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Broncos outlast flags, beat Seahawks 21-16

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

DENVER (AP) — The 46-minute lightning delay was one thing. The flurry of flags were quite another.

“It just made the game longer,” Demaryius Thomas said after Denver’s 21-16 preseason win over Seattle on Thursday night. “I guess they’re doing what they got to do.”

The Super Bowl teams slogged through a preseason opener delayed as much by those 25 flags as by the lightning that struck within an eight-mile perimeter of Sports Authority Field in the first quarter.

With such fits and starts, neither the Broncos nor the Seahawks looked much like the teams the oddsmakers have pegged for a Super Bowl rematch in the Arizona desert six months from now.

“When you have 25 penalties, it’s going to be kind of messy,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said. “That kind of shrouded the game I think from both sides.”

In between the weather delay, both starting offenses put together long touchdown drives that ate up more than 9 minutes and were kept alive by a wave of yellow flags.

“It does get frustrating, but you’ve got to know it’s the preseason and they’re practicing too,” Denver defensive tackle Malik Jackson said of the officials. “The regular season is when it really counts and I think we would be more upset. But right now we understand they’ve got to work, too.”

The flags disrupted the flow of the game from start to finish.

“It was just out of rhythm, a real sloppy, choppy game,” Seahawks safety Earl Thomas said.

“Yeah, I think it is disruptive, but we kind of had a feeling that type of game was coming,” Broncos coach John Fox said in reference to the league’s renewed emphasis on illegal contact and defensive holding. “We’ll look at the plays on tape and any questions we have, as normal, we will send to the league. That is an area we’ve got to look at and make sure we’re adjusting.”

Ronnie Hillman’s 1-yard TD run capped Denver’s 14-play, 61-yard drive in which Peyton Manning completed 9 of 11 passes for 63 yards and the officials threw six flags, including one for offsetting penalties.

“An 18-play drive in the preseason, I’ve never had anything like that,” said Manning, who included the infractions. “I know the coaches are going to be pleased. That’s a lot of plays to learn from on the film.

“The only thing I can say is it’s good we overcame some things,” Manning said. “The flags were out tonight, that was clear. The fact we were able to overcome some penalties and still get a touchdown drive, that’s something. I always talk about getting in situations to occur in the preseason that are something you want to be able to overcome in the regular season. You have a penalty, hey it’s bad but let’s try to find a way to overcome it.”

Denver drew a dozen flags, Seattle a baker’s dozen.

The step-offs totaled 226 yards.

There was even a flag thrown on the ensuing touchback following Hillman’s score when Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane was whistled for taunting. Lane also was whistled for a 31-yard pass interference on first-and-35 play in the second half during a moan-inducing sequence in which penalties were called on five consecutive snaps.

After retreating to their locker rooms with 1:30 left in the first quarter, both teams sent their starters back onto the field when play resumed.

The penalties continued, too.

Seattle’s 14-play, 90-yard drive that ate up 9:18 was kept alive by four defensive infractions, including a debatable pass interference call on linebacker Danny Trevathan that preceded Christine Michael’s 1-yard run against a mix of starters and backups that tied it at 7.

Steven Hauschka’s three field goals included a 22-yarder that gave Seattle a 16-14 lead with 11:22 remaining before Brock Osweiler’s 34-yard strike to Jordan Norwood decided it.

“That’s been my go-to guy all camp,” said Osweiler.

Manning finished 10 of 13 for 78 yards with no sacks. Russell Wilson was 4 of 6 for 37 yards for Seattle and was sacked by DeMarcus Ware and T.J. Ford, two thumpers Denver GM John Elway signed in the wake of Seattle’s 43-8 thrashing of the Broncos in the Super Bowl.

“When we see them in the regular season (Sept. 21), it’s going to be a battle and we’re looking forward to it and they’re looking forward to it, too,” Wilson said.

Notes: Broncos RB C.J. Anderson sustained a concussion. … RG J.R. Sweezy was the only starter along Seattle’s O-line. …Seahawks CB A.J. Jefferson re-sprained an ankle and G C.J. Davis sprained a calf. .. In the Seahawks’ backup QB battle, Tarvaris Jackson was 5 of 7 for 47 yards with a sack, and Pryor was 9 of 16 for 137 yards and an INT by LB Steven Johnson with 2:35 left.

___

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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