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Luck, Wayne help Colts rout Titans 41-17

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck got back to being the gunslinger Sunday. Reggie Wayne got back to being the playmaker.

The combination again proved unbeatable.

Luck threw for a season high 393 yards and four touchdowns, and Wayne had his first 100-yard game and first touchdown of the season as Indianapolis rolled past Tennessee 41-17.

“He (Wayne) got a game ball. I probably should have given him two,” coach Chuck Pagano joked.

When Luck and Wayne first teamed up in 2012, the veteran receiver quickly embraced the rookie quarterback and it didn’t take long for them to develop a rapport on the field and a friendship off of it. They became the key players in a remarkable turnaround that season, going from 2-14 to 10-6 and back to the playoffs. Last season, they were working well until Wayne sustained a season-ending torn ACL in October.

This year, some questioned whether the 25-year-old quarterback and 35-year-old receiver could get back in sync — doubts that were erased against Tennessee.

Luck completed 29 of 41 passes with one interception, and Wayne had seven receptions for 119 yards including a spectacular, spinning 28-yard TD catch down the sideline that gave Indy control midway through the third quarter.

Luck has now thrown for 763 yards and eight touchdowns in the last two games.

Wayne turned his 200th career game into a showcase. He passed Isaac Bruce for seventh on the NFL’s career receptions list, Henry Ellard for 10th in career yards receiving and extended his NFL record for consecutive games with three or more catches to 75. Wayne now has 1,029 catches, 13,873 yards and 81 TD receptions.

Those weren’t the numbers Wayne cared about.

After starting this season with back-to-back losses, Indy (2-2) has now won twice by more than 20 points and has extended its league-high streak of consecutive wins over division opponents to nine.

“It was an opportunity for us to put our foot down in the division,” Wayne said. “We let everybody know the Colts – we’re pretty solid.”

Tennessee (1-3) never had a chance with starting quarterback Jake Locker out because of a right wrist injury.

Charlie Whitehurst, a nine-year veteran, made his fifth career start. Although he didn’t play badly, he was yanked midway through the fourth quarter. Whitehurst finished 12 of 23 for 177 yards with one TD, the fourth of his career, and one interception. He also rushed five times for 40 yards.

The Titans didn’t reach the end zone until Whitehurst threw a 7-yard TD pass to Delanie Walker with 13 seconds left in the half to make it 20-10. Tennessee didn’t score again until Bishop Sankey’s 2-yard run with 35 seconds left in the third quarter, but that only cut the deficit to 34-17.

What’s wrong with a team that has followed an impressive season-opening win over Kansas City with three straight losses?

“I can’t even put my finger on that,” receiver Kendall Wright said. “… We have to put some wins up there and we have to stop all of the little things that’s killing us.”

Wright was responsible for one of those big miscues against Indy.

Two plays after the Colts recovered Wright’s fumble, Trent Richardson scored on a 1-yard TD run. Pat McAfee followed that with a surprise onside kick that Indy recovered. Eleven plays later, Luck hooked up with Dwayne Allen for a 7-yard TD pass and a 14-0 lead.

Tennessee got back into the game after converting Luck’s interception into Walker’s TD catch, but it was short-lived.

Wayne’s incredible catch and Luck’s 2-yard TD pass to Coby Fleener with 4:02 left in the third gave Indy a 34-10 cushion.

“You want guys that can go out there and make plays,” Luck said. “To be able to spread the ball out and get everybody involved, that’s important – and it worked today.”

Notes: Indy receiver T.Y. Hilton had six receptions for 105 yards. …. Rookie Zach Mettenberger relieved Whitehurst and finished the game 2 of 5 for 17 yards with an interception. … Walker finished with five catches for 84 yards to lead the Titans. … Colts safety Mike Adams had two interceptions. … Indy kept the ball for 42:21, compared with 17:39 for the Titans. … Indy has scored 85 points in the last two games.

___

AP NFL websites: 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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