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Browns rally falls short in 30-27 loss to Steelers

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Johnny Manziel might want to get comfortable in a baseball cap.

Brian Hoyer isn’t going anywhere. Not yet anyway.

The journeyman who held off the Heisman Trophy winner to grab the starting quarterback job in Cleveland lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-27 on Sunday, but he might have won over a few of his critics in the process.

Hoyer and the Browns roared back from a 24-point halftime deficit to tie the game at 27 before the Steelers survived on Shaun Suisham’s 41-yard field goal at the final gun.

“I told those guys at the end of the game that I’ll take that team to the end of the earth if we’re going to fight like that,” Hoyer said.

While first-year coach Mike Pettine said simply “we failed,” he also didn’t panic after watching Hoyer and Cleveland’s depleted offense stumble in the first half. Instead, he ordered the offense to push the tempo. Hoyer and backup running backs Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell responded with 20 minutes of brilliance as the Browns scored four times to draw even.

“We’ll definitely move forward from this with some confidence in certain areas, but we also know there are a lot of things we need to correct,” he said.

Quarterback, however, might not be one of them. Pettine answered flatly “no” when pressed on whether he considered going to Manziel to start the second half.

“The way the game went we just never felt the need for him,” Pettine said.

What the Browns could use though, is a way to beat Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers star passed for 365 yards and a score and hit Markus Wheaton twice during the final drive to bring Suisham within range to win it.

“When (Suisham) lines up to kick it, I was on the sideline like, ‘This was why we have him,'” Roethlisberger said. “There was never a doubt he was going to make it.”

There never is when Roethlisberger faces Cleveland. Pittsburgh is 18-1 against the Browns with Roethlisberger under center.

Still on a day when the Steelers rolled up 490 yards they needed every last second of the clock to avoid losing their fourth straight season opener.

“We can’t apologize for the way we win,” Roethlisberger said. “We just have to win games.”

Something the Browns have been trying — and failing — to do for most of the last 15 years. They drafted Manziel with hopes of reviving the franchise. Though Manziel’s day is coming, but Hoyer nearly started a legend of his own on a day that began with what looked like another episode of “Same Old Browns.”

The lowlight came in the middle of the second quarter when Pittsburgh’s Antonio Brown raced up field with a punt return. When the Pro Bowler came upon Cleveland punter Spencer Lanning, Brown tried to leap over Lanning only to end up smacking Lanning in the facemask with his cleat.

“When I saw him dip his hips I just stood up on him,” Lanning said. “I guess he kicked me in the face.”

The play drew an unnecessary roughness penalty on Brown — perhaps the first ever by a punt returner — and comic laughter from the sun-splashed crowd delighting in what appeared to be just another mauling in a series full of them.

The Browns somehow pulled themselves up despite playing without wide receiver Josh Gordon (suspension), running back Ben Tate (who left in the second quarter with a knee injury) and tight end Jordan Cameron (who left in the second half with shoulder trouble).

Instead it was Hoyer and a couple of unknowns behind him who led the way. West darted for 100 yards and Crowell scored a pair of touchdowns as the Browns tied the game when Hoyer scrambled left and found Benjamin in the corner of the end zone.

After sometimes frantic play for the game’s first 50 minutes, both teams squandered chances to take control. Cleveland’s last gasp came with a first down its own 20 with 1:53 to go. A sack, an incompletion and an ill-advised screen gave the Steelers the ball back at the Pittsburgh 43 with 47 seconds remaining.

Just enough time, it turns out, for Roethlisberger to complete his 34th game-winning drive.

“I’ve never been a part of a game like that,” Crowell said. “If we got the win it would have been a lot better.”

NOTES: Cleveland ran for 183 yards, its highest total since running for 230 yards against New England in 2010. … Cameron caught two passes for 47 yards before aggravating a shoulder injury that bothered him during camp. … The Browns host New Orleans next week.

___

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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