The last thing that Robert Saleh needs or should want as he waits for Zach Wilson to return, as he hears the clamor for Mike White, is a Backup Quarterback Controversy.
“As of now, Joe’s our starting quarterback,” Saleh said.
Oh boy.
Leaving the door open to yank Joe Flacco after one game?
“It’s more likely gonna be Joe, guys,” Saleh responded, “but the door’s open on every position every week.”
Not really, of course. The door isn’t open on Sauce Gardner’s position, or C.J. Mosley’s position, or Laken Tomlinson’s position or Alijah Vera-Tucker’s position or George Fant’s position, whatever position that is these days.
The backup quarterback position is never as impregnable as the starting quarterback position, and should not be if you have somebody else you believe can do the job.
If Flacco keeps getting buried under a Myles Garrett avalanche on Sunday in Cleveland, or is under siege again and the Jets’ offense again invokes visions of the leather helmet days, or worse, the 2021 Giants offense, then OK, put Mike White in if you find yourself desperate for a spark.
But taking the ball from Flacco after one damn game would be a panic move.
There are better places to go right now than the Waffle House.
“Everything’s always under discussion and under review,” Saleh said on 0-1 Monday. “Talking with [quarterbacks coach Rob Calabrese], talking with [offensive coordinator] Mike [LaFleur], obviously we’re not done with our postgame evaluation and all that stuff. Much appreciated with the passion with quarterbacks and all that stuff, but Joe’s been very, very steady throughout OTAs, training camp, last year threw for over 300 in Miami in a really good game.
“We’ve got all the utmost faith in Joe. Does that mean something can happen tonight? Not gonna promise you anything, but at the same time, as of now, Joe’s our starting quarterback.”
The “as of now” only serves to invite speculation everywhere and whet the lionhearted base’s appetite that Saleh may be inclined to throw them some red meat.
Mike White had himself a dream day last Halloween against the Bengals, and Jets fans starving for magic from the quarterback position do not ever want to forget it, and many are already fantasizing about another from him.
Mike White is held in high regard, but if Saleh and LaFleur thought he was The Natural, he would be the backup quarterback, and Flacco would have started the season on the sideline as the 37-year-old insurance policy.
Flacco was far from the lone culprit in the alarming 24-9 Opening Day loss to the Ravens, his teammates will tell you as much. He deserves a second chance to right the ship that was leaking all around him, or at least get it to leave the port.
“We felt like we coulda had an explosive day yesterday,” Saleh said on Monday. Then why not think you can have one with Flacco now?
Optimism understandably turns to pessimism in a Big Apple minute around here. You are guilty until proven innocent in the court of public opinion. When you are 0-1, after 4-13, after 22-60, you are guilty.
Saleh has more talent at his disposal than he did a year ago. Young talent from the draft, and experienced talent from free agency. Saleh’s defense alarmingly cracked in the second half against Lamar Jackson, but a fairer fight awaits in Cleveland against Jacoby Brissett, backup quarterback versus backup quarterback.
“We’re not playing the long game and selling that, we want to win, we want to win now,” Saleh said, “and we put the onus on us as coaches and we’ve gotta find a way to get it fixed and help accelerate all their growth and their development.
“There’s nothing worse than being sold a bill of goods on the future. Everyone wants things now. It’s the Instant Coffee age.”
But only trouble is brewing here. The circumstances and times are different, but Chad Pennington, 2000 first-round pick, sat until Week 5 of the 2002 season before Herm Edwards benched a faded 38-year-old Vinny Testaverde. “It is not all on Vinny, we are all held accountable,’’ Edwards said at the time. “Quarterback is always the guy who takes the hit first.”
Always. Or backup quarterback. Who took 11 hits behind his reshuffled OL and lived to tell about it. Asked about the Mike White chants, Connor McGovern said: “The reason is he’s Cool Joe, I don’t think Joe’s ever let anything like that affect him. Obviously as an O line we can definitely help him a lot compared to what we did. If he heard it or not, I don’t think he gave a single thought to it.”
For this Sunday at 1, neither should the coach.
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