Is Mike White better for the Jets than Zach Wilson?

Mike White made his first NFL start for the Jets on Sunday and, in beating the Bengals, made it a legitimate question whether he’s better than Zach Wilson.

No one, New York Jets fan or not, was expecting much from quarterback Mike White as he made the first NFL start of his career on Sunday in place of injured rookie Zach Wilson against a playoff contender in the Bengals. He could’ve come out, been bad, and no one would’ve thought any different about the young signal-caller.

Instead, White came out and put up a stellar performance for a player in his situation. Against a good Bengals defense, White went 37-of-45 for 405 yards and three touchdowns, even if he did throw two picks. More importantly, he helped lead the Jets to a final drive in a comeback that gave them the lead and the two-point conversion on a version of the “Philly Special” that saw him haul in the catch in the end zone to all but seal the victory.

Though it’s crazy to compare White, a former fifth-round pick with limited experience, to Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick from this year’s draft, there has to be a legitimate question about whether or not White is a better option for the Jets.

Are the Jets better with Mike White than Zach Wilson?

Quarterback wins are not a stat, but it does say something that the Jets have as many wins with Mike White as their starter in one game than in six with Zach Wilson at the helm. But beyond that, White put Wilson to shame statistically.

Again, White threw for 405 yards, which is over 100 more than Wilson’s season-high prior to his injury. The three touchdown passes for the Week 8 starter are also more than the rookie has thrown in a game this season and, on top of that, the No. 2 pick also has four scores to nine picks on the season.

This, of course, doesn’t mean that White is better than Wilson in a grander sense. Wilson has more upside and more tools for the future of Gang Green.

But as of right now, it’s not far-fetched to say that White could be a better option. He has more NFL experience, at least in terms of practice and being a pro, than his rookie teammate. And for a team that is deficient in talent at several spots, that might actually make White the quarterback that gives the Jets the best chance to win right now.

Head coach Robert Saleh was non-commital about what they will do at quarterback for the long term:

That may not make a whole lot of sense for the outlook of the Jets beyond this year but, after a performance like that from White, it’s something that’s understandable for Saleh to say.