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Graham stands out in Saints’ 31-24 win over Titans

By WTOP Staff

BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jimmy Graham didn’t hesitate to punctuate a pair of touchdown catches with the goal post-rattling, basketball-style dunks that led the NFL to ban such celebrations coming into this season.

Both times, Graham drew penalty flags for unsportsmanlike conduct.

With relatively little at stake in preseason game No. 2 on Friday night, the crowd roared its approval, and the Saints went on to beat the Tennessee Titans, 31-24.

Saints coach Sean Payton, however, wasn’t amused after Graham’s second dunk, barking at the star tight end as he came to the sideline.

Following the game, Graham fled the locker room without speaking to reporters.

Payton, meanwhile, said he was “particularly” upset with Graham’s penalties, but also with much of the team after the Saints (2-0) drew 22 flags for 184 yards.

“Obviously, that was painful to watch,” Payton said. “It’s the first sign of a team that has no discipline, and that’s the first sign of poor coaching. … I’m very upset.”

After holding out the entire offseason for his four-year, $40 million contract, Graham appeared to be in fine form with five catches for 48 yards in limited action, including his TDs of 6 and 19 yards from Luke McCown.

While Payton lost patience with Graham’s insistence upon continuing his post-TD dunks, Graham’s teammates appeared conflicted, considering it was a preseason game.

“I understand Jimmy’s frustration with that rule change,” veteran right tackle Zach Strief said. “I don’t think Jimmy is a selfish player. … It’s selfish in a real game. I don’t think Jimmy is like that. I think that was his one opportunity to make it his statement on it.”

Last year, one such dunk bent a goal post out of place, delaying a regular-season game.

“Look, one time in 40 years a goal post gets tilted and all of a sudden we have to change the rules?” Strief said. “People love Jimmy because he gets excited and they love him because he celebrates. The fans love that stuff. And Jimmy is frustrated because they’re taking something away that … adds entertainment to the game.”

The penalties after both celebrations were enforced on the kickoff, resulting in returns to the Tennessee 38 and 36 by the Titans’ Marc Mariani. Tennessee (1-1) scored touchdowns on both drives.

There were some developments which pleased Payton.

The Saints’ defense had five turnovers and four sacks. Offensively, New Orleans produced several long gains, including completions of 52 and 44 yards from Ryan Griffin to Joe Morgan, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

“It was encouraging that (Morgan) got behind the defense and was able to make a few plays that we’ve seen him make prior to his injury,” Payton said.

The Titans were competitive early when both teams’ starters were on the field.

Starting quarterback Jake Locker was 8 of 11 for 75 yards and a touchdown on a 4-yard touch pass along the sideline to Justin Hunter, who made a leaping grab over cornerback Corey White.

“It was great to see the way we came out and started,” Locker said. “It was something we can definitely build off of.”

Hunter also was on the receiving end of Zach Mettenberger’s first touchdown pass as a pro. Mettenberger entered the game earlier than expected after second-string QB Charlie Whitehurst was shaken up on a sack by Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro.

The crowd cheered the former LSU quarterback when he took the field.

“That was a pleasant surprise,” Mettenberger said.

Mettenberger completed his first series by rifling a pass over the middle to Hunter, who raced off for a 64-yard score.

Mettenberger finished 20 of 25 for 269 yards, but was also intercepted once and fumbled once. Hunter had four catches for 111 yards.

“We played OK, but we just turned the ball over way too much and ultimately that led to a loss,” Mettenberger said. “Offensively we did a lot of good things but we’ve got a lot to clean up.”

Undrafted rookie kicker Travis Coons made a 50-yard field goal for Tennessee.

One of Tennessee’s fumbles may have cost more than a turnover. Running back Shonn Greene, who has had right knee surgery twice, appeared to favor his right leg after being stripped by Vaccaro.

McCown started for Brees, who missed his second exhibition game while resting his sore abdomen, and was 12 of 20 for 117 yards. Griffin finished 13 of 19 for 179 yards with touchdown passes of 23 yards to Mark Ingram and 3 yards to Seantavious Jones.

___

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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