Zach Wilson will start at quarterback for the New York Jets in their crucial Week 16 game Thursday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mike White has not been cleared for contact by doctors because of his fractured ribs.

Jets coach Robert Saleh had not committed to either quarterback since New York’s 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. But it seemed likely all along that Wilson would play instead of the injured White.

“Zach, he knows to prepare like he’s the No. 1,” Saleh explained Tuesday. “We were going into this week with the mindset that he’d be the starter, getting all the reps (in practice) yesterday.”

White will be limited in practice, as he was last week after sustaining the ribs injury in a Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Saleh preached patience for the struggling Wilson on Monday. He doubled down on that take Tuesday.

“He just needs time,” Saleh said. “No one’s going to give up on someone just because it just … it doesn’t show in Year 1 or Year 2, like move on.”

Wilson threw for 317 yards against the Lions, his first start since benched in favor of White after a brutal Week 11 loss to the New England Patriots. He connected on four passes over 30 yards, including a 50-yard strike to Jeff Smith and a 40-yard touchdown to C.J. Uzomah.

But Wilson bemoaned his inconsistency after Sunday’s loss. He completed 18-of-35 passes, threw a costly interception and missed a slew of open receivers.

Wide receiver Garrett Wilson did say of Wilson, “That boy battled.”

For the season, Wilson has completed 54.9 percent of his passes for 1,596 yards. He has thrown six touchdowns and six picks. The Jets are 5-3 in games he has started.

The Jets (7-7) have lost three straight and four of five.