ITPV » on Ryan Zimmermans sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. "

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- The handshakes and backslaps exchanged in the Miami Dolphins locker room late Sunday afternoon were gestures of consolation, not celebration, before players quietly slipped out the back door at the end of another disappointing season. Miami was eliminated from the scramble for the AFCs final wild-card berth by the New York Jets, who thrived in the role of spoilers against their archrivals and won 20-7. The Dolphins blew an early lead to complete a December collapse that will keep them out of the playoffs for a fifth straight year. "Its definitely going to take a little while to get over this one," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. New Yorks Geno Smith led three long scoring drives, ran for a touchdown and threw for 190 yards, while two interceptions by rookie Dee Milliner and one by 35-year-old Ed Reed prevented a Miami comeback. The Dolphins (8-8) squandered a shot at their first post-season berth since 2008 by losing the final two games to non-playoff teams, including a shutout defeat at last-place Buffalo. It was a dismal end to a roller-coaster season that included a four-game losing streak, a bullying scandal that drew national scrutiny, and a December surge that briefly left the Dolphins in control of their playoff destiny -- but turned out to be a tease. "Our record is 8-8, and thats the definition of average," cornerback Brent Grimes said. "We felt like we could be a much better than average team, so were disappointed. We messed up in the last two games. Weve just got to live with that." The Dolphins were outscored 39-7 in those final two games. Now owner Stephen Ross must decide whether to shake up a regime led by second-year coach Joe Philbin and sixth-year general manager Jeff Ireland. "You have to earn your way into the playoffs. Clearly we didnt do that," Philbin said. "The results start with me. The head coach is responsible for the results. The offence, the defence, the special teams, the record -- it starts with me. Lets not stand here and blame the players." The Jets (8-8) celebrated as though theyre playoff-bound but will sit out the post-season for the third year in a row. After the game, owner Woody Johnson announced that coach Rex Ryan would return for a sixth season in 2014. Ryan, whose future had been in question, said Johnson gave him the news before the game. When players were told afterward, they cheered in the locker room. "Ill say this -- I love being the head coach of the New York Jets, plain and simple," Ryan said. "You put everything youve got into it. I never wanted to go out this way. Weve missed the playoffs three straight years, and that bothers me, no question." The Jets made sure they were joined on the post-season sideline by Miami. The only points of the seasons final two weeks for the Dolphins put them ahead 7-0 in the second quarter, but the Jets rallied by mounting touchdown drives of 71 and 80 yards on their final possessions of the first half. When Smith scored on a 7-yard, third-down keeper up the middle with 3 seconds left for a 14-7 lead at halftime, an excited Ryan ran on the field to celebrate with his players. Fans were booing in the first half and streaming for the exits in the final minutes. Smith drove the Jets 63 yards to set up a field goal that gave them a 17-7 cushion with 4:18 left, and on the next play Reed grabbed a deflected pass for his 64th career interception to all but seal the victory. Milliner stopped a Miami threat in the third quarter with a diving interception of Tannehill one play after Mike Wallace dropped a potential touchdown pass that would have tied the game. The Jets played like a team with nothing to lose, which they were, and eager to spoil Miamis season. They kept the Dolphins off balance with swarming defence and imaginative play-calling, including 294-pound defensive lineman Sheldon Richardsons 1-yard plunge for his second rushing touchdown this season. Running back Bilal Powell threw a 30-yard completion to set up the Jets field goal. Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline left the game in the first quarter with a left knee injury, while Wallace and Tannehill found it difficult to click all day. Tannehill overthrew an open Wallace deep, and Wallace slipped and fell on Milliners first interception. They did combine for a 5-yard touchdown to cap an 89-yard drive. But the Dolphins running game sputtered, as usual, and Tannehill finished with a woeful passer rating of 42.1. "It cant get worse than this," Wallace said. "We let them win. We let them dominate the game. We knew what we had on the line, and we didnt come up with the plays we needed." Notes: Hartline limped out of the game after a 25-yard reception that put him over the 1,000-yard mark for the second year in a row. ... Jets reserve CB Kyle Wilson left in the first half with a knee injury and didnt return. ... Before the game, former LB-DE Kim Bokamper, WR O.J. McDuffie, RB Mercury Morris and G Keith Sims were inducted into the Dolphins Walk of Fame. Cameron Jordan Jersey . "Ive got a lot of work to do on this team and the sooner that I can get back to my office and start that work, itll be better," he said straight-faced as the rest of the