This season has been largely good for the New York Jets. The same can’t be said for Zach Wilson, and that’s prompting Joe Benigno to take the desperate times call for desperate measures approach.
“I’m going to say this right now, and you’re going to go nuts on me again: Can they play Mike White? Bro, enough already,” Benigno said Monday in his weekly appearance on “Tiki & Tierney.”
Wilson delivered an underwhelming showing in the Jets’ 10-3 loss to the Patriots on Sunday. He completed just nine of his 22 pass attempts for 77 yards, and though he didn’t throw an interception, he also didn’t throw a touchdown. His 26 yards on three carries paced the Jets on the ground.
The second-year quarterback just can’t seem to get anything going. At times, it seems like he’s being set up to fail with the play-calling, other times he just seems lost. But the Breece Hall injury has impacted the Jets’ ability to get anything going on the ground, and Wilson has yet to prove he can do major damage with his arm.
“I don’t want to blow this season, I don’t want to punt this season because you’ve got to prove that you made the right move by drafting this kid with the second pick in the draft,” Benigno said. “Play Mike White, I’m telling you they’re scared to play him because they think that he might be better.”
The offensive struggles are in stark contrast to what the Jets have put together on the defensive side of the ball. They are one of, if not the top defense in the NFL at this point.
Because of that, Wilson was roundly criticized for saying he didn’t feel like he let the defense down in a postgame press conference that lacked much accountability from the quarterback.
“I think you’re starting to see some fracturing with this,” Benigno said. “You can’t tell me that the defense is not ticked off at this quarterback. …
“You stop (a potential fracture) by starting Mike White, by sending a message to this quarterback. Hey Zach, you’re not playing this week. We’re going to sit you and you’re going to watch. Now that doesn’t mean you can’t go back to him, but that’s how you do it. Start Mike White, you’re playing a team you should beat.
The Jets are set to face the Bears this week, and Chicago potentially could be without their quarterback, Justin Fields. If White ends up starting, it gives the Jets a chance to turn to the backup in a game that still should be winnable.
If Wilson starts again, then he gets an opportunity to potentially rebound against a lackluster opponent. That also sets the possibility for things to get much, much worse for Wilson if he can’t bounce back against a team they should beat handedly.
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