Skip to main content

Titans fall to Saints in preseason, 31-24

By WTOP Staff

BRADLEY HANDWERGER
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Zach Mettenberger watched as Justin Hunter corralled a pass in the middle of the Saints’ defense Friday night and turned it into a 64-yard touchdown.

Then the former LSU quarterback pumped his right arm before motioning to the crowd in the Superdome, urging the fans to cheer on the road team.

The moment might just have been a look into the future for the Titans.

In a 31-24 loss to New Orleans, Mettenberger finished 20 of 25 for 269 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

“You’ve always got to prepare like you’re the starter because you never know when you could go in,” Mettenberger said. “Me being two plays away, I always got to be ready. Fortunately we prepared the right way and I was able to get a big play when I got in.”

While Mettenberger’s play bodes well for the future, the performance of Titans’ starter Jake Locker provides hope for the present.

In his first extended playing time of the preseason, Locker went 8 of 11 for 75 yards and led Tennessee on a seven-play, 62-yard scoring drive in the first quarter.

“We weren’t perfect, but there were a lot of good things about it,” Tennessee coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “I liked the way the offense in general responded on the first series and went down and scored a touchdown.”

For the Titans, who won their first preseason game over Green Bay in a rainstorm, there’s still work to be done before they open the season.

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.

“Whenever you working with a new scheme with players, you’ve got to work through those things,” Whisenhunt said. “Do you want it happen faster? Yes. To me it was more about mistakes. We’ve still got to learn some of the nuances of the defense.”

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

Locker had a touchdown on a 4-yard touch pass along the sideline to Hunter, who made a leaping grab over cornerback Corey White.

Hunter was also on the receiving end of Mettenberger’s first touchdown pass as a pro. Mettenberger entered the game 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 first took the field. Soon after, Mettenberger rifled a pass over the middle to Hunter, who raced away for a 64-yard score.

Mettenberger was also intercepted once and fumbled once. Hunter had four catches for 111 yards.

“I think we all understand what he can be,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ve got to see that consistently and it was nice to see that tonight.”

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

Once 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 in the second quarter.

Luke McCown started for Drew Brees, who missed his second 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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote