Skip to main content

Chargers stay grounded in 22-10 win over Bills

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Quarterback Philip Rivers wasn’t kidding about the San Diego Chargers’ resolve to run the ball this season.

That was the plan before Ryan Mathews sprained his right knee in a win in Week 2 against Seattle.

And nothing changed in a 22-10 win at Buffalo on Sunday. That’s when the Chargers were forced to turn to third-stringer Donald Brown once Danny Woodhead was carted off after hurting his right ankle on San Diego’s second play from scrimmage.

“Guys are going to have to step up, and we have to stay balanced,” Rivers said. “We can’t turn this into, ‘Oh, now we’re going to be a 50-passes-a-game team.’ It just doesn’t work.”

Though Brown’s numbers — 31 carries for 62 yards — weren’t eye-popping, the mere threat of Brown running the ball kept the Bills’ respected pass-rush on its heels in a game the Chargers (2-1) never trailed.

Rivers was sacked only once in finishing 18 of 25 for 256 yards passing, with a pair of touchdowns to Eddie Royal.

Brown was happy to contribute, and his 31 carries were the most by a Chargers player since LaDainian Tomlinson had that many in 2006.

“I feel good, though tomorrow I’ll probably be sore,” Brown said. “Whether it’s one carry or all the carries, whenever your number’s called just make the most of the opportunity.”

Brown is no stranger to carrying a big load after the diminutive 5-foot-10 player set numerous school records at Connecticut. He spent the past five seasons in Indianapolis before signing with the Chargers as a free agent in March.

The Bills’ feel-good start to the season was derailed in dropping to 2-1.

Buffalo was limited to 208 yards offense and 13 first downs before a final mean-nothing drive ended with EJ Manuel throwing an incompletion into the end zone on fourth down.

The Bills’ defense was picked apart by Rivers and a ball-control attack that featured three scoring drives that lasted 6-plus minutes.

“They beat us and they played better than we did today,” defensive tackle Kyle Williams said. “But we didn’t help ourselves.”

Here’s a number of other things that stood out in a game between two original American Football League rivals:

WEAPONS APLENTY: A week after Rivers threw three touchdown passes to veteran tight end Antonio Gates, the quarterback found other go-to receivers.

Royal scored on 3- and 5-yard passes, and Malcom Floyd had two 49-yard catches that set up a touchdown and a field goal.

“Philip just opens up everybody,” Floyd said. “We’ve got all kind of weapons on the field. It’s pretty much just picking your poison.”

TURNING POINT: San Diego took control on consecutive possessions spanning halftime.

Nick Novak capped a seven-play, 61-yard drive with a 37-yard field goal to put the Chargers up 13-3 with 21 seconds left in the second quarter.

Rivers opened the third quarter by marching the Chargers on a 14-play, 80-yard drive, which he capped with a 5-yard pass to Royal. Rivers completed four of six attempts for 56 yards on the drive, and converted all three third-down chances.

“We were tired of getting field goals,” Royal said about ending the drive with a TD.

SPUTTERING BILLS: Fred Jackson scored on an 11-yard catch and run top cut the Chargers’ lead to 20-10 late in the third quarter.

The Bills, however, managed 22 net yards offense on their next four drives, which ended with two punts, a failed fourth-down attempt and quarterback EJ Manuel giving up a safety when he was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone.

OUT OF SYNCH: Manuel finished 23 of 39 for 238 yards, but had difficulty getting in synch with his receivers. Rookie Sammy Watkins had two catches for 19 yards despite having eight passes thrown his way.

BANGED-UP BILLS: Starting left guard Chris Williams left in the first half and did not return because of a back injury that has nagged him for much of the past month.

Receiver Marcus Easley hurt his left knee while blocking on a kickoff return midway through the third quarter. Easley was treated on the sideline before being carted off.

Safety Da’Norris Searcy was escorted to the locker room late in the third quarter with what the team called an ankle injury.

Coach Doug Marrone had no updates on the status of his injured players.

___

AP NFL website: 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
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