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Penalty nixes Raiders rally, Patriots win 16-9

By WTOP Staff

JIMMY GOLEN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — A holding penalty on Raiders offensive lineman Gabe Jackson took an Oakland touchdown off the scoreboard and allowed the New England Patriots to escape with a victory yet again.

Not far from where the “Tuck Rule” knocked the Raiders out of the 2002 playoffs and cleared the way for New England’s first Super Bowl title, Jackson was flagged for holding on what would have been the game-tying — or go-ahead, with a 2-point conversion — touchdown with 62 seconds left.

“I thought it was a touchdown,” said Darren McFadden, whose 6-yard scoring run was erased by the penalty. “When I turned around and everybody wasn’t coming to celebrate with me, I knew something wasn’t right.”

Instead, Derek Carr’s pass on the next play was deflected by intended receiver Denarius Moore into the hands of 325-pound defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, and the Patriots ran out the clock in a 16-9 victory.

Raiders coach Dennis Allen disagreed with the holding call.

“I saw it up on the big screen,” he said. “My opinion is that it was not a hold.”

The Patriots and Raiders were charter members of the AFL, but two games stand out in the 50-year-old rivalry: In a 1976 playoff game, the Patriots were called for roughing the passer on Ken Stabler with less than 90 seconds left — a penalty New England fans still dispute — and the Raiders went on to win the game and the Super Bowl.

In 2002, the Raiders stripped the ball from Tom Brady late in a snowy playoff game at the old Foxboro Stadium before the little-known tuck rule was invoked, turning a fumble into an incomplete pass. The Patriots went on to win the game in overtime, and then their first of three Super Bowls in four seasons.

There was less on the line Sunday, but a victory would have snapped the Raiders’ losing streak that is now at nine games.

“We went out to try to win a football game,” Allen said. “That’s all we can focus on. That’s all we will focus on.”

Brady was 24 of 37 for 234 yards and a touchdown, and Stephen Gostkowski kicked three field goals for New England (2-1). Carr was 21 of 34 for 174 yards, Sebastian Janikowski had three field goals and McFadden ran 18 times for 59 yards for the Raiders (0-3).

McFadden, who started in place of the injured Maurice Jones-Drew, broke through the line and into the end zone with 1:02 left for a score that would have made it 16-15. Allen said he considered going for 2 points and the win, but he would not tell reporters what his decision was because it became moot because of the holding call.

“I thought it was a clean block,” Jackson said. “The call is what it was, so I don’t have too much to say about it. Maybe they saw something that looked different from a different angle.”

The Patriots won their 12th home opener in 13 seasons, while the Raiders lost their 15th straight game in the Eastern time zone.

Brady became the third quarterback with 150 regular-season wins behind Brett Favre (186) and Peyton Manning, who came into Sunday with 169. Brady is 57-5 in his last 62 home games, including the playoffs.

The Patriots scored 10 points in the last 4:14 of the second quarter to take a 10-3 lead. Brady capped a 15-play, 84-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski, who shook off linebacker Kaluka Maiava and caught the ball as he went over the middle.

The Patriots had a chance for another touchdown when they reached the 2-yard line with 8 seconds left in the half. But Dan Connolly’s snap was low and Brady picked it up and quickly threw an incompletion, stopping the clock with 3 seconds remaining. Gostkowski then kicked a 21-yard field goal.

Notes: With Jones-Drew sidelined for the second straight week with a right hand injury, Carr remained winless as a pro. … The Raiders planned to leave after the game for London, where they face the Miami Dolphins next Sunday.

___

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://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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