Do we have more Jets quarterback calamity in store?
Possibly.
Mike White has been expected to start for the Jets against the Dolphins in the season finale Sunday in South Florida, but on Thursday he was downgraded to “limited’’ in practice with his rib injury after practicing full on Wednesday.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh isn’t available to reporters on Thursdays and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur spoke to reporters before practice, so there was no explanation from the team for White’s apparent setback.
Also of odd (but likely not coincidental) circumstance, White was not made available to reporters on Thursday, which is always the day the starting quarterback speaks. No reason was given, other than a media relations official saying he thought White would be made available on Friday.
If White can’t go, it raises a question about whether he should have been playing Sunday in Seattle, where he appeared compromised on some of his throws. White, a pretty accurate passer, noticeably missed several receivers badly against the Seahawks. He’s a 62.2 percent career passer who was 50 percent Sunday.
Mike White Getty ImagesIf he’s unable to play, it’s almost certain that veteran Joe Flacco will start, which would be ironic since Flacco began the season starting with Zach Wilson missing the first part of the season with a knee injury.
In other injury news, G Nate Herbig (calf) and S Jordan Whitehead (hamstring) were also limited in practice while LT Duane Brown (shoulder), RT George Fant (knee), G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (knee), CB Brandin Echols (quad) and S Lamarcus Joyner (hip) did not practice.
Of note for the Dolphins, QB Teddy Bridgewater (knee/right finger) was limited in practice the past two days, T Eric Fisher, who was limited on Wednesday with a calf injury, didn’t practice Thursday, LB Bradley Chubb (ankle/hand) and CB Xavien Howard (knee) went from not practicing Wednesday to limited Thursday.
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich on Thursday raved about the breakout season DT Quinnen Williams is having, with a career-high 12 sacks and a Pro Bowl invite.
“One of the best defensive performances as far as the full body of work of a season I’ve ever been around, and I’ve been around some really, really good players,’’ Ulbrich said. “[Williams] is a guy that can absolutely take a game over, someone who you’ve got to account for on every single snap — run, pass.
“He’s a great player that’s still ascending, that’s still finding inches in his game and I think there is still another place he can go. I think he has that ability to go to that rare place.’’
Asked if that “rare place’’ is the Hall of Fame, Ulbrich said, “Hall of Famers sustain success for a long, long time, but I definitely think he has that All-Pro status coming for sure.’’
Ulbrich conceded that the tone-setting 60-yard run by Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III on the first play from scrimmage in Sunday’s loss in Seattle was jarring to the Jets’ defense.
“You go into a hostile environment like that and you’d like to start fast to settle the crowd down and get into a groove [and it] didn’t happen,’’ Ulbrich said. “Whenever you give up an explosive [play] like that, it can rattle you a little bit, players and coaches alike.’’
Jets fourth-string QB Chris Streveler continues to be a cool story to this season. He’s found his way onto the game-day roster as a special teams player used on kick return and kick coverage teams as well as in an offensive package.
“You earn your way on special teams, and to see him out there … I love the guy,’’ Jets special teams coach Brant Boyer said Thursday. “He’s willing to do whatever it takes. You put him in any position, you can tell him something one time and he gets it and he does exactly what you tell him to do, and there’s something to be said for that. “It’s a novelty to have a guy like that, that can do so much, and can throw and can run, and has toughness and stuff like that, you don’t see that very often. He’s an awesome kid.’’
“You’re trying to find a role for somebody that’s going to be active because you have a limited number on game day, so you’re trying to find out what they can do and what they can’t do, and he’s done a great job at everything I’ve asked him to do. He’s tough and he can run.







