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Steelers a mixed bag in preseason opener

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Dri Archer’s first touch in the NFL showed why the Pittsburgh Steelers took the quick running back in the third round of this year’s draft.

It also proved symbolic of how far Archer — and his team — have to go with a month until the regular season.

Archer’s 46-yard catch-and-run provided the lone offensive highlight during the first string’s brief night of work in a 20-16 exhibition loss to the New York Giants on Saturday. The 5-foot-8 Archer lined up as one of five wide receivers on Pittsburgh’s first possession, took a screen pass from Ben Roethlisberger and darted deep inside Giants territory.

“It was an open space,” Archer said. “My teammates knew and blocked well and it was a great play.”

The only thing Archer didn’t do was make it to the end zone. The player who posted the fastest time at the scouting combine was tracked down at the New York 14. Consider it Archer’s “Welcome to the NFL” moment.

“Yeah I know I should (score), but everything happens for a reason,” Archer said. “The (Giants) played their defense well and they had a great angle and made a great stop.”

The Steelers failed to turn the big play into a touchdown, instead settling for the first of Shaun Suisham’s three field goals. While Roethlisberger quickly headed to the sideline to trade his helmet for a baseball cap, some of the other starters saw extended play.

Second-year wide receiver Markus Wheaton — trying to hold off a crowded field for the right to start alongside Pro Bowler Antonio Brown — hauled in a 28-yard pass from backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski. The drive ended with a missed field goal, though Gradkowski was encouraged by the way the youngsters threw themselves into the fray.

“We need them to continue to step up and make plays and understand that we don’t wait on you; you’ve got to come up and play with the big boys now,” Gradkowski said.

There were some issues on both sides of the ball. The offense converted just 2 of 14 third downs while the first-string defense allowed New York running back Rashad Jennings to bolt 73 yards for a touchdown. Not a dazzling start for a unit that gave up 11 plays of 50 yards or more last season.

“I didn’t get it done, just put it that way,” defensive lineman Cameron Heyward said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself and I messed up first team. I have to learn from this and it won’t happen again.”

Coach Mike Tomlin kept the defensive starters on the field for another two series, with promising results. Second-year linebacker Jarvis Jones sacked Eli Manning on New York’s next possession, matching the former first-round pick’s entire sack total from his rookie season.

Jones wasn’t the only linebacker to make an impact. Undrafted rookie free agent Howard Jones scored Pittsburgh’s lone touchdown when he scooped up a New York fumble and zipped 28 yards to give the Steelers the lead in the fourth quarter.

While Jones isn’t in the mix to crack a starting group that includes Jarvis Jones and Lawrence Timmons, his heady play is the one that will certainly do him favors as he tries to land a spot on the 53-man roster.

Still, Tomlin wasn’t exactly thrilled after his team lost its fifth straight preseason game. Pittsburgh went 0-4 in exhibition play last summer, and then promptly dropped its first four regular-season games. Tomlin is convinced that wasn’t a coincidence.

“We can learn and we can grow, but I’m not worried about style points,” he said. “It’s more about winning and we have to do a better job there. We’ll take this as part of the process.”

The Steelers host Buffalo next week in its preseason home opener. The teams will practice together on Wednesday and Thursday, a move expected to provide a jolt to the final days of training camp.

“I think we were all eager to see what this offense can do,” running back Le’Veon Bell said. “We went through a tough stage tonight. Now we have to get ready for the next one.”

___

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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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