FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Devin Smith has had 10 months to think.About life. About football. About his future.The New York Jets wide receiver has been sidelined since last December with a knee injury that cut short his rookie season -- and threw his career into uncertainty.Really, you just realize that this game can be taken away from you, Smith said. It was taken away from me for a couple of months. It sat me down, man.Smith is inching closer to a return to the game he has missed. He spent the first six weeks of the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and is eligible to begin practicing next week.The Jets would have 21 days from the day Smith first practices to activate him to the 53-man roster or place him on season-ending injured reserve.I havent done any football in about nine months, so its been a long time coming, Smith said. I cant wait. It has seemed very, very long.Smith was a second-round pick out of Ohio State last year, a speedster with terrific athleticism, as evidenced by his eye-popping one-handed touchdown catch against Miami of Ohio in 2012 -- long before Odell Beckham Jr. made those acrobatic types of grabs a routine sight in the NFL.The Jets drafted him with the hope that he would provide a field-stretching element to the offense. But Smith injured a lung and a few ribs in training camp, sidelining him for several weeks. Once he returned, he struggled through the ups and downs of life as a rookie, trying to find his place on the team.Against Tennessee on Dec. 12, 2015, Smith was covering a punt in the third quarter when his right knee gave out. He was carted off the field and found out a short time later his season was done because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament.He finished with just nine catches for 115 yards and a touchdown -- and plenty of disappointment.A humbled Smith used the time since to re-evaluate himself while he was rehabbing, and his 16-month son Devin Jr. has had as big an impact on him as any coach or teammate.I got to watch him grow up a little bit and it really put some perspective to my life, Smith said. My little boy, its like he learns something new every day. Its such a blessing to watch him grow. And Im able to do what I do. Everythings all good.Smith is getting better at just the right time as the Jets receiving corps took a major hit when Eric Decker was lost for the season with a shoulder injury. After Brandon Marshall and Quincy Enunwa, New York will have to rely on several inexperienced players , including rookies Robby Anderson, Jalin Marshall and Charone Peake.I just cant wait to come back and do whatever I can to just help this team, Smith said. Were down a couple of wide receivers, so adding me in, I think would just be good for all of us.Smith said he has been running and cutting every day, and his knee has felt good. He doesnt think he has any limitations at this point and just needs to work his way back into game shape.In terms of practicing and doing some individual (drills) and getting my feet wet again, Im looking forward to that, and I feel I will be able to do that, he said. In terms of playing in a game or how much playing time Id get, Im going to leave that up to the coaches.After a lost rookie season, Smith seemed a bit of an afterthought during training camp because of the uncertainty surrounding his knee and the influx of young receivers.Smith never doubted hed be back, though, even if people outside the facility were writing him off.Thats really kind of how its been ever since I was in high school, said Smith, who was a football, track and basketball star while growing up in Massillon, Ohio. Everybody forgot about me and I burst on the scene. Its nothing new to me. Im just sticking to the script and staying focused, and Ill do what Ive got to do.Coach Todd Bowles said hes hopeful Smith will be able to get back in pads in the next couple of weeks.Smith will just be happy not having to watch games on TV, instead of the sideline, and wishing he could make a play.Its been very tough to watch the team take a couple of Ls and stuff like that, he said. During the preseason, when I was on the sideline, I would feel like my heart would race. I was just so anxious to get back out there. Its really tough just seeing your team not doing so well and you cant even be out there to try to do something to help the team.Thats what Im looking forward to the most, me being back with everybody and helping.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLWholesale Custom Rangers Shirts . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. Cheap Rangers Jerseys . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. http://www.customnhlrangersjersey.com/ . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. Custom Rangers Jerseys .