Jets starting Joe Flacco in Week 18 vs. Dolphins

There’s one final twist in the New York Jets‘ quarterback saga for 2022. Joe Flacco will start the Week 18 regular-season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

Mike White was scheduled to start but will not be able to because of his injured ribs. White started three games after Zach Wilson was benched ahead of Week 12 but fractured ribs in a Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He missed the next two games and then reinjured the ribs when he started last week against the Seattle Seahawks.

But with White out, why are the Jets not turning back to Wilson this week?

“It’s a coach’s decision, I want to stay firm with (Wilson) and … get him to this offseason so we can attack he plan we’ve been building,” coach Robert Saleh explained Friday. “Putting him out there right now, it’s not going to do him any good, not going to do anyone any good. For Zach, it’s all about 2023.”

Wilson will back up Flacco against the Dolphins. But it’s a damning commentary about the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft that his coach doesn’t believe there’s any good to be had by playing him.

Since the game has no playoff implications for the Jets (7-9), who were eliminated from contention with their fifth straight loss last week, Saleh was asked if he gave thought to starting popular fourth-string QB Chris Streveler.

“Flacco gives us the best chance to win,” Saleh replied.

The Jets' quarterback carousel in 2022

Flacco started the first three games of the season when Wilson was recovering from knee surgery. The Jets were 1-2 in those games, and Flacco led a miraculous fourth-quarter comeback against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2.

“I don’t think he was terrible,” Saleh said of Flacco (five touchdowns, thre interceptions, 58.2 completion percentage this season).

White was 1-3 a starter, completing 58.8 percent of his passes with three TDs and four picks. Wilson was 5-4 in nine starts but was benched twice. He is 33rd out of 33 qualified NFL quarterbacks in completion percentage (54.5 percent) and rating (72.8).

“It’s challenging,” Saleh said about New York’s quarterback issues this season. “It’s not in a vacuum, it’s not one thing. There’s a lot of different things that have contributed to it over the course of the year, and it’s something we’re going to get fixed in the offseason.”

Flacco will be playing behind an offensive line that is missing three starters. Tackles Duane Brown (shoulder) and George Fant (knee) have been ruled out this week, as has guard Nate Herbig (calf). Of course, the line has been without tackle Mekhi Becton (knee) all season and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (pectoral muscle) since Week 7.