NEW YORK — This has been a less-than-ideal week for Jets’ quarterback Mike White.
Not only did Gang Green lose to the Bills, 20-12, on Sunday, but White was knocked out of the game twice as he later went to the hospital for an injury to his ribs.
Four days after, White says he has no doubt that he will play against the Lions this Sunday.
“No, No, none at all,” White said. “Like I said Monday, I’m preparing as such until something changes. And if it does, we will cross that bridge when we get there.”
White suffered the injury during the third quarter when he was hit by Bills linebacker Matt Milano as one of the Jets’ offensive linemen failed to pick him up in pass protection. White returned to the game but was clearly less than 100% as he was in pain coming to the sideline in between series. During the loss against the Bills, White was hit a total of seven times.
This week, White has been limited during practice but has not been seen during media availability this week. According to Jets coach Robert Saleh, White has been working during all the team periods portions of practice as he has also received treatment. He is excepted to wear some protective padding covering his ribs during the game.
Since Zach Wilson was benched, White has given the Jets a spark in the passing game. He has thrown for 952 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in three starts.
However, that hasn’t necessarily translated into wins, as Gang Green is 1-2 during that span. The Jets are averaging 21.7 points per game in the games White has started. However, the team has gotten off to slow starts as they’ve only scored one first-half touchdown in each of those two games.
“Last week, we had a couple of turnovers, missed opps [oppotunities] or whatever you want to call it,” White said. We just gotta keep going, executing.
“I feel like, once we get that monkey off our back, it will kind of roll from there. You gotta go out there and execute. Sometimes, you’re going to call the perfect plays and get the right coverage and sometimes you’re not and you gotta be able to handle both.
“When you get the perfect coverage, you gotta capitalize. When you don’t, you gotta survive it and make the right place.
White and the Jets will face a Lions team that’s currently one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Detroit has won five out of its last six games.
Meanwhile, the Jets have lost four of their last six games as they are in ninth place in the AFC. Entering last weekend, Gang Green was in seventh place in the conference, but a loss to the Bills combined with wins by the Chargers and the Patriots have them sitting on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoffs.
These last four games beginning Sunday, are crucial to the Jets’ playoff hopes as they are looking to snap their 11-year postseason drought [2010], which is the longest in the NFL. Following Sunday’s game, the Jets have a Thursday night home game against the Jaguars before traveling to play the Seahawks and the Dolphins to end the regular season.
White says he views these final four games as must-wins for the Jets.
“Every game in the NFL is a must-win game, especially this time of the year,” White said. “We said last year going through the issues that we were, we kind of made up a scenario as a team and said let’s get ready because [Robert] Saleh did say last year eventually we will be playing in meaningful games in December, so let’s get in that mindset now.
“So we did create that scenario and it is funny how this year, we are in that exact scenario. It is nice to be able to control our destiny and know if we go out and take care of business these next four games, the chips should fall in our place.”