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. Custom Eddie Giacomin Jersey . Neymar curled home a free kick from just outside the area to put the 2014 World Cup host ahead in the 44th minute. Three minutes after the break, a simple through pass from Paulinho freed Oscar and the Chelsea star rounded goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong to extend Brazils lead.Sunderland ended their winless start to the Premier League season with a dramatic 2-1 win at Bournemouth despite having a man sent off.With David Moyes serving a one-game touchline ban, Sunderland fell behind to Dan Goslings goal but Victor Anichebe levelled things up, scoring his first league goal for 546 days. Football Score Centre app Sky Sports customers can watch Premier League goals and highlights every weekend at no extra cost. Things looked bleak for under-pressure Moyes with 30 minutes remaining when Steven Pienaar was shown a second yellow card but Jermain Defoe scored from the penalty spot on 74 minutes. Bournemouth threw everything at the visitors in the closing stages, but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and his back four stood strong to give the North East club a huge victory. Jermain Defoe (left) scored Sunderlands winning goal from the penalty spot The win moves Sunderland level on five points with Swansea, but they remain bottom on goal difference. Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher labelled Lamine Kones performance in the 4-1 defeat against Arsenal not acceptable, but he was not one of three changes made by Moyes, who was watching this game from the stands after accepting a misconduct charge. David Moyes (left) was serving a touchline ban Papy Djilobodji, Paddy McNair and Anichebe replaced John OShea, Jack Rodwell and Whabi Khazri while Eddie Howe was without Andrew Surman and Callum Wilson, who were both missing with minor knocks.Gosling had a chance to impress in Surmans absence and struck to give his team the lead on 11 minutes. Junior Stanislas takes on Paddy McNair Patrick van Aanholt went to sleep and Adam Smith took full advantage of the space. He sprinted down the right flank before sending a ball into the area, which was turned in from close range by the former Everton man. Dan Gosling (right) scored Bournemouths first Bournemouth were carving Sunderland open every time they went forward and Pickford had to be alert to block a Josh King effort after Van Aanholt had switched off again.However, the visitors carried a threat of their own and levelled the match on 33 minutes.Anichebe, on his first start in the Premier League for Sunderland, showed great strength to hold off Simon Francis in the box and he kept his composure to smash home from an acute angle. David Moyes praised the spirit of his Sunderland team as they came back from a goal down With the game in the balance, Pienaar lost his head.ddddddddddddAlready on a booking for a foul on Jack Wilshere, the Sunderland man made a rash, dangerous tackle on Junior Stanislas right in front of referee Mike Dean, who was left with no option but to send off Pienaar.From then on, it was backs against the wall for Sunderland as Howes men pinned the visitors back. It seemed only a matter of time before they would regain the lead, but Wilshere missed from close range on 66 minutes after a neat one-two with Stanislas. Eddie Howe was left frustrated after Bournemouth lost to Sunderland However, with Moyes probably fearing for his job, the 10-men scored an unlikely winner.The all-action Anichebe burst into the box and Smith hauled him down just as he was about to shoot. Steven Pienaar (third from right) is shown a red card by Mike Dean Defoe stepped up and, despite the pressurised situation, he kept his cool to fire powerfully into the net.Sunderland then defended their box with a determination that had been missing in the opening 10 matches.Bournemouth created plenty of openings, but the ball seemed to break Sunderlands way in crucial situations. Victor Anichebe (left) scored Sunderlands first goal When a chance did fall for the hosts, Pickford was there to clear up.With two minutes left, Stanislas hammered a shot from 15 yards that was heading for the top corner until Pickford diverted the effort wide of the post with a spectacular one-handed save. Paul Merson looks back on the 2-1 victory for Sunderland at Bournemouth, the Black Cats first win of the season Player RatingsBournemouth: Boruc (6), Smith (5), Francis (6), Cook (6), Daniels (6), Gosling (6), Arter (6), Wilshere (5), Ibe (6), King (6), Stanislas (6)Subs: Afobe (6), Fraser (6)Sunderland: Pickford (8), Jones (7), van Aanholt (5), Djilobodji (6), Kone (7), Pienaar (4), McNair (6), Ndong (6), Watmore (7), Anichebe (9), Defoe (7)Subs: Denayer (7), Gooch (6), Love (6)Man of the match: Victor Anichebe ' ' '