room erupted in laughter. Archie Manning Youth Jersey . As their best player continued to orchestrate his dramatic exit from the club, the Whitecaps added size and creativity at Thursdays Major League Soccer SuperDraft. http://www.authenticsaintssportsonline.com/saints-drew-brees-gold-jersey/ . With the win, the Marlies complete a three-game series sweep of the Admirals and move on to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs. T.J. Brennan added an empty netter with less than 25 seconds remaining for his second of the playoffs. Taysom Hill Womens Jersey . Span, Danny Espinosa and Adam LaRoche had two hits apiece as Washington won the final two games of the series. The Nationals improved to 3-7 against Atlanta. They increased their division lead over the Braves to 1 1/2 games. Alvin Kamara Youth Jersey . Trailing 2-1 from the first leg, Fiorentina levelled on aggregate in the 14th minute when Joaquin Sanchez Rodriguez headed back a long ball from David Pizarro and Pasqual smashed home an angled volley.WASHINGTON -- After his last start, Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg said his mechanics werent right. Tuesday night he was finely tuned. Strasburg bounced back from his worst outing of the season with 7 2-3 strong innings, and Jayson Werth had two doubles and three RBIs in the Nationals 7-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. "I just tried to execute pitches better. I wasnt trying to reinvent the wheel," he said. "I think I wanted to go out there and just trust myself, and just have a little bit finer focus. . I feel like I was able to keep the ball down a little bit." Anthony Rendon added a two-run double for Washington, which has won four straight. Strasburg (7-6) tied his career high by allowing seven earned runs in 4 2-3 innings in his last start -- a loss in Milwaukee -- and was 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA over his last three. Tuesday night he struck out eight and walked one while giving up one run. The Rockies didnt get a runner past second until DJ LeMahieus homer in the eighth. "I think strike one is probably the biggest difference," manager Matt Williams said. "He got ahead of a lot of hitters tonight. His curveball was effective, his changeup was effective. Went deep in the game. He threw a lot of pitches, but he was in command." Strasburg was lifted after walking Corey Dickerson with his 111th pitch. Tuesday night also was a bounce back game for Werth, who was 7 for 52 in his last 13 coming in. He doubled home two runs in the first, another in the fourth and walked twice. "(I) was here late last night watching video with Rick Schu, our hitting coach," Werth said. "Today, had a pretty good mindset going into the game and we made a minor adjustment, just kind of shorten (my swing) up a little bit." Washington has scored seven runs in three straight games, albeit the last two against the pitching staff with baseballs worst ERA. Bryce Harper went 1 for 5 in his second game back from the disabled list, and every Washington starter hit safely except Ian Desmond. "Theres not an easy out one thru eight," Strasburg said. "Its our job as pitchers to go out tthere and keep it close and let our (hitters) go out there and win the game.dddddddddddd" Christian Friedrich (0-3) allowed five runs in 3 1-3 innings for Colorado, which has lost 13 of 15. "Every day you cant worry about what happened yesterday," Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau said. "Youre not going to change it. If you start thinking that way, thats when you get in trouble. When you can put today behind us and come back and try and win a game tomorrow and start over, thats what good teams are able to do." Friedrich was making his third start since being called up June 21 and struggled once again, allowing five hits while walking four and striking out four. Overall, hes given up 14 earned runs and 21 hits in 13 1-3 innings. He struggled with his control early and the Rockies were quickly behind. Denard Span and Rendon walked to open the first, and Werth hit a smash past third baseman Ryan Wheeler, scoring both runners. Werth went to third on an infield single by Adam LaRoche and scored on Ryan Zimmermans sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. "Tough to play from behind against Strasburg. We got down early, made it tough," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. Strasburg helped Washington break it open when he doubled past a diving Brandon Barnes in right with one out in the fourth. Span singled Strasburg to third and moved to second on a wild pitch. Rendon then greeted reliever Chad Bettis with a double to left, increasing the lead to 5-0. Werth singled to score Rendon and later came home on a wild pitch. NOTES: In middle of 20 straight days with a game, Weiss rested SS Troy Tulowitzki and OF Charlie Blackmon. Blackmon grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. ... Rockies LH Brett Anderson (broken finger), on the DL since April 13, is scheduled to make his first rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... The Nationals, after allowing 19 unearned runs in March/April and 13 in May, set a new club record by allowing just two in June. ... Colorados LH Tyler Matzek (1-2, 4.24) opposes RH Doug Fister (6-2, 2.83) in Wednesdays series finale. ' ' '