nine air yards) in a game since 2016 with 263 yards, according to NextGen Stats. His 3.733 air yards per attempt was the second-fewest in a 400-yard performance since Philip Rivers’ 3.732 in 2015, per The AP’s Josh Dubow.
Wilson, meanwhile, loves the long ball. He ranks 10th in intended air yards per passing attempt and sixth in completed air yards per attempt this season. That didn’t translate into wins or good performances, though. Wilson has yet to throw for 300 yards or complete more than 62 percent of his attempts in a game and he led the NFL in interceptions heading into Week 8.
Getting rid of the football
(Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)
White is used to throwing fast after his days as a high school pitcher, and he unloaded his passes quickly against the Bengals. His average time to throw was 2.49 seconds, which was the fifth-fastest in the league in Week 8 prior to Monday Night Football, per NextGen Stats. White also got rid of the ball in less than 2.5 seconds on 62.8 percent of his passes, according to Jets X-Factor’s Michael Nania.
One of Wilson’s biggest flaws this season has been his inability to throw the ball in a timely manner. One of Wilson’s offensive linemen even pinned the unit’s woes and his interceptions on this idea. He’s only released his passes in less than 2.5 seconds on 32.7 percent of his attempts, per Nania, and his 3.1-second average time to throw ranks 35th in the league.
Targeting running backs
(Frank Franklin II-AP)
Running backs dominated the target share against the Bengals. White looked to Michael Carter and Ty Johnson on 20 of his 45 attempts and the running backs combined for 14 receptions, 166 yards and one touchdown through the air. Some of this could be attributed to Davis’ absence, but those are easy passes to complete and a major reason why the Jets moved the ball so well.
Wilson has rarely targeted his running backs. He only attempted 32 total passes to his running backs in six games and never more than eight in one game. This is likely because of his aforementioned style of play and his affinity for pass-catchers like Davis or Elijah Moore.
Accuracy
(Danielle Parhizkaran-NorthJersey.com)
White completed 82.2 percent of his passes, which ranked first in the league in Week 8. That accuracy helped the Jets sustain drives and score on six of their possessions.
Wilson hasn’t been nearly as accurate with his passes. His 57.5 percent completion percentage ranks 33rd. This is partially due to Wilson’s style of play and the type of passes he attempts. Wilson should try to emulate White’s decision-making when he returns to the field.
LaFleur's play-calling from the booth
(Kathy Willens-AP)
Mike LaFleur called a phenomenal game for White, but he didn’t necessarily do much different than the previous six games except for a few trick plays. The biggest change, though, was LaFleur calling the plays from the booth above the field rather than on the sideline.
This gave LaFleur a bird’s-eye view of the field and allowed him to diagnosis the Bengals’ defense better. Saleh explained earlier this season that Wilson liked having LaFleur on the sideline. But after the Jets’ win in Week 8, Saleh said LaFleur will remain in the booth.
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