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Jets backup QB Mike White will start for injured Zach Wilson vs. Bengals

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced on Wednesday that backup quarterback Mike White will start on Sunday when the team takes on the Cincinnati Bengals.

This isn't a major surprise. Zach Wilson, the Jets' first-round draft pick and presumably their quarterback of the future, suffered a sprained PCL in his right knee in a loss to the New England Patriots in Week 7. In the second quarter, Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon hit Wilson as he threw the ball, knocking him out of the game.

That's when White took over. Until that moment, he'd never thrown an NFL pass. Pressed into service, the 2018 fifth-rounder did what he could, completing 20 of 34 passes for 202 yards. He threw a touchdown and two interceptions, but couldn't keep up with the Patriots' offense, which absolutely dominated. The Jets lost their 12th straight game to the Patriots in a 54-13 blowout.

White will get another shot under center on Sunday despite the presence of Joe Flacco. The Jets acquired Flacco from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, adding a familiar veteran presence to their QB room. Flacco played for the Jets in 2020, appearing in five games that included four starts for the injured Sam Darnold.

Unless White performs well on Sunday, we're likely to see Flacco at some point before Wilson is ready to take the field again. It's expected to take 2-4 weeks for Wilson's knee to be healed.