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Romo 3 picks in Cowboys’ 28-17 loss to 49ers

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys could be in real trouble if this is the new version of Tony Romo.

The quarterback’s first meaningful game after back surgery was more like a bad flashback — at least in the first half for Romo and all the Cowboys.

Romo threw three interceptions before halftime, putting Dallas in a big hole before losing 28-17 to the San Francisco 49ers in a season opener Sunday.

“I felt comfortable. Just couple poor decisions that I made,” Romo said. “You’ve got to assess and figure out why you did it and then make sure it doesn’t happen again. You have to manage your mistakes and I didn’t do a good enough job. … I have to play at a higher level, and I will do that going forward.”

Dallas, opening its sixth season in owner Jerry Jones’ $1.2 billion showcase stadium, trailed 21-3 after the first quarter when Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers offense had the ball only four snaps over 94 seconds.

“We are not good enough to come back from that kind of start,” Jones said.

When DeMarco Murray fumbled on his first carry, cornerback Chris Culliver scooped it and rumbled 35 yards for a touchdown. Kaepernick already had his second TD pass to tight end Vernon Davis when he threw a 2-yarder on the next play after Ed Reid’s interception and 48-yard return after a pass intended for Dez Bryant.

Romo tried to go Bryant’s way again late in the second quarter, throwing deep into double coverage. Perrish Cox picked that one off to set up a late drive that put the 49ers up 28-3 at halftime.

“We did some things that we all wished we could have gotten back,” Bryant said.

The surgery last December to repair a herniated disk was Romo’s second significant back procedure in eight months, and kept him out of another season-ending loss to an NFC East rival with a playoff spot on the line. He also had a cyst removed from his back last year.

Throughout offseason workouts and training camp, the Cowboys took it easy on Romo, giving the 34-year-old quarterback plenty of breaks from competitive work and limiting his snaps in his two preseason games.

“He knows exactly what he is doing. He has been in this league for a long time. That’s not the issue. That wasn’t the issue,” Bryant said.

“Tony will be fine, he’ll bounce back,” tight end Jason Witten said. “Our football team doesn’t worry about that. We just know we have to play better.”

Romo, who finished 23-of-37 passing for 281 yards, talked during the offseason about getting healthier and letting fans see “the best version of me” over the next few years.

In the opener of his eighth full season, he had his first three-interception game since a 2012 season-ending loss at Washington in a winner-to-the-playoffs game. Romo had only 10 picks in 15 games last season.

The Cowboys were at San Francisco’s 5 early in the second quarter when Romo missed a wide open Dwayne Harris and instead try to get a pass to Witten. The ball was caught by linebacker Patrick Willis.

Even when the 49ers had to punt on that drive, the Cowboys had only four snaps before Romo’s third interception, leading to another touchdown.

“Three plays in a game can change the entire game, and that’s what happened,” he said.

Notes: Murray finished with 22 carries for 118 yards and a 2-yard TD late in the third quarter. It was Murray’s 12th career game with at least 20 carries — the first Dallas lost. … The Cowboys are 22-19 at home since 2009, and this was only the fourth loss by double figures. … Dallas had won its last three home openers. … 49ers RB Frank Gore had 63 yards rushing, becoming the 29th NFL player with 10,000 for his career. He’s also the 10th player with 10,000 yards and 10 seasons with the same team. … Bryant stayed down for several moments after Reid’s interception return and later was treated for dehydration. He had four catches for 55 yards.

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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