Smith has had an awful three weeks, all losses, since the Jets' Week 10 bye. During that stretch, he's completed only 21-of-55 pass attempts for 259 yards with seven interceptions, a lost fumble and zero touchodwns. It might have been a different story if Simms was better in relief against Miami, a 23-3 loss. Simms was only 9-of-18 for 79 yards with an interception during the second half.

So Rex Ryan is simply stuck with two bad options. The coach might as well give the rookie a chance to grow and play out his slump at this point, given at 5-7, the Jets' playoff hopes have faded fast.

The question is, can Smith play well enough against the Raiders and during the final month of the season to convince Ryan and Jets he can still be their quarterback of the near future? If Smith can't get it done against a porous Oakland pass defense with another chance, then it will raise serious doubts. That would leave the Jets, who used only a second-rounder on Smith, back at the drawing board to draft another QB in 2014.


BRADY DENIES ALLEGATIONS


Patriots quarterback Tom Brady dismissed the accusation of spying made by the Texans defensive end Antonio Smith.

On Sunday, Smith suggested that the Patriots may have used dirty tactics in preparation for their game in which New England won, 34-31.

“I don’t really think much of it, truthfully,” Brady said on WEEI radio in Boston. “I just kind of have moved on.”

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he’d heard about the salacious charge made by Smith.

“Yeah, I saw them,” he said of the comments. “I don’t have any comment on them. That’s a league matter.”

Smith certainly had plenty to say: “Either teams are spying on us or scouting us…I don’t know what it is.”

Smith said it was “miraculous” that teams were able to adapt to unique changes the Texans made.

“It was kind of fishy.”

Brady had a better explanation for it: “Execution is the name of the game. We did a good job there in the second half.”

In 2008, the NFL fined Belichick $500,000 and the Patriots $250,000 and took away a 2008 first-round draft pick after discovering the Patriots videotaped the New York Jets signals during a game on Sept. 9, 2007. Belichick apologized, saying he thought it was allowed.


FOX BACK TO WORK


Broncos coach John Fox could hardly wait to get back to work, and now that he has, he’s in high spirits and feeling great.

Fox underwent heart valve replacement surgery on Nov. 4. His plan was to delay the surgery until after the season, but after becoming dizzy and lightheaded during a round of golf, he moved forward with the procedure.

Fox stuck to the four-week recovery period, but admitted he was in contact with his team and coaches.

“I feel as healthy as I’ve ever felt in the last 20 years,” Fox told ESPN.com. “I’m going to be smart. If all of a sudden I can’t hold my eyes open, I’m going to go home. But, like I said, the last three weeks I’ve been operating pretty much as I did the first eight weeks of the season. It’s not like I’m moving furniture or doing roofs. I mean, I sit somewhere and watch football.”

He says he feels “tremendous.” During his recovery period, he consulted with Colts’ coach Chuck Pagano, who sat out last year while recovering from cancer. He said the two agreed that watching games was the hardest.

Now that he’s back, he’ll probably feel better doing his work, too.

“As my surgeon said, I had a valve that was about as big as a pinhead, and now it’s about the size of a 50-cent piece. I feel tremendous,” he said.

Jack Del Rio was 3-1 as the Broncos’ interim coach.


LEAGUE CALLS FOUL


The NFL has reviewed a controversial and confusing call late in the Redskins loss to the Giants, and has concluded that referee Jeff Triplette was in error.

Triplette failed to stop play to ensure the all officials and both teams understood what down it was.

“In this situation where there is obvious confusion as to the status of the down, play should have been stopped prior to the third down and the correct down communicated to both clubs,” said vice president of officiating, Dean Blandino. “This should have occurred regardless of the fact that Washington had no timeouts and it was inside two minutes.”

Washington’s pass play to Pierre Garcon on second down was inches short of a first down and was spotted as such. However, the sideline official indicated that it was third down and the chains were moved, indicating that it was first down.

Coach Mike Shanahan said he asked for a measurement, but was told he didn’t need it because it was first down. After the next play, an incomplete pass to Fred Davis, the Redskins were told it was fourth down. Garcon caught a fourth down pass, but it was stripped by the Giants’ Will Hill.

“Only the referee can rule and signal a first down,” Blandino explained in his statement. “The official nearest to the down markers and chain crew, the head linesman, must wait for the first down signal from the referee before moving the chains. Instant Replay did not become involved in this situation because the replay official determined that the ball on Garcon’s catch was correctly spotted short of the line to gain for a first down.”

Had the Redskins thought they were running a third-down play instead of a first-down play, the play call likely would have been different. But, there’s nothing to be done about it now. The Redskins are mathematically out of playoff reach and a disappointing season rolls on.


QUARTERBACK FOR HIRE


Another stinging defeat. Another damaged quarterback.

The Browns are losing games and key players at an alarming rate.

With Brandon Weeden sustaining a concussion in Sunday's troubling 32-28 loss against Jacksonville, and Jason Campbell still not medically cleared to practice after suffering a head injury last week against Pittsburgh, Browns coach Rob Chudzinski began preparing for this week's game at New England not knowing who he will start at quarterback against the powerful Patriots.

Gee, how comforting. Bill Belichick must be panicked.

Weeden played all four quarters — 75 snaps — against the Jaguars, and didn't complain about any symptoms until afterward, when he was diagnosed with the concussion. Weeden was sent home Monday after reporting to the Browns' training facility and is following the league's protocol on head injuries. Chudzinski did not know "exactly" when Weeden got hurt, but said it's not unusual for players to not feel well until after the game.

Campbell has been cleared to resume football activities, but still can't practice. If he's not on the field Wednesday, the Browns (4-8) may have to start Alex Tanney, who was signed last week off Dallas' practice squad. He's best known for a YouTube trick-shot video he made at Division III Monmouth (Ill.) College and has not played a single down in a regular-season NFL game.

Chudzinski said it's also possible the Browns will sign a free-agent quarterback.

"These next 24 to 48 hours will be key," Chudzinski said. "We have a number of contingency plans. All the possibilities are open right now."

Contributors: Rana L. Cash, Vinnie Iyer, The Associated Press

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