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Watt leads Houston to 23-17 win over Buffalo

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — J.J. Watt had just sprinted 80 yards on an interception return for a touchdown to give the Texans the lead on Sunday against Buffalo, and it was time to play defense again.

Coaches offered to give the 289-pound defensive end a minute to catch his breath, but he waved them off dismissively. No way was Houston’s star missing even one play.

“I love to be out there,” Watt said. “I don’t like to give plays up. I don’t like to be on the sidelines for any of them if I can go.”

Watt’s highlight-reel play helped the Texans overcome a tough day offensively for a 23-17 win over the Bills.

Houston (3-1) was down by three in the third quarter when Watt put his hands up to block an EJ Manuel pass, tipped it to himself and caught it with no Bills in front of him. Kareem Jackson blocked Manuel, and Watt raced to the end zone to put the Texans up 14-10.

Watt caught a touchdown pass in Week 2, giving him more TDs this year than Arian Foster and Andre Johnson combined.

“He made a play, and a key of ours was to make sure he wasn’t going to make that big disruptive play prior to the game, and he did, and he made a lot of plays,” Bills coach Doug Marrone said of Watt.

Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a tough day against his former team, throwing for 268 yards with two interceptions. He put together one nice drive capped by a 35-yard touchdown reception by DeAndre Hopkins that cut the lead to 10-7 just before halftime.

Under heavy pressure all afternoon, Manuel finished with 225 yards passing with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Buffalo (2-2) was driving late when Darryl Morris picked him off at the Houston 15 to secure the victory.

Manuel got the Bills within 20-17 when he hit a wide-open Mike Williams for an 80-yard touchdown with about nine minutes left.

Randy Bullock had a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter and added field goals of 55 and 50 yards in the fourth for Houston.

Kyle Williams tipped Fitzpatrick’s pass at the line and it was intercepted by Nigel Bradham on the first play of the second half. It didn’t matter much, though, as Watt’s interception came three plays later.

Watt added a bit of swagger when he high-stepped and waved one hand in the air as he crossed the goal line, igniting the home crowd. He said he had no clue what he did, but added that it may have been half Deion Sanders high-step and half a dance called the “Nae Nae.” He cringed when he saw it unfolding in real time on the Jumbotron.

“I was like: ‘You’re a white defensive lineman, just run the ball in,” Watt joked.

He said his goal was to be underpaid when he signed a six-year, $100 million contract earlier this month, and so far he hasn’t disappointed.

“He’s worth every cent,” owner Bob McNair said. “I hope he doesn’t come in tomorrow and ask for a raise.”

He’s the second player since the merger in 1970 to have an interception return for a touchdown and a touchdown catch in the same season. Houston assistant coach Mike Vrabel did it in 2005 for New England.

Watt finished with five tackles and had a career-high nine hits on Manuel.

Hopkins’ TD pass capped the first drive where the Texans mustered any offense, and they had negative yards rushing until late in the second quarter.

They also had some problems on defense, with Watt committing two roughing-the-passer penalties in the first quarter.

NOTES: Foster played after missing last week with a hamstring injury and said he wasn’t “100 percent” healthy. He was limited to eight carries for six yards but gained 55 yards on seven receptions. … Bradham and defensive tackle Kyle Williams left with knee injuries and didn’t return. Marrone didn’t have an update on their condition after the game.

___

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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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