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Luck throws 4 TDs, Colts rout Jaguars 44-17

By WTOP Staff

MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Andrew Luck was critical of his play after the first two games.

He found nothing to complain about this week.

Luck threw four touchdown passes — three in a lopsided first half — and the Indianapolis Colts dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars 44-17 on Sunday for their first win of the season.

“It was better than the first two games, that’s for sure,” said Luck, who blamed himself for a botched play call at Denver and then a late interception Monday night against Philadelphia.

Luck was nearly flawless in the opening 30 minutes against Jacksonville. The budding star completed 22 of 27 passes for 244 yards before the break, connecting with nine different receivers. He found Ahmad Bradshaw for a 6-yard touchdown that made it 10-0, hooked up with Dwayne Allen for a 1-yard score on the next drive and capped the impressive start with a 7-yarder to Coby Fleener.

“That’s Andrew,” Colts coach Chuck Pagano said. “We all know what he’s capable of. Now we just have to keep building on that.”

The Colts (1-2) called this a must-win game, knowing that only three teams since the NFL expanded its playoff format in 1990 started 0-3 and made the postseason.

And they responded, leading 20-0 before Jacksonville got a first down and enjoying a 30-0 advantage at the break.

Luck finished 31-of-39 passing for 370 yards. He sat out the final eight-plus minutes of the game, giving way to Matt Hasselbeck after a 1-yard TD pass to Hakeem Nicks.

Jacksonville’s quarterback change came much earlier — and was a switch that coach Gus Bradley expects to be permanent.

The Jaguars (0-3) benched Chad Henne at halftime, turning things over to rookie Blake Bortles.

Bortles completed 14 of 24 passes for 223 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He found Allen Hurns for a 63-yard score midway through the fourth and then faked a spike and hit Cecil Shorts III for a 10-yard strike with 18 seconds remaining.

Bortles also ran for 30 yards and was sacked once.

“It was average,” he said. “I mean, I thought there was some good stuff and there was some bad stuff we need to correct. You can’t throw two picks. … The last one was definitely a stupid throw.”

Aside from the quarterbacks, here are some things to know about Sunday’s game:

SACK HAPPY: Indianapolis’ defense played a big role in the fast start. The unit forced three consecutive three-and-outs to start the game and finished with a season-high four sacks against Jacksonville’s retooled line. The Colts came into the game with one sack. “We wanted to make a statement, put it out there on film, that we able to rush the quarterback, that we can pressure them,” linebacker Erik Walden said. “We put an emphasis on it. We’ve heard it from the media, we heard it from the coaches, so we wanted to make our statement that we are capable of playing like this week in and week out.”

GROUND GAINS: Indy found a little room to run, with Ahmad Bradshaw gaining 65 yards on nine carries and Trent Richardson adding 57 yards and 14 touches. “When you can run the football effectively, it just opens everything else up,” coach Chuck Pagano said.

MISSING D: The Jaguars are giving up 466 yards a game, including 306 through the air, and have allowed opponents to convert 22 of 47 third-down plays. Throw in missed tackles and blown assignments, and it’s no wonder the unit has given up 119 points in three games. “It’s disappointing,” coach Gus Bradley said. “We really need to take a look at it and find out the accountability.”

YOUTH SERVED: Jacksonville had seven offensive rookies on the field in the second half. Quarterback Blake Bortles, receiver Allen Hurns, receiver Allen Robinson, tight end Marcel Jensen, center Luke Bowanko, guard Brandon Linder and tackle Josh Wells all played, many of them at the same time. The Jaguars expect to take a few lumps with so much inexperience, but they believe they’ll be better down the road because of it.

INJURIES: Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton (ankle) and linebacker Andy Studebaker (hamstring) left the game and did not return, but coach Chuck Pagano said neither injury “will be very severe.” Jaguars safety Winston Guy left the game briefly with cramps, but later returned.

___

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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