Dolphins-Jets preview

East Rutherford, N.J. - Geno Smith will start for the New York Jets when they host the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

Head coach Rex Ryan announced the decision to give Smith a second shot at the job Wednesday morning.

"Everybody's on board with the decision," Ryan said. "I have said it all along that I feel we have two good quarterbacks, I definitely feel that."

Smith started the first eight games of the season for the Jets (2-9) before being benched in favor of Michael Vick for three games, though would himself replace Vick during the team's 38-3 defeat to the Buffalo Bills last Monday.

He has thrown only 7 touchdowns against 10 interceptions this season and has not started since facing a 43-23 defeat to Buffalo in Week 8, a game that found him throw interceptions on three-straight possessions.

Smith goes under center for the worst passing game in football (173.7 ypg) and will face the Dolphins' 4th-best pass defense (211.7 ypg) Monday night.

"Now is the opportunity for him to step back in and let's see how it goes," Ryan said of Smith. "I, for one, am excited to watch him. He has my support on this, and that's what I'll say about that."

The quarterback position across the field is slightly more stable.

Ryan Tannehill ranks 3rd in football with a 71 percent completion rate and threw 3 touchdowns last Sunday in Denver. Though his late interception would seal the 39-36 defeat in the fourth quarter.

They held an 11-point lead over the Broncos in that final session.

"As a competitor, you don't like to see it," Tannehill said of the loss. "We didn't score enough points in the second half."

His 20 touchdown passes are the 12th-best in the game, and his 8 interceptions are the 23rd least.

Mike Wallace leads the Dolphins' 14th-best receiving corps with 7 touchdowns on 592 yards. Jarvis Landry follows with 450 yards and 5 scores.

Miami (6-5) has struggled to an 0-3 record in contests decided by four or fewer points this season.  

In addition to their loss at Denver, the Dolphins fell by 3 points to the Packers at home in Week 6 and at Detroit four weeks later by 4, both contests where late leads were lost.

They lost to Detroit on a touchdown pass with 29 seconds left in the game.

"We have to find a way to win some of those games," Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin said this week. "We're going to be in some more of those games. That's just the way the NFL is."

Though the Dolphins do boast the 10th-best rush defense, holding opponents to 104 yards per game. That strength will be tested against the Jets' 3rd-best rushing attack (136.5 ypg).

New York's Chris Ivory has rushed for 579 yards and 4 touchdowns and Chris Johnson for another score on 400 yards this season.

"They have an outstanding defensive line," Rex Ryan said of Miami's front. "If we can't block them it doesn't matter who you have at quarterback."

The two teams will meet again to conclude their regular seasons in Miami.