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Roethlisberger, Steelers top Panthers 37-19

By WTOP Staff

AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers didn’t do much of anything right Sunday night.

They didn’t protect Cam Newton in the pocket. They couldn’t stop the Pittsburgh Steelers from running. They committed too many penalties and had some costly turnovers.

“People just took turns making mistakes,” Newton said after the 37-19 loss.

The Panthers committed seven penalties for 105 yards, including an encroachment call as Pittsburgh lined up a field goal — giving the Steelers a first down that led directly to their first touchdown since Week 1.

Pittsburgh also had a pair of 100-yard rushers, sacked Newton three times and hit him several more. The Panthers ran for just 42 yards and fumbled a punt return that the Steelers recovered.

“We’ve got to stop hurting ourselves,” tight end Greg Olsen said. “You’re not going to win consistently in the league having to get two first downs on every drive. You can’t be in first-and-20.”

For the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger threw two 7-yard touchdown passes to Antonio Brown while Le’Veon Bell ran for 147 yards.

The Steelers had gone eight quarters without a touchdown before Roethlisberger’s two scoring strikes in the third. They were set up by Newton’s fumble and Bell’s 81-yard run.

Roethlisberger finished 22 of 30 for 196 yards, and Brown had 90 yards receiving on 10 catches to help the Steelers (2-1) snap Carolina’s eight-game home winning streak.

LeGarrette Blount ran for 118 yards, marking the first time since 1986 the Steelers have had two 100-yard rushers in a game. The Steelers outrushed the Panthers 264-42.

“That’s awesome,” 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 Panthers were looking for their first 3-0 start since 2003 — the year they went to the Super Bowl.

The Steelers lost defensive starters Ike Taylor, Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones to injuries.

Newton finished 24 of 35 for 250 yards, but was a non-factor running the ball with 7 yards on two carries. He faced heavy pressure from the Steelers most of the night, sometimes even from a three-man rush.

Newton is recovering from fractured ribs and still wearing a thick flak jacket. He took a forearm to the midsection from Shazier while running out of bounds and then was driven into the ground by Cameron Haywood when he came free on a stunt on back-to-back plays near the end of the first half.

Later, Newton took a shot to the knees from Jason Worlids and came up limping.

The Steelers led 9-3 at halftime behind Shaun Suisham’s field goals of 42, 24, and 45 yards.

Pittsburgh hadn’t scored a touchdown since the second quarter of their season opener before Roethlisberger connected with Brown in the back corner of the end zone following a colossal error by the Panthers. The score came after Carolina’s Wes Horton was called for encroachment on a fourth-and-4 field-goal attempt, giving the Steelers a first down.

Brown scored on the next play.

“I just think collectively we kind of beat ourselves,” Horton said.

After Bell broke free up the middle for an 81-yard burst on Pittsburgh’s next drive, Brown struck again getting free while running across the field at the goal line for another 7-yard score that put Pittsburgh up 23-6.

Newton answered with a 37-yard TD pass to Olsen, but the Steelers onslaught continued.

Pittsburgh’s Shamarko Thomas stripped Philly Brown on a punt return in the fourth quarter and Robert Golden came up with the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown.

Blount put the game away with an 8-yard touchdown run, running through Thomas DeCoud at the 4 and dragging him into the end zone in a moment that captured the Steelers’ dominance.

“We have two guys we feel good about,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said about his running backs. “Thankfully, we were in a situation where we were winning enough possession downs on defense that we could utilize their talents. We had that opportunity to do it tonight and show what they’re capable of.”

Carolina was without Pro Bowl defensive end Greg Hardy, who was removed from the active roster earlier this week after being placed on the exempt-commissioner’s permission list.

Hardy was convicted July 15 of assault on a female and communicating threats after the victim said the 6-foot-4, 275-pound player threw her in the bathtub and onto a sofa covered with guns before threatening to kill her. He’s appealing the ruling and a jury trial is set for Nov. 17.

NOTES: Newton’s fumble was Carolina’s first turnover of the season. … Shazier left in the second quarter with a foot injury and did not return. … Panthers WR Jerricho Cotchery, who had 10 touchdown catches for the Steelers last season, was declared inactive before the game because of a hamstring injury.

___

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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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