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Giants rally for 20-16 win over Steelers

By WTOP Staff

SIMMI BUTTAR
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — With a chance for an increased role in the Giants’ running game, Rashad Jennings made a strong first impression on Saturday night.

Jennings ran 73 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter and Curtis Painter’s scoring pass with 2:50 left gave the Giants a 20-16 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in a preseason game.

“It feels good to get out there and jell with the offense,” Jennings said. “Find a big hole like that and make a big play.”

Howard Jones had given the Steelers a 16-13 lead when he picked up backup quarterback Ryan Nassib’s fumble and went 28 yards for a touchdown with 10:16 to go. But Painter led a 12-play, 80-yard drive and threw a 3-yard TD pass to Corey Washington for the victory.

Eli Manning played four series and was 0 for 2 for the Giants.

Manning said the offense under new coordinator Ben McAdoo is a work in progress.

“I thought the running game was good,” Manning said. “Whenever you have a running back break a long one, that’s a great thing to have to be able to hit that big play.

“I feel confident in the offense, feel confident in our ability.”

The Giants opened the preseason last week with a 17-13 victory over Buffalo in the Hall of Fame game.

The Giants focused on their running game after a week in which David Wilson was forced to retire because of a neck injury. Peyton Hillis missed the game because of an ankle injury.

Jennings, who signed a four-year, $10 million deal with the Giants in March, finished with 85 yards to lead the team.

Ben Roethlisberger played only one series for the Steelers (0-1). He was 1 for 2, with the completion a 46-yarder to rookie third-round pick Dri Archer to the Giants 14. Running back Le’Veon Bell started the drive with gains of 9 and 8 yards.

The seven-play, 70-yard drive ended with the first of Shaun Suisham’s three field goals, a 26-yarder for a 3-0 lead.

“I thought it was a good, solid first series,” Roethlisberger said. “Obviously, it helped that we had a huge play to Dri. But we moved the ball down the field and got points on the board.”

Jennings’ long touchdown run came on the next play from scrimmage.

“It was a well-executed play,” Jennings said. “Eli made sure we were in the right play, it was a hat on a hat, a gaping hole in the offensive line.”

“One-on-one battles in the open field, you’ve got to win those. It’s what I did and the rest was just a race.”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was disappointed with his team’s defense on that score.

“We gave up a long run and that can’t happen,” he said. “You’re going to have guys break out and get 8 or get 12 yards, but not 78. It was an integrity issue. When those things happen, you have to be able to minimize the explosion.”

Early in the second quarter, the Giants took advantage of a 21-yard punt by Brad Wing and started their drive at the Steelers 35. Josh Brown made a 45-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead.

Bruce Gradkowski took over for Roethlisberger and was 8 for 12 for 66 yards.

Nassib replaced Manning in the second quarter. On his second drive, he completed his first five passes, including a 12-yarder to Rueben Randle. Brandon McManus’ 46-yard field goal with 38 seconds left in the first half gave the Giants a 13-3 lead.

Charles James fumbled a punt with 7:37 left in the third and Jones recovered at the Giants 21. The Giants’ defense held and Suisham made a 38-yard field goal to make it 13-6.

Suisham added a 32-yarder 59 seconds into the fourth quarter to make it 13-9.

NOTES: Washington also caught a TD pass last week against the Bills. … Steelers second-year linebacker Jarvis Jones had a sack of Manning late in the first quarter. … First-round pick WR Odell Beckham Jr. missed the game because a hamstring injury. Also out for the Giants: WR Trindon Holliday (hamstring), OT Will Beatty and DT Mike Patterson (shoulder). … Missing the game for the Steelers: LB Ryan Shazier, TE Michael Palmer, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey and NT Steve McLendon. … The Giants’ next preseason game is next Saturday at the Colts, who lost to the Jets on Thursday. The Steelers will host the Bills in their preseason home opener next Saturday.

___

AP NFL websites: 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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