Let\u2019s face facts. It\u2019s not easy being a Jets fan but last week made it a whole lot easier as they shocked the world and beat the upstart Bengals. Despite being without their newest franchise savior, Zach Wilson, Gang Green got the job done via a 17-point fourth-quarter which resulted in a 34-31 victory in front of a raucous partisan crowd.<\/p>\n
Mike White was king for a day as the former Western Kentucky quarterback, and fifth-round selection of the Cowboys in the 2018 NFL Draft, became only the second player to throw for more than 400 yards in his first start since they began keeping track of such things back in 1950. The other quarterback, you might ask, is Cam Newton who did the same in 2011 with the Carolina Panthers.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old became aware of the crowd chanting his name but what was perhaps even more important was the pep talk he received before the game when teammate Ty Johnson said, “He’s a dog. He’s an animal. He’s a savage. I told him before the game, ‘You’re a gunslinger, so let’s ride.'”<\/p>\n
White also connected on 37-of-45 passes which also put him in the record books as having the most completions ever for a first-time starter. Not surprisingly, his coach has become one of his biggest fans.<\/p>\n
“Mike is fantastic,” coach Robert Saleh said. “He’s poised, he showed it all throughout camp, all throughout OTAs, that he deserves to be one of those guys and obviously he showed it today.”<\/p>\n
Hot Take<\/strong><\/p>\n As stated in this column last week, the Jets had a golden opportunity to hang with the Bengals because, and we quote, \u201c\u2026Cincinnati could be looking ahead to a divisional showdown with Cleveland in Week 9 so this could be a trap game for the Cats and a hot spot to bet the Jets.\u201d<\/p>\n But hanging with the Bengals and covering the spread is a different animal entirely than actually beating them. But that\u2019s exactly what New York did. And the kid who was supposed to hold a clipboard while the Jet\u2019s No. 2 overall pick in April\u2019s draft led the franchise out of the darkness and into the light, seized his opportunity, and ran with it.<\/p>\n As for their Week 9 Thursday night showdown with the Colts, the line is close to where it was last week, reflecting the Jets as 10 \u00bd point road underdogs. If you recall, Indianapolis lost in disastrous fashion to the Titans last week when Carson Wentz mentally vomited when it counted most, tossing a pick-six near his own goal line and another that resulted in Tennessee\u2019s game-winning field goal.<\/p>\n