Steelers Playoff Watch: Joe Flacco, Skylar Thompson to Start in Dolphins-Jets

Between Zach Wilson, Mike White, and Joe Flacco, the starting quarterback situation for the New York Jets has been a revolving door for much of the season. This Sunday will be no different. For the Dolphins, the same rule applies. It greatly affects the Steelers playoff hopes.

Mike White, a backup who seemed to become the team’s preferred starter — over the second-year, former first-rounder, Wilson — is nursing injured ribs and has been ruled out for the Jets’ matchup with Miami.

Former Baltimore signal-caller Joe Flacco will be behind center for New York. Going a respectable 91-of-155 for 901 yards and five scores, he started the first three games of the campaign as fans eagerly awaited Wilson’s return from a preseason knee injury.

Wilson returned in time to face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, which also marked rookie Kenny Pickett’s first appearance in black and gold. Pickett’s stock has risen, the same can’t particularly be said for Wilson.

Things went south for him a few weeks later and the young passer who shot up draft boards in 2021 and wound up being taken Justin Fields and Mac Jones has fallen out of the good graces of the franchise.

With time split between Wilson and White, Flacco’s seen very limited action since early in the go-round, but the Steelers will be counting on their old foe to get the job done.

Meanwhile, Miami will roll out Skylar Thompson to start. Teddy Bridgewater is out with a finger injury while Tua Tagovailoa is still going through the concussion protocol. It leaves the Dolphins in disarray as they come in as losers of five straight games.

The Steelers playoff scenario is complicated. Pittsburgh needs a win against Cleveland, which has seen some drama unfold in the locker room over the last few days, along with wins by Buffalo and the Jets.

New York will also be without three starting offensive linemen — tackles Duane Brown and George Fant and guard Nate Herbig.