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Eagles waste big plays in 26-21 loss to 49ers

By WTOP Staff

JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Nick Foles and one of the NFL’s best offenses needed a touchdown to preserve Philadelphia’s unbeaten record on a day its defense and special teams more than did their parts.

But Foles threw incomplete on back-to-back passes from the 1-yard line after the two-minute warning, and he was intercepted on a final, last-ditch drive as the Eagles lost 26-21 to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

“We just didn’t execute — it’s as simple as that,” Foles said. “I’m not going to break it down or anything. In that situation, I have to give the guys an opportunity to make a play, and I didn’t do that.”

Darren Sproles had a career-best 82-yard punt return for a touchdown and Malcolm Jenkins ran an interception 53 yards for a score for the Eagles (3-1). Brad Smith recovered Trey Burton’s blocked punt of Andy Lee for a TD.

Those plays were for naught.

“When you get a defensive score, the chances of you winning the game skyrockets,” Jenkins said. “If we talk about those three scores on defense and special teams, statistically 100 percent of the time that team is going to win. But playing on the road against a team like that, we just needed one more play, and we didn’t get it.”

Foles put the Eagles in position to potentially take the lead when he led them on a 90-yard drive. On third-and-14, he completed a 22-yard pass to a diving Jeremy Maclin on the right sideline. The 49ers challenged whether Maclin had possession, but the play stood, costing the 49ers their final timeout.

But the Eagles couldn’t pull off the second-half magic that had carried them in their three wins, and the drive ended a yard short of the end zone.

LeSean McCoy was limited to 17 yards on 10 carries, with his longest run just 5 yards.

The 49ers (2-2) avoided their first three-game losing streak under fourth-year coach Jim Harbaugh by containing the league’s top passer — and Harbaugh beat old Pac-10 foe Chip Kelly.

“There are going to be days when two of your phases are playing well and you just hope they can bail out the other one,” Kelly said. “We just didn’t play well enough on offense. Offensively, we didn’t do anything.”

Colin Kaepernick threw an off-balance 55-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gore and also connected with Stevie Johnson. Phil Dawson kicked four field goals — two of at least 46 yards. Kaepernick finished 17 for 30 for 218 yards, two TDs and four sacks.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had one quite like that,” Kaepernick said. “It was a great job by Frank.”

But on San Francisco’s next series, Kaepernick threw right to Jenkins, and the safety broke three tackles on the way to the end zone.

The 49ers won their first game at new Levi’s Stadium, where thousands of fans skipped out at halftime.

San Francisco outgained the Eagles 232-73 in the first half, but still trailed 21-13. Then Johnson tiptoed both feet inbounds inside the left pylon in the third quarter for a 12-yard catch.

Foles, who led the NFL in passer rating a year ago, was 21 for 43 for 195 yards and two interceptions.

NOTES: Foles missed a chance to join Peyton Manning, Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Drew Brees as the only QBs to open the season with four straight 300-yard passing games. … The Eagles scored twice on special teams for the first time since Nov. 22, 1992, at the New York Giants. It was the first time they scored on special teams in consecutive games since 2000.

___

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
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