In case you had any considerations about Mike White being nervous going up in opposition to the first-place Payments Sunday in Orchard Park, N.Y., you wanted solely to be interacting with him Thursday within the locker room whereas he chatted with reporters.
Receiver Elijah Moore, who earlier within the season was so disgruntled about his function that he demanded to be traded, playfully poked his head into the scrum round White and, taking part in pretend reporter, requested his quarterback: “What do you consider the receiver group right here?’’
“Proper, so we acquired a very good receiver group,’’ White started with a smirk. “There’s Garrett [Wilson], there’s ‘CD’ [Corey Davis], Braxton [Berrios], there’s Irvin Charles [on the practice squad], there’s Diontae Spencer [practice squad], there’s [Tyler] Conklin — no, Conklin’s a decent finish … um … there’s Elijah Moore, we forgot about him.’’
“Is there a specific receiver you’re freezing out?’’ I requested White, in reference to Moore’s complaints earlier this season about his lack of targets.
“Yeah, this dude named Elijah Moore,’’ White mentioned. “He’s at all times there and he by no means shuts up.’’
The temper within the Jets locker room 4 days earlier than their rematch with the 9-3 Payments was gentle — particularly White, who’s solely different assembly with Buffalo was a four-interception debacle final season in a 45-17 loss that ended his brief stint because the starter rather than the injured Zach Wilson.
White’s beginning function now's a totally completely different situation from final season. He’s the starter as a result of he’s carried out higher than Wilson, so this time it’s considerably timeless — as much as his personal efficiency, not when Wilson is wholesome once more.
One factor important for White to do in opposition to the Payments will not be permit final season’s loss to them have an effect on his play in opposition to them this time round.
“You may’t play hero ball,’’ White mentioned. “You may’t go in there pondering, ‘I need revenge for what occurred final 12 months.’ What occurred final 12 months is over with. It’s a special situation, completely different crew.’’
White confirmed his humorousness when requested how he feels about going again to Buffalo “contemplating what occurred a 12 months in the past.’’
“What occurred a 12 months in the past?’’ White deadpanned earlier than including with a smile, “I’m messing with you.’’
White mentioned he “realized so much’’ from his efficiency in opposition to the Payments final season. “However I’ve tried my greatest to shut the ebook on that and transfer on,’’ he mentioned.
White was requested how lengthy it took for him to recover from that sport — notably because it was his remaining begin of 2021, with no assure he’d ever get one other begin.
“Very lengthy,’’ he mentioned. “It’ll be a type of issues that can type of sit with me for even longer. As an athlete, whenever you play lengthy sufficient in a sport, you’re going to have these video games it doesn't matter what. I've these video games from highschool that I nonetheless consider. It’s at all times going to be part of my improvement as a quarterback. I don’t need it to beat me twice.’’
Jets veteran backup quarterback Joe Flacco mentioned he expects there to be ideas of final 12 months’s Buffalo sport in White’s head this week.
“I’m certain it’s not within the very entrance of his thoughts, however there’s most likely a thought like, ‘OK, I need to exit and beat these guys now and go on the market and show that I can do this,’ ’’ Flacco advised The Publish. “It doesn't matter what degree you’re at, you want to have the ability to show it to your self. Normally, these issues are motivating forces — certainly one of many little issues that drive you to be the perfect. I feel he’s in an excellent place mentally.’’
Jets head coach Robert Saleh mentioned he recollects White’s “having an incredible quantity of progress’’ from the Buffalo sport “and the best way he performed and recognizing among the issues he did that helped him to search out methods to get higher.’’
There’s been a motion afoot on the a part of some individuals to field Saleh into definitively anointing White because the Jets’ everlasting starter. Saleh has dealt with this expertly, letting it breathe, letting it play out.
On Thursday, I requested White if it’s essential for him to be advised he’s the everlasting starter.
“I feel it’s extra essential to dwell within the second,’’ White mentioned. “When you begin worrying about different issues, your thoughts wanders and it will get off the duty at hand. The one factor I take into consideration is the sport that we’re taking part in that week and realizing that there’s 52 different guys within the locker room that I need to go on the market and carry out properly for and provides them an opportunity to win the sport and maintain going and see the place this factor takes us.
“Hear, [my future as starter] is the furthest out of my thoughts proper now. This sport, this preparation is simply too laborious and in the event you begin to let your thoughts surprise, it’s whenever you get in a foul place.’’
A spot like Buffalo final 12 months.
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