(SportsNetwork.com) - The margin for error is getting smaller and smaller when it comes to the AFC playoff hunt for the Miami Dolphins. And the Dolphins cant afford another slip up when they put a period on Week 13 of the NFL season by visiting a hapless New York Jets team turning back to Geno Smith on Monday Night Football. Smith, who started the first eight games this season before being benched, replaced Michael Vick under center during last Mondays 38-3 drubbing at the hands of the Buffalo Bills, a setback that dropped the Jets to 2-9. Embattled New York coach Rex Ryan claims to have made the decision and informed both quarterbacks Wednesday morning. Everybodys on board with this decision, Ryan said. I have said it all along that I feel we have two good quarterbacks, I definitely feel that. And we have another guy that is a decent quarterback as well, in (Matt) Simms. But I feel that way. Smith had been the Jets starter for the first 24 games of his career after the team selected him in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was benched in the Week 8 loss to Buffalo after throwing three interceptions in the first 10 minutes of the contest and Vick was named the starter the following week. We purposely put Geno back, let him observe, Ryan said. Now is the opportunity for him to step back in and lets see how it goes. I, for one, am excited to watch him. He has my support on this, and thats what Ill say about it. Vick started the past three games for the Jets, leading the team to a victory in Week 10 against Pittsburgh to end an eight-game losing streak. He struggled in Mondays game against the Bills at Detroits Ford Field, completing just 7- of-19 passes for 76 yards with an interception while being sacked five times. The game was moved from Ralph Wilson Stadium after the venue was deemed unplayable due to several feet of snow that fell last week, crippling Buffalo and neighboring areas. Smith entered in the third quarter and connected on 10-of-12 throws for 89 yards while being sacked twice. Horrible performance. We couldnt do anything. Couldnt block. Couldnt tackle. Couldnt cover. It was just an awful performance, Ryan admitted. The Dolphins suffered their own disappointing, almost debilitating loss at Denver in Week 12, albeit a far more competitive one when Peyton Manning threw four touchdown passes, three to Demaryius Thomas and two during a fourth- quarter rally, that lifted the Broncos to a hard-earned 39-36 win. The Broncos trailed a gritty Miami team for most of the game and were down 28-17 after three quarters, then erupted for 22 consecutive points in the fourth to regain sole possession of first place in the AFC West. Ryan Tannehill threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to put Miami in position for the upset before Manning engineered his 41st career fourth- quarter comeback. The young quarterback completed 26-of-36 throws for 228 yards with a costly late interception that helped seal the outcome. As a competitor, you dont like to see it, Tannehill said. We didnt score enough points in the second half. Jarvis Landry hauled in two of Tannehills scoring strikes and recorded seven catches for 50 yards. The Jets lead their all-time series with Miami by a 50-45-1 margin. On Monday night, the Dolphins play .500 football at 40-40 while New York is underwater at 20-29. The two teams will rematch in South Florida during Week 17. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Miami has struggled mightily in close games this season, going 0-3 in contests decided by four or fewer points. In addition to the loss in Denver, the Dolphins suffered setbacks to Green Bay in Week 6 and Detroit in Week 10 due to late-game collapses. We have to find a way to win some of those games, Miami coach Joe Philbin admitted. Were going to be in some more of those games. Thats just the way the NFL is. Entering Week 13, 11 of the AFCs 16 teams had six-or-more wins and most them were above the Dolphins, making this a virtual must win for a team which hasnt reached the playoffs since 2008. I dont think the records really matter right now, Philbin said. We have to go win a game against the New York Jets. Thats really the only thing that is on my mind and should be on our players minds at this point. Getting to play the Jets twice in the final five weeks will only help, especially now that they have turned back toward Smith, who looked terribly overmatched in his first eight opportunities this season. The West Virginia product has thrown for 1,459 yards with seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions this season. Turnovers have been a major issue for the Jets, who are minus-12 on the season, a number that helps explain how the team can be ranked No. 7 in total defense (328.8 yards per game) but be tied for 30th in points allowed (27.5 points per game). Tannehill, meanwhile, has been hot recently and is third in the NFL with a 70.9 completion percentage over his last six games while throwing 12 TD passes against just three interceptions over that span. With Smith back under center the Jets will try to rely on a running game that stumbled against the Bills, gaining just 92 yards on the ground. Miami, however, allowed a season-high 201 against the Broncos with