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Dalton’s TD catch leads Bengals over Titans 33-7

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Andy Dalton, pass catcher?

Why not? The way things are going for the Bengals, even the most risky play turns out right.

And yes, that includes the Bengals quarterback trying to emulate Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green.

Dalton became the first Bengals quarterback to catch a touchdown pass on Sunday, the signature play in a 33-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans that kept Cincinnati unbeaten heading into its bye week.

And feeling pretty good, too.

“I was joking with the guys all week: Who’s going to catch the first TD pass, me or one of the other guys?” said Dalton, who caught one pass at TCU. “In practice, that (defender) wasn’t out there. I thought I was going to get hit.”

Nope.

Cornerback Blidi Wreh-Wilson missed — missed the chance for the interception, missed the chance to deck the quarterback, who slipped off him and went 18 yards for the touchdown, diving just inside the pylon.

There was a lot more to it than just the Dalton-turned-receiver trickery. The defense nearly pitched a shutout.

And sloppy Tennessee (1-2) helped out a lot, too, doing just about everything wrong a few hours after getting some very sad news about a former player.

A few hours before kickoff, the Titans learned that kicker Rob Bironas had died overnight in a one-car crash in Nashville. He’d been released in March after his ninth season with Tennessee.

“Our hearts go out to his family,” said kicker Ryan Succop, who missed a pair of field goal attempts in the first half. “Obviously we have heavy hearts, particularly the guys that were close with him. We feel for them right now.”

The Bengals (3-0) are off to their best start in eight years. They got a lot of big plays, a few breaks and plenty of help.

The Titans committed a safety for holding in the end zone on a punt, missed those two field goal attempts, snapped the ball before Jake Locker was ready in shotgun formation, and whiffed on the game’s defining play.

On the final play of the first quarter, Dalton flipped the ball to receiver Mohamed Sanu, who ran to his right while the quarterback sneaked toward the other side of the field. Sanu stopped and threw a cross-field pass that hung in the air.

Wreh-Wilson misplayed it, bumping Dalton as he ran past. Dalton became the first NFL quarterback to score on a catch since Kansas City’s Tyler Thigpen in 2008.

“I saw the guy and said, ‘Oh, God,'” Sanu said. “But (Dalton) went up and made the play. I was scared for a moment.”

Even more stunning: The Titans were prepared for the play, having practiced for it during the week.

Dalton’s threw his first interception — Cincinnati’s first turnover of the season — with 44 seconds left before halftime. But Locker forced a throw into coverage in the end zone for an off-setting interception that left the Bengals with a 19-0 halftime lead.

The Bengals didn’t have to do much in the second half other than let their defense finish it off. Dalton was 15 of 23 for 169 yards and wasn’t sacked for the third straight game.

Green, who missed most of the last game with an injured big right toe, started and had six catches for 102 yards. He also drew a pair of pass interference penalties from Wreh-Wilson.

Giovani Bernard had a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs. His dive with 1:58 left in the third quarter completed a 14-play, 80-yard drive that lasted 7 minutes, 18 seconds and finished off Tennessee.

The Titans repeatedly undercut drives with penalties. Locker was 17 of 34 for 185 yards with two interceptions, two sacks and a passer rating of 41.9. Succop missed field goal attempts of 40 and 44 yards in the first half, helping Cincinnati take control.

The Titans ended the shutout on Shonn Greene’s 1-yard touchdown run with 6:09 to go.

Notes: Quentin Groves was called for holding Cedric Peerman in the end zone on the punt, resulting in a safety. … The Bengals set a club record with their 11th straight regular season win at home. They lost at Paul Brown Stadium in the playoffs last season. … Dalton became the fifth Bengals QB to catch a pass, joining Akili Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, David Klingler and Sam Wyche. … Pro Bowl LB Vontaze Burfict was inactive because of two concussions in two weeks.

___

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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