Why Jets’ Latest Surprise QB Change Is Good News For Patriots

The New York Jets expected to start Mike White at quarterback for this Sunday’s matchup with the Detroit Lions. White expected to start, too, telling reporters this week he had “no doubt” he’d be healthy enough to do so.

But ultimately, he wasn’t.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced Friday that White was not medically cleared from the ribs injury he suffered in last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills and cannot suit up against Detroit.

His replacement: Zach Wilson, the embattled No. 2 overall pick who was benched last month for his poor play and even worse attitude.

White hasn’t been a world-beater this season, but he’s posted better numbers than Wilson across the board and seemed to quickly win over teammates who were turned off by Wilson’s lack of accountability.

In three starts this season, White has completed 62.0% of his passes, averaged 7.4 yards per attempt, thrown three touchdown passes with two interceptions and posted an 85.8 passer rating. Wilson has a 55.6% completion rate, 6.3 yards-per-attempt average, four touchdowns, five picks and a 72.6 passer rating in seven starts and was awful in his most recent outing, going 9-for-22 for 77 yards in a 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots.

That performance, coupled with Wilson refusing afterward to say he and the offense let down New York’s formidable defense, got the first-round draft pick demoted to third string, behind White and Joe Flacco. Yes, the Jets somehow are 5-2 in Wilson starts this season, but he was benched for a valid reason. And his unexpected return to the starting spot is a positive development for the Patriots.

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Why? Because New England and New York are two of the teams fighting for the final wild-card playoff spots in the tightly packed AFC. The Patriots enter Week 15 in possession of the No. 7 seed at 7-6. The Jets and Los Angeles Chargers hold identical records but trail the Patriots by virtue of tiebreakers. Any losses by either of those teams over the final four weeks would help New England, and the Jets’ chances of winning are higher with White behind center than they are with Wilson. News of Wilson’s return dropped the Jets from 1.5-point home favorites to 2-point underdogs.

This is at least a favorable matchup for the much-maligned BYU product, as the Lions boast one of the NFL’s worst defenses overall and against the pass. Detroit has been hot of late, however, winning five of its last six games to surge back into the NFC playoff race.

The Patriots will be in Las Vegas this Sunday to take on the 5-8 Raiders.