EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (AP) — Mike White’s cellphone rang Tuesday and it was Robert Saleh who broke the large information.
The New York Jets coach was make a change at quarterback with Zach Wilson and White tapped to start out Sunday at residence towards the Chicago Bears.
“It lasted 30 seconds,” Saleh mentioned of the dialog. “I mentioned, ‘Hello, Mike, how are you?’ He mentioned, ‘Good.’ I mentioned, ‘You able to roll, man?’ He mentioned, “Yeah,” and I mentioned, “Okay, I will see you tomorrow. » »
And identical to that, the most important determination but of the playoff-hungry Jets’ season was sealed.
“At first, simply excited,” White mentioned of his response. “It is simply what each participant on this dressing room desires, it is an opportunity to compete and show himself. However extra importantly, it is simply an opportunity to be a superb teammate and assist the staff and caring concerning the staff first.
The Jets’ determination to bench the underperforming Wilson was touted by Saleh as a psychological and bodily “reset” for the sophomore quarterback. New York can also be within the thick of the AFC playoff chase at 6-4, and can be within the playoffs proper now following New England’s Thursday night time loss to Minnesota.
So this sport towards the Bears (3-8), who’ve misplaced 4 in a row and 6 of seven, may very well be a chance for the Jets to get well after a 10-3 loss to New England final Sunday.
But it surely will not be the spicy quarterback sport most anticipated when the schedule was introduced in Could with Wilson, final 12 months’s No. 2 decide, taking up the Bears’ Justin Fields, who earned 9 caps. later.
As an alternative, the 2 may watch from the bench – Wilson resulting from inefficiency and Fields resulting from harm.
The Bears had been nonetheless in wait-and-see mode with Fields, who was listed as questionable for the sport after being restricted to follow all week with this he mentioned is a separated left shoulder with ligament harm within the AC joint. Though it was in his non-throwing shoulder, Fields was nonetheless feeling ache at first of the week throughout his follow-up.
“It is just some strikes I make with my arm, it hurts,” Fields mentioned.
If Fields sits, the Bears will pitch Trevor Siemian towards the Jets — a staff the veteran made a begin for in 2019 earlier than a season-ending ankle harm.
“He is bought nice useful intelligence to have the ability to function the offense,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus mentioned of Siemian. “And he is aware of the offense.”
Saleh mentioned the Jets have been getting ready all week to face Fields. However they will even be prepared for Siemian.
“If (Fields) performs, we’ll hit him,” Saleh mentioned. “If he would not play, we’ll do our greatest to hit the subsequent one.”
GET AFTER HER
Whereas the Jets’ offense has struggled currently, the protection has been a energy in current weeks, particularly the cross rush.
New York fired Mac Jones from New England six occasions final Sunday to offer the Jets 32 video games this season, one lower than they’d in 17 video games final 12 months. They’ve 17 sacks of their final three video games. Their 58 hits since Week 4 lead the league.
Defensive lineman Quinnen Williams has a career-high eight sacks to beat the Jets, who’re the one NFL staff to go a number of video games this season with at the least six sacks and eight tackles for loss.
“I can not actually say too many unhealthy issues about what we’re doing by way of passing speeding,” mentioned John Franklin-Myers, who has 3½ sacks. “We anticipate to win all one on one.”
CLOSE CALLS
In terms of late sport practices, the Bears proceed to veer off track.
They’ve failed in 5 consecutive two-minute drills, together with Fields who was knocked out towards Atlanta final week. And within the final three video games, they have been outscored by a mixed seven factors.
“We misplaced quite a lot of shut video games,” working again David Montgomery mentioned. “I can not return and alter it. All I can actually deal with is right now, now, what I can do to enhance myself so I can enhance everybody round me so we will all pull collectively and hold our spirits up raised in order that we may be what we’re able to being.”
GET A PASS
The Bears restricted Atlanta to 131 passing yards final week after permitting a median of 257 within the earlier three video games. It was the third much less they allowed this season.
One factor that helps is having cornerback Jaylon Johnson wholesome. He had been slowed by an indirect downside after lacking time early within the season with a quadriceps harm.
REVIS ISLAND RETURNS
The Jets induct former cornerback Darrelle Revis into their Ring of Honor in a halftime ceremony.
Revis follows former teammates Nick Mangold and D’Brickashaw Ferguson who can be honored by the staff this season. The four-time All-Professional, who performed for the Jets from 2007 to 2012 and once more from 2015 to 2016, was chosen earlier this week as one in every of 28 modern-day semi-finalists for the Class of 2023 of the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
Jets rookie Sauce Gardner, who leads the NFL with 14 passes defended, drew early comparisons to Revis for his potential to constantly shut down large receivers.
“The sky is the restrict for him,” Revis mentioned. “I like his sport. … I feel he can dwell as much as that legacy as a New York Jets nice.
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AP Sports activities Author Andrew Seligman in Illinois contributed to this report.
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