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Smith throws for 3 TDs, Chiefs top Dolphins 34-15

By WTOP Staff

TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Alex Smith fumbled the ball away three plays into the second half, then watched the Miami Dolphins turn that mistake into a touchdown.

He more than atoned for it, and the Kansas City Chiefs are winless no more.

Smith threw three touchdown passes, including one to running back Joe McKnight — who impacted a game for the first time since 2012 — midway through the third quarter to help snuff out a Miami rally, and the Chiefs topped the Dolphins 34-15 on Sunday.

McKnight had two touchdown catches for the Chiefs, who were outscored 50-27 in the season’s first two games.

“Momentum’s a funny thing,” Smith said. “It’s hard to put your finger on it, but certainly, this helps. This is what you’re looking for, a win on the road, a tough win, I thought. I’m not sure what it is, but this is how you get started, for sure.”

The Chiefs (1-2) were a minus-two in the turnover department, allowed Miami’s Lamar Miller to rush for a career-best 108 yards, saw Smith get sacked five times — and still won, on the road, by 19 points.

That’s how things are going right now for the Dolphins (1-2). They scored 23 points in the second half of Week 1 against New England — and have scored 25 points in the two full games that have followed.

“A hold here, a drop there, they are things that we are doing to ourselves that make things more difficult,” Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline said. “But if you’re playing the odds, eventually you can’t overcome them all. So it gets tiresome and it kind of wears on you.”

Knile Davis rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown for Kansas City.

Here’s some things of note from the Chiefs’ win:

TANNEHILL’S STRUGGLES: Even after Miami opened with a win against New England, the Dolphins said they knew the passing game had to get better. It hasn’t. Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill struggled for the third game in a row, this time against a pass defense ranked as the worst in the NFL. He went 21 for 43 for 205 yards.

DAVIS’ WORKLOAD: Jamaal Charles is still out for Kansas City, but the running back corps delivered nonetheless. Davis got 32 carries for the Chiefs, his biggest workload since at least high school. Davis never got more than 30 carries in college — he had 30 on consecutive weeks for Arkansas in 2010 — and his NFL high before Sunday was a 27-carry day last season against San Diego. “We’ve got a good group,” Smith said. “I think there was a reason we kept so many of them. I think you can see that now. They all have something to offer. “

MCKNIGHT’S CATCHES: McKnight tied a career-best with six catches, set a new career mark with 64 receiving yards and hauled in the first two TD grabs of his career. Before Sunday, McKnight’s last catch was Nov. 18, 2012. He missed the 2013 season after being cut by the New York Jets, and hadn’t recorded any stats this season coming into Week 3.

SUNSHINE STATE BLUES: Good thing for Florida State, or else the state of Florida would have had one doozy of a football weekend. Miami and Florida — along with the Seminoles, the other parts of the state’s “Big 3” in the college ranks — both lost on Saturday, and No. 1 Florida State needed overtime to beat Clemson. And in the NFL, Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa Bay all lost, the second straight week that’s happened. Maybe fortunately for Sunshine State fans, the Miami Heat open practice on Saturday.

MILLER’S DAY: Miller is the go-to back now for Miami, with Knowshon Moreno out for a few weeks because of an arm injury. Miller answered the call as well — his previous career-best was 105 yards, last Oct. 31 against Cincinnati.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Tim Reynolds on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ByTimReynolds

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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