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Vick leads Jets to TD drive in 13-10 win vs. Colts

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Michael Vick took off on third down, eluded a few tackle attempts and picked up 15 yards for a first down.

Yep, he’s still got it.

Vick showed he’s still a playmaker, leading the New York Jets on a touchdown drive, capped by fellow newcomer Chris Johnson’s 1-yard scoring run, in a 13-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

“I did all right. It could’ve been better,” Vick said. “I wanted to get some throws down the field, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. So, let’s see what happens next week.”

Andrew Luck made what amounted to a cameo appearance, playing in just one efficient drive for the Colts, going 4 of 5 for 53 yards and leading Indianapolis to a field goal in his brief stint.

“I thought we had a lot of good rhythm,” Luck said. “I wish we would have gotten a touchdown, but points are good.”

Rookie free agent Andrew Furney kicked a 51-yard field goal with 1:08 left to put the Jets ahead in a game that appeared headed for overtime. Ikemefuna Enemkpali sacked Chandler Harnish in the closing minute and A.J. Edds recovered the fumble, sealing the win for New York.

“It wasn’t great,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said, “but it wasn’t a pillow fight, either.”

Geno Smith, looking to retain his starting job with the Jets in his second season, was 4 of 6 for 33 yards in his two series with the first-team offense — including a drive capped by a 51-yard field goal by Nick Folk that hit the crossbar and bounced over — before giving way to Vick.

He also had an impressive 10-yard scramble on a read-option.

“There’s no grade for it,” Smith said of his performance. “I played two series and did OK, but got to get better.”

Vick jogged onto the field to a nice ovation from the crowd at MetLife Stadium — a greeting he wasn’t expecting.

“To get that type of reception, it was a very warm welcome,” he said, “and I appreciated it.”

A 14-play drive tied it at 10, and while it came mostly against backups on defense, the 34-year-old Vick showed his elusiveness and also converted on fourth-and-4 at the 8, hitting Tommy Bohanon for 6 yards to set up Johnson’s touchdown.

The Jets were also helped by two 15-yard penalties: a facemask on Josh Gordy, and an unsportsmanlike conduct call on Sergio Brown, who took the helmet of Jets lineman Willie Colon and tossed it after Colon and Indianapolis defensive tackle Jeris Pendleton got into it on the field.

Pendleton left a few plays later with a knee injury.

Vick went three-and-out on his next possession with the Jets’ backups, ending with a sack by Cam Johnson. He took a knee on the final play before halftime, ending his night. Vick was 3 of 6 for 17 yards, and also ran three times for 19 yards.

“I thought Geno played extremely well,” Ryan said. “I’m really pleased with Geno, and also pleased with Mike, as well.”

Luck got the Colts to the Jets 10 on the game’s opening drive when he beat a blitz and hit T.Y. Hilton for 17 yards. After a defensive offside call on Calvin Pace put the ball at the 3, Trent Richardson lost 2 yards. On third-and-goal, the snap by rookie center Jonotthan Harrison — playing after starter Khaled Holmes injured an ankle — floated past Luck’s head for a 16-yard loss. Adam Vinatieri then kicked a 39-yarder to give Indianapolis a 3-0 lead.

That was it for Luck, who gave way to veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck.

“That was the plan, to get him six-to-eight plays, and it ended up, I think it was 12 on that drive,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “So, he actually got a few more than we planned, but it was fine.”

Hasselbeck helped put the Colts ahead 10-3 on their next possession, tossing a swing pass to Daniel Herron, who beat rookie linebacker Jeremiah George and zipped into the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown.

Hasselbeck nearly led the Colts to another scoring drive right before halftime, but Vinatieri pushed a 29-yard attempt wide left to keep it tied at 10. Hasselbeck finished 10 of 15 for 114 yards and the score.

NOTES: Pagano had no immediate word on the severity of Holmes’ injury, saying only that he would have an MRI exam Friday. Other injuries for the Colts: LT Ulrick John (right ankle) and LB Daniel Adongo (biceps). … Jets RB Chris Ivory (ribs) and WR David Nelson (hand) left, but Ryan said they should be fine. Edds broke a finger on his left hand, but returned. … Herron finished with 26 yards rushing and led the Colts with six catches for 36 yards.

___

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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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