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Ravens beat 49ers 23-3 in preseason opener

By WTOP Staff

DAVID GINSBURG
AP Sports Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) — If the Baltimore Ravens’ performance in their preseason opener served as a sneak preview for the regular season, then Gary Kubiak’s new offensive scheme could be a smash hit.

Joe Flacco produced an 80-yard touchdown drive in his only series, and the Ravens amassed 386 yards in offense en route to a 23-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night.

It was the third time in three tries that Ravens coach John Harbaugh got the best of his brother, Jim Harbaugh, coach of the 49ers. Baltimore previously defeated San Francisco on Thanksgiving 2011 and in the Super Bowl ending the 2012 season.

“We’ve got some work to do,” Jim Harbaugh said.

Especially on defense.

“That’s probably the biggest concern coming out right now,” Jim Harbaugh noted. “We got pushed around a little bit.”

Each team played its starting unit for one series before the backups took over.

After Colin Kaepernick moved the 49ers 66 yards for a field goal, Flacco made himself right at home in Kubiak’s variation of the West Coast offense, going 4 for 5 for 52 yards during a 10-play scoring drive.

“Ten plays in a new offense, that doesn’t happen very often,” wide receiver Steve Smith said. “We were high tempo, high paced, so that went well.”

Kubiak, the former head coach of the Houston Texans, replaced offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell, now Detroit’s head coach.

“The execution by the offense on our first drive was what we like to see,” John Harbaugh said. “Our technique and assignments were sharp. It was good, fundamentally sound football.”

Four different receivers caught passes from Flacco, the former Super Bowl MVP: Dennis Pitta for 14 yards, Jacoby Jones for 12, Kyle Juszczyk for 17 and Smith for 9.

“You expect to go out there and have a good drive,” Flacco said. “You envision good things happening. You have a good idea of what plays you’re going to run. It kind of went on schedule.”

Ray Rice ran three times for 17 yards after receiving a warm ovation from the home crowd during pregame introductions. Rice has been suspended by the NFL for the opening two regular season games after being arrested for domestic violence in February.

A year ago, the Ravens averaged a meager 3.1 yards per carry. In this game, they totaled 237 yards rushing on 48 tries, a 4.9 average.

“The thing that was good was that we went out the first drive, Joe and all of us, and we executed,” Rice said. “But when we came out, the same level of execution came in. It was good to see that there was no dropoff from anybody.”

Bernard Pierce will probably start while Rice is serving his suspension. Pierce ran for 37 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown run to end Baltimore’s opening drive.

Kubiak’s offense is different for the running backs, too, and Pierce appears to have made the adjustment.

“It’s definitely a one-cut system,” he said. “It’s not that complicated to run.”

John Harbaugh was predictably low-key about the success of the running game.

“It’s just one day and you have to build on top of it,” he said.

San Francisco had offensive coordinator Greg Roman back from last year, but he streamlined the playbook during the offseason in an effort to make it easier for Kaepernick to get the call in.

Kaepernick appeared relaxed at the helm during his lone series. He completed his only pass, 17 yards to tight end Vance McDonald.

“Ended up in the red zone with an opportunity to score a touchdown, so that’s all that really matters,” Kaepernick said. “The biggest thing for us was we were trying to get points on the board, regardless of how we get there.”

San Francisco running back Frank Gore did not play. Rookie Carlos Hyde started and gained 39 yards on five carries.

Jonathan Martin started at right tackle for the 49ers in place of injured Anthony Davis (shoulder). Martin, who was in the center of the Miami Dolphins’ bullying scandal involving former teammate Richie Incognito, came to San Francisco in an offseason trade.

Kaepernick’s backup, Blaine Gabbert, went 3 for 11 for 20 yards and an interception.

Flacco’s replacement, Tyrod Taylor, completed 13 of 21 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 59 yards on five carries.

Justin Tucker kicked three field goals for Baltimore, including a 55-yarder that made it 16-3 late in the third quarter.

NOTES: The 49ers rested, among others, Gore, WRs Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd and LB Patrick Willis. … Ravens top draft pick C.J. Mosley had a sack.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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