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Raiders have to settle for moral victory

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

The Oakland Raiders left New England with a moral victory, having taken the Patriots down to the closing minute a week after being completely uncompetitive against Houston.

The quest for a win that actually counts in the standings will continue this week in London. The Raiders arrived in England on Monday to begin preparations for this week’s “home” game against Miami, when they will try to snap a nine-game losing streak that dates to last season.

The 16-9 loss to the Patriots on Sunday gave Oakland (0-3) some needed confidence after getting thoroughly outplayed in losing to the Jets and Texans the first two weeks.

“We had a good chance to beat a good team on the road and it didn’t happen for us,” defensive end Justin Tuck said. “If we play the type of football we know we can play, we can beat anybody. It was disheartening that we didn’t come out of here with the win, but it is something that we can build on. We’ve got a lot of games left to play, and that is our mindset.”

The loss to the Patriots was a bitter one as Oakland had a touchdown wiped off the board by a disputed holding penalty on rookie Gabe Jackson with just over 1 minute to play.

When Derek Carr’s pass on the next play deflected off receiver Denarius Moore’s hands, leading to an interception by Vince Wilfork, the Raiders fell to 0-3 for the first time since 2006.

“I guarantee we put a scare into them late and that’s for sure — no one expected that but we did,” Carr said. “That’s what we expect out of ourselves and now we’ve just got to finish it. It doesn’t matter if there was a holding call, it doesn’t matter what happens, it doesn’t matter we lost. We have to go back to work this week in London and fix what we need to fix. But if we come out with that same effort we’re going to be a good football team.”

The Raiders fixed some of their issues this week, most notably on defense, where they held the Patriots to 76 yards rushing after giving up a total of 400 the first two weeks and put heavy pressure on Tom Brady.

But Oakland still is waiting for its running game to get going after gaining just 193 yards the first three games and developing an offense that can get into the end zone. Discounting the fourth quarter against Houston when the Raiders scored two touchdowns after falling behind 27-0, the team has two TDs in its other 26 full drives this season.

“I think we took a step forward, but we’ve still got a ways to go,” coach Dennis Allen said. “We’ve got to continue to go.”

The Raiders lost more than just a game against the Patriots. They lost two key starters to injuries that will sideline then for significant time. Strong safety Tyvon Branch and wide receiver Rod Streater both left the game with broken bones in their feet.

This marks the second straight year that Branch has gone down with an early season injury. He missed the final 14 games last season with an ankle injury and that severely limited what the Raiders could do defensively.

Usama Young will likely replace Branch in the lineup but he is not nearly as physical a player near the line of scrimmage, which could hurt the run defense.

Streater, who led the team with 60 catches for 888 yards last season, is one of the few reliable targets in the passing game for Oakland. Streater has nine catches for 84 yards and a touchdown this season despite missing the second half the past two weeks with injuries. He recovered quickly from a hip injury in Week 2 against Houston but won’t be so lucky with this injury.

If the Raiders believe one of the injuries is not season-ending, they could place one of the players on the injured reserve with a designation to return list to create a roster spot.

___

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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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