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Bell, Blount carry Steelers past Panthers 37-19

By WTOP Staff

STEVE REED
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Move over, Walter Abercrombie and Earnest Jackson.

Step aside, Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, there’s a new running back tandem in the Steel City.

Le’Veon Bell ran for 147 yards and LeGarrette Blount added 118 yards on the ground Sunday night as the Steelers defeated the Carolina Panthers 37-19.

Bell and Blount became the first Pittsburgh tandem to rush for 100 yards each since Abercrombie and Jackson accomplished the feat in 1986, and only the eighth time it has been done in team history. Harris and Bleier did it three times, but never combined for as many yards as Bell and Blount did against a very good Carolina defense.

“That’s awesome,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “I’m sure that Steeler fans back home are going crazy because we ran the ball for 100 and had two guys do it. That’s just awesome. I think it shows what we can do if we put our minds to it.”

The Steelers finished with 264 yards rushing and averaged 7.8 yards per carry, a number that was aided by an 81-yard burst from Bell and a 50-yard jaunt by Blount.

“We stuck to our game plan and eventually just started popping off runs,” Bell said.

What’s even more impressive is it came against a Carolina defense that ranked second in the league last season in total defense and features the 2013 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in Luke Kuechly.

“Our offensive line came out and played well and they created some holes too,” Blount said. “They were amazing, they are great.”

Blount said that is one of the reasons he signed with the Steelers as a free agent this offseason, even though they already had Bell.

“I knew that I was going to come here and get the football,” Blount said. “The first couple weeks weren’t big weeks for me but I knew when my time came I was going to be able to contribute and we came out here and did well.”

Some things we learned from the Steelers’ 37-19 win:

PROTECTION CONCERNS: Coach Ron Rivera was concerned about the lack of protection given to Cam Newton. The offensive line, which lost a number of veteran starters in the offseason, was viewed as the weak link coming into the season. They were exposed by the Steelers, who got to Newton at times with only three rushers.

Newton was sacked three times, fumbled once and hit at least a dozen more in the loss.

“The Steelers did some things that were a little bit different,” Rivera said. “They hadn’t done these things in their previous two games. They really did. If you go back and look at it, they did a really nice job of game planning and mixing some things up.”

PANTHERS BACKS ARE HURTING: The Panthers have issues to contend with moving forward at running back. They came into the game without starting running back DeAngelo Williams (hamstring) and third-string back Fozzy Whittaker (hamstring) due to injuries. Jonathan Stewart, who replaced Williams, injured his knee and did not return. Fullback Mike Tolbert left the game with leg injury.

The Panthers elevated Darrin Reaves from the practice squad last week and Rivera said “he many have to oil it up and get ready to play football” against Baltimore next Sunday.

The Panthers are averaging just 72.3 yards per game on the ground this season.

THE BROWN ZONE: There was some question as to who Roethlisberger would look to in the red zone with Jerricho Cotchery having left via free agency. Antonio Brown seems to be emerging as that target after with a pair of 7-yard TD receptions. Brown has all three receiving touchdowns this year for the Steelers.

DEFENSIVE QUESTIONS: The Steelers will have some questions to answer on defense after losing cornerback Ike Taylor to a broken arm and Ryan Shazier (knee) and Jarvis Jones (wrist) for the game Sunday night. Taylor will be out for a while, but the Steelers will be waiting with bated breath on their linebackers.

PANTHERS NEED A RETURNER: The Panthers struggled throughout the preseason to find a returner to replace Ted Ginn Jr. They still don’t have a reliable option. Undrafted rookie Philly Brown looked decent in his first start at receiver, but fumbled a punt return that the Steelers eventually fell on in the end zone for a touchdown, ruining any thoughts of a Carolina comeback.

___

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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