the lightly- regarded C.J. Anderson gashing them for 167. They have an outstanding defensive line, Ryan said of the Dolphins. Absolutely it starts up front. If we cant block them it doesnt matter who you have at quarterback. New York is also expected to be without star defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson due to an injured toe suffered in Detroit. It doesnt look good for Big Mo, Ryan said. If youre in a boot, that doesnt look good for this week. But, hopefully, well get him back as soon as we can. OVERALL ANALYSIS By going back to Smith, Ryan has essentially waived the white flag on the season and his career as the Jets head coach. It also plainly indicates the power in the organization is with unpopular general manager John Idzik. The Jets arent a good team with either signal caller but Vick can at least get hot every now and again and make New York competitive, albeit inconsistently. I think the best thing for this team right now is to play Geno Smith, Ryan said unconvincingly. Right now, for all the reasons we talked about. Is one of those reasons, does he give you a great chance to win, or a chance to win? I believe he does give us a chance to win. Not much of one moving forward. Sports Network predicted outcome: Dolphins 23, Jets 16 Wholesale Vikings Jerseys .com) - Tony Parker scored 17 points to lead the San Antonio Spurs to a comfortable 99-85 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. Cheap Vikings Jerseys China . Canada will host the second stop on the circuit, the 2014 Skate Canada International in Kelowna, British Columbia from October 31 - November 2, 2014 at Prospera Place. http://www.cheapvikingsjerseyselite.com/. The ongoing funk on penalty kill and an unusually quiet night on home ice for the power play divided the Leafs from the Bruins at the ACC in a rare Sunday night affair. Cheap Minnesota Vikings Jerseys . Marian Gaborik had two goals and an assist and Martin Jones made just 17 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season as the Kings snapped a three-game losing skid with a 3-0 victory over the lowly Oilers on Thursday. Cheap Vikings Jerseys Authentic . Fans holding laudatory signs started showing up at Yankee Stadium when the gates opened at 4 p.m. Monday, an hour early in order to give them a chance to watch the New York captain take batting practice.SUNRISE, Fla. -- When Roberto Luongo learned he wouldnt be starting the Heritage Classic, the disappointed goaltender asked agent Pat Brisson to call Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis just to get a read on his future. When Gillis gave Brisson permission to seek out a potential trade partner for the goalie and his massive contract, the attention turned quickly to the Panthers -- and not just because Luongo calls South Florida home. "It had to be a hockey move," Brisson said. "Roberto wants to play, wants to win. He wants to compete and win. ... When Roberto asked me, I said, I do believe that theres a light at the end of the tunnel for (the Panthers)," Brisson said. "I do believe theres a place where this team is going to go in the right direction." While the Canucks head in the direction of a rebuild, the Panthers look like a team on the upward climb thanks to new owner Vinny Viola and a cadre of young prospects GM Dale Tallon has assembled in the NHLs southernmost market. Through two games with his new team, Luongo has already caught a glimpse of what he and many hockey people believe is a bright future for the Panthers. Luongo sees potential stars in Jonathan Huberdeau, Nick Bjugstad and a handful more young players around the locker-room. At 34 years old, he wants to contribute to the revival of the franchise rather than riding coattails. "Its all about making a commitment to bringing some people in and trying to build a winner," Luongo said Sunday night after facing the Boston Bruins. "Thats what its all about for me. Im not here to fade into the sunset. I want to be part of something special coming here." Something special in the short term might just mean making the playoffs after missing in 11 of the past 12 seasons. Even as the Panthers head toward another early off-season, Bjugstad hopes its just "growing pains" as part of an important learning experience. Thats to be expected for a team whose top players include 18-year-old Aleksander Barkov, 20-year-old Huberdeau, and 22-year-old Erik Gudbranson. Players were on a bus in Boston when they found out Luongo was coming and represented something of a safety valve for mistakes of youth. "Any time you can have a solid goaltender behind you, it gives you confidence that you can make some plays," said 20-year-old forward Vincent Trocheck, who made his Panthers debut the same game Luongo returned. "If you do make a mistake, you know that hes back there to save your butt, basically." Yet in the larger scope, Luongo is not being asked to save a franchise by himself. It is, however, Tallons hope that trading for him "sets the tone" for the organization. The message of taking on the final eight-plus years and over US$28 million of Luongos contract was that the Panthers are willing to spend. Hours after making the move, Tallon said it was about making good on all the talk about wanting to win a Stanley