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Dalton perfect, Jets rally to beat Bengals 25-17

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Andy Dalton’s first throw was right there.

So were his next seven.

Even his longest pass came down in the exact spot he intended.

Perfect, all around.

Dalton completed all eight of his passes and led the Bengals to a pair of touchdowns and a field goal during three impressive series Saturday night before the New York Jets’ reserves rallied for a 25-17 preseason victory.

“He continues to play the way we think Andy should play all the time,” coach Marvin Lewis said. “It doesn’t surprise me. It’s the way he practices every day. He doesn’t need to be flashy. He just needs to be accurate. He just needs to handle the offense. He does that very well.”

It was Dalton’s first game at Paul Brown Stadium since his turnover-filled 27-10 loss to San Diego in the opening round of the playoffs.

Also, it was his first home game since he signed a six-year contract extension that showed Cincinnati’s commitment.

Couldn’t have gone any better.

“That’s about as good as it gets in the preseason, I guess,” Dalton said. “I just felt good out there.”

The fourth-year quarterback went 8 for 8 for 144 yards, one touchdown and a perfect passer rating of 158.3. The Bengals (0-2) rolled up 173 yards while he was in the game, pulling ahead 17-3.

With their starters on the field, the Jets (2-0) had another bad day at Paul Brown. They got drubbed 49-9 in Cincinnati midway through last season — Dalton threw a career-high five touchdown passes in that one.

Their injury-depleted secondary made it easy for Dalton on Saturday night.

“Dalton looked like a million-dollar quarterback tonight,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said.

In an experiment, the Jets moved safety Antonio Allen to cornerback and had him cover A.J. Green.

It didn’t go well at all — Green caught three passes for 69 yards, including a 35-yard catch after he pulled away from Allen down the sideline.

Dalton threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu on the opening series, fitting a long throw in-between double coverage.

“I just had to put my hands out,” Sanu said. “It was all Andy on that one.”

The Bengals went no-huddle with Dalton in the game, part of new offensive coordinator Hue Jackson’s attempt to speed things up. They looked comfortable at the new pace.

“You want to see that every time out,” Lewis said. “Andy looked very sharp.”

Geno Smith played the first half, staying in with the starters after Cincinnati substituted on defense in the second quarter. Smith was 10 of 13 for 98 yards and a passer rating of 65.5. He also ran four times for 20 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown.

Smith had his worst day as a rookie at Paul Brown last season, throwing two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns.

Michael Vick took over in the second half and threw a 17-yard touchdown pass. He went 5 of 9 for 70 yards and scrambled twice for 16 yards. Rookie Ikemefuna Enemkpali blocked Kevin Huber’s punt out of the end zone for a safety.

The Jets had seven penalties for personal fouls, unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness. Offensive tackle Breno Giacomini got two of them — one for shoving cornerback Terence Newman after his interception, another for a roll block. Guard Brian Winters also got flagged for two.

Notes: Attendance was 45,330. … Rookie WR Jalen Saunders, who was involved in a one-car accident on Friday, didn’t accompany the Jets to Cincinnati. … CB Ras-I Dowling suffered a groin injury and sat out the second half. … S Calvin Pryor, the Jets’ first-round pick, played in the second half. He missed the first preseason game with a concussion. … Bengals LB Vontaze Burfict left in the first quarter with an injured right shoulder but returned for the next series. … Top draft pick CB Darqueze Dennard hurt his hip in the first half and didn’t return. Second-round RB Jeremy Hill hurt his right shoulder in the second half.

___

Online: 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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