Skip to main content

Denver can’t finish rally, falls to Seattle 26-20

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Peyton Manning just needed one more possession.

In the midst of desperately trying to rally in the final minute of regulation, the Denver Broncos discovered the resiliency lacking in their Super Bowl blowout at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. All Manning needed was one more chance with the ball in overtime to get at least the slightest bit of retribution for what happened seven months earlier in New Jersey.

Russell Wilson never let Manning have the chance as the Seahawks won 26-20 on Sunday in a Super Bowl rematch that lived up to the billing of what everyone expected in February.

“Well, you know, defense hung in there tough all day, (Wilson) made some plays during that overtime series so credit to that offense,” Manning said. “That was a good drive and obviously finished it off with a touchdown. But, our defense hung in there tough and their offense had a good drive.”

Marshawn Lynch scored on a 6-yard TD run on the first possession of overtime.

The 43-8 blowout by Seattle (2-1) was replaced this time by Denver (2-1) rallying from a 17-3 fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime by going 80 yards against the best defense in the NFL in the final minute of regulation. Manning was out of timeouts, yet figured out how to get Denver in the end zone on Jacob Tamme’s 26-yard TD catch with 18 seconds left and the ensuing 2-point conversion pass to Demaryius Thomas to tie it at 20.

But the result ended up the same.

“We’re not saying, ‘At least the score was better than the Super Bowl,’ or anything like that,” Denver defensive tackle Terrance Knighton said. “We felt like we could come in here and win. It didn’t happen that way so there’s nothing to be happy about.”

Manning was 31 of 49 for 303 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a costly fourth-quarter interception. Emmanuel Sanders had 11 catches for 149 yards, while Wes Welker had six receptions in his season debut.

For three quarters, Seattle’s defense smothered the Broncos in a similar fashion to the Super Bowl. Denver was held without a first-half touchdown for just the second time in the regular season since Manning took over as quarterback in 2012. The Broncos were on pace for their lowest scoring output — again in the regular season — with Manning under center before the late comeback.

Manning was 31 of 49 for 303 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw a costly fourth-quarter interception. His rally was helped by a number of Seahawks mistakes in the fourth quarter, including a safety and Wilson’s first interception of the season. Wilson’s interception led to Manning’s 2-yard shovel pass to Julius Thomas with 9:20 left to cut the deficit to 17-12.

Denver appeared done after Kam Chancellor intercepted Manning at the Seattle 13 with 2:25 left, leading to Steven Hauschka’s 28-yard field goal with 59 seconds remaining. But Manning pulled Denver even with stunning precision, going 80 yards in just 41 seconds and without any timeouts capped by Tamme getting behind K.J. Wright in coverage for the touchdown. Thomas was able to drag both feet on the 2-point conversion to tie it at 20.

“We lost, but I felt today we became a better team,” Thomas said. “Offense wasn’t able to get stuff going in the first half. I think we came closer. We wouldn’t have been able to do that last year. I can say we got better.”

Seattle won the coin toss in overtime and Wilson made certain the ball never left his possession. He rushed for 21 yards and was 4 of 6 passing in overtime. Twice Wilson extended the drive by running for first downs on third down after seeming reluctant to run earlier in the game.

Lynch went the final 6 yards for the win.

Wilson finished 24 of 34 for 258 yards and touchdown passes of 39 yards to Ricardo Lockette and 5 yards to Lynch, both late in the first half. Lynch had 88 yards rushing.

“I don’t think anyone ever doubts Russell. He’s just too good,” Seattle tight end Zach Miller said. “If you think he’s struggling at all you know he’s going to make plays like he did with his feet. He was so huge there in that second half and overtime. You always trust in him.”

NOTES: Manning now has 499 career touchdown passes. He’s one shy of becoming the second player in NFL history with 500. … It was just the sixth Super Bowl rematch in NFL history. The team that won the title is 4-2. … Denver WR Demaryius Thomas finished with four receptions, but didn’t catch his first pass until late in the third quarter. … Seattle P Jon Ryan had five kicks inside the 20 and averaged 50.2 yards per punt.

___

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
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