Cup because "talk is cheap." Doing so could be expensive, but its not out of the realm of possibility that Florida has a better chance of winning a Cup in the next four or five years than Vancouver. "You never know," Luongo said. "Its tough to say. You hope so. Thats why Im here. I think the pieces are definitely here, just a matter of making sure that we bring the right piece to complement these young guys that are talented and theyre going to be stars in this league." Tallon has a plan. After already taking the goaltending gamble that was Jacob Marksttrom out of the equation and getting Luongo, he has his sights set on signing, drafting or trading for two power wingers to support Barkov, Huberdeau, Bjugstad and Trocheck.dddddddddddd. The Panthers payroll is the lowest in the league at just over US$50 million, but with Viola in charge, Tallon expects to be "a cap team or close to a cap team" next season. Having almost $30 million of cap space could help the Panthers continue down the path to being a contender, but it also helps to have Luongo as a salesman and a symbol of the clubs all-out push to get better. "Its hard to recruit anybody if they dont think youre doing the right thing," Tallon said. "I think the commitment of making that deal and the commitment that Vinny Violas going to make ... will really influence a lot of decisions as far as players wanting to come here, seeing that were really committed to winning." Luongo didnt keep close tabs on the Panthers rebuild while he was playing for the Canucks because he didnt expect to get traded, let alone back to Florida. But Brisson, who just negotiated a two-year extension for winger Brad Boyes, had a good sense of what was happening. New ownership meant a new opportunity for Luongo. "If it was back to the former ownership where they werent sure what they wanted to spend, what they wanted to do, I wouldnt have recommended it at the time -- absolutely not," Brisson said. "If you look at good ownership and willingness to spend and the right chef, so to speak, the right cook in the kitchen, its an attractive place for Roberto and the players that are there." Tallon is that chef, and he has quite the recipe on his resume. Even though Stan Bowman was the general manager when the Blackhawks won the 2010 Stanley Cup, Tallon orchestrated much of the turnaround in Chicago. "It went well for them," Bjugstad said. "Thats kind of what were banking on." For every Blackhawks success story theres another example like the Edmonton Oilers, who are set to miss the playoffs for the eighth straight season despite three straight No. 1 picks and six in the top 10. They provide a cautionary tale for the Panthers, even as Tallon rattles off prospect after prospect who could make a difference. Each one of those young, unproven players represents essentially a raffle ticket for Florida, another chance to hit it big. But theres plenty of risk and uncertainty in that. "Obviously weve got to prove ourselves before we can get too excited," Bjugstad said. "Theres a ways to go." In Luongo, the young Panthers get a goalie who is already established. Even if his play is not Vezina Trophy-calibre, he could instill plenty of confidence on and off the ice. "I think maybe as more of an experienced guy in the locker-room to bring whatever I have learned over the years and maybe help them out along the way as far as just being a pro and all that kind of stuff to help their development," Luongo said. That team-wide development and progression toward a playoff team is still in the "early" stages, according to Tallon. Luongos addition speeds it up, but theres still no set goal on when he figures the Panthers will get over the hump. "I dont put numbers on that," he said. "I just let the players start to develop and see when theyre ready to make a real hit on the team as far as moving forward. And when they all come together as a group, as a team, not just in a group of individuals, thats when you pretty well know when youve got something special." Cheap Buffalo Sabres GearWholesale Calgary Flames JerseysCheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche JerseysMontreal Canadiens Outlet StoreWholesale New Jersey Devils JerseysAdidas Arizona Coyotes JerseysCheap Adidas Boston Bruins JerseysCheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes JerseysChicago Blackhawks Shop Free ShippingWholesale Columbus Blue Jackets JerseysDallas Stars Shop Free ShippingCheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings JerseysAnaheim Ducks Jerseys ChinaWholesale Edmonton Oilers JerseysFlorida Panthers Shop Free ShippingWholesale Los Angeles Kings JerseysMinnesota Wild Outlet StoreCheap Adidas Nashville Predators JerseysCheap Adidas New York Islanders JerseysNew York Rangers Winter Classic JerseysCheap Adidas Ottawa Senators JerseysCheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers JerseysWholesale Pittsburgh Penguins JerseysCheap Adidas San Jose Sharks JerseysSt. Louis Blues Winter Classic JerseysWholesale Tampa Bay Lightning JerseysToronto Maple Leafs Outlet StoreVancouver Canucks Outlet StoreCheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights JerseysCheap Adidas Washington Capitals JerseysCheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '