There was a mostly-joking, but also kinda-not joking, line of thought on Twitter this week that Mike White, who was stepping in to replace injured quarterback Zach Wilson, would become the New York Jets’ version of Tom Brady emerging from behind Drew Bledsoe to become the franchise’s future.
After a hot start on Sunday, those kinda-sorta jokes amongst Jets fans are getting a bit more serious.
White started the game by completing his first 12 passes for 99 yards and helping the Jets get on the board first thanks to a Michael Carter rushing touchdown. It was literally the first time the Jets had scored a touchdown in the first quarter.
A star was born.
First time all season the #Jets scored any type of points in the first quarter. It's a touchdown for Michael Carter.
QB Mike White was 7 for 7 for 65 yards.
Only took up to week 8, but finally they score earlypic.twitter.com/hLBDlL8ESe
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 31, 2021
And just like that, the 1-5 Jets were leading the 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals, giving Jets fans reason to hope, which is always a very dangerous thing.
You cannot stop the Mike White offense you can only hope to contain it
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) October 31, 2021
THE NEW YORK JETS FINALLY SCORED IN THE FIRST QUARTER
MIKE WHITE 100% COMPLETION https://t.co/E3wn4tS0Sh
— brandon (@JetsHateMe) October 31, 2021
When Mike White is fitted for his HOF jacket in a couple decades, just remember the ginger reporter who first started the #LetMikeCook movement
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) October 31, 2021
https://twitter.com/craigcartonlive/status/1454859086814662658
Alas, as we mentioned, hope is a dangerous thing. And White ended his completion streak by promptly throwing back-to-back interceptions in his next two attempts. That, plus the Jets remembering they were the Jets, led to the Bengals quickly taking a 17-7 lead.
However, White wasn’t about to slink into the background and hand that hype back. He tried to get the Jets back in the game in the second quarter with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Keelan Cole. While the catch was pretty amazing, it was unfortunately overturned on replay.
Keelan Cole with an amazing touchdown for the #Jets, keeps the game close against the #Bengals
Mike White is 22 of 27 passing for 217 yards.pic.twitter.com/EbxvYcLivv
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 31, 2021
Touchdown or not, the Mike White Hype Train was back out on the tracks.
And just like that, Mike White looks like the best Jets QB we've seen all season.
— Zachary Krueger (@ZK_FFB) October 31, 2021
And Mike White lasers a throw to covered WR Keelan Cole, who makes one-handed grab just inside pylon for the TD. Catch of the year? It's a candidate. Cole's 1st TD of year.
— Randy Lange (@rlangejets) October 31, 2021
White has already crossed the 200-yard mark on the day and, while he has yet to throw an official touchdown and has two interceptions so far, he’s winning over persnickety Jets fans who are looking for something, anything, to care about.
