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Chiefs bring speed with Charles, power with Davis

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — At various times over the past few years, the Kansas City Chiefs have tried to find a bit of thunder to pair with their lightning. Each time, all they really found was a whisper.

Thomas Jones, on the downside of his career. Peyton Hillis, a shell of his former self.

Rather than provide a complement to speedster Jamaal Charles, they merely offered unproductive carries. But at long last, the Chiefs appear to have finally found their bruising back in the form of Knile Davis, someone who can take the pressure of their All-Pro in a meaningful way.

“They’re both explosive players,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “They are completely different players, but they are both explosive players. And that makes my job easy, just give them the ball.”

Just like he did Monday night at Arrowhead Stadium.

After missing most of the previous two games with an ankle injury, Charles returned to the starting lineup against New England. He ran for 92 yards and a touchdown, and also caught a pair of touchdown passes, leading the suddenly resurgent Chiefs to a 41-14 rout.

But the return of Charles didn’t signal the end of Davis, who had filled in admirably in his absence. He ran for 107 yards on 16 carries, his second straight game eclipsing the century mark.

“Coach Reid is a great offensive mind. He knows how to put us in the best situation to help our team win,” said Charles, who has gone through several coaches during his time in Kansas City.

“Knile is starting to believe in himself and is starting to get comfortable,” Charles added. “I’m happy for him that he’s really finding his way in this game.”

Charles has been finding his way for quite a while.

The former sprinter has 5,938 yards rushing to rank third in team history, and needs just 77 yards to pass Larry Johnson for second place. He needs 132 yards to surpass Priest Holmes for tops in the record book, a mark that wouldn’t be out of the question on Sunday in San Francisco.

The way Charles has done it boils down to speed and shiftiness. He was an elite track athlete at Texas, and once harbored dreams of sprinting in the Olympics. But it’s just not straight-line speed that makes him effective; he also has an uncanny ability to stop and start, and his jukes and spin moves on some hapless defender have resulted in countless highlights.

Davis, who was a standout at Arkansas, has the physical frame to simply run defenders over.

He also has elite speed, of course, and wins most races to the end zone. But at 5-foot-10, 227 pounds, Davis is a load to handle when he lowers his shoulder pads, and his tree-trunk thighs make it difficult to tackle him low. He has plenty of his own highlights, racking up John Madden affectionately called “YAC” — yards after contact.

“I think it gives defenses different looks,” Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said. “I think it keeps both those guys fresh, for sure. We ask a lot of Jamaal, you know, so it’s nice to be able to rest him at time. I think Knile’s play has deserved it, has warranted that.”

That started late last season, when Charles and the rest of the Chiefs starters sat in their meaningless regular-season finale. It continued in the playoffs, when Charles was sidelined early on by a concussion. Davis ran hard before leaving the loss to Indianapolis with a knee injury.

Now, both of them are healthy and running at full speed.

“You keep throwing fast balls at the defense,” Reis said. “You to have two fresh backs in the fourth quarter, and again, they do different things. You can do different things with them.”

When they’re both humming? It’s a nightmare for the defense.

“They beat us like we stole something,” Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said, referring to the two running backs but the rest of the Chiefs’ well-oiled offense. “We knew it was going to be a tough game. They basically destroyed us.”

Notes: Chiefs WR Donnie Avery sustained a sports hernia in Monday night’s game. He was in Philadelphia on Thursday to be examined by Dr. Bill Meyers and has been ruled out for Sunday’s game in San Francisco, trainer Rick Burkholder said. … WR De’Anthony Thomas could make his NFL debut against the 49ers after missing the first four games with a hamstring injury. He could also return punts. “He’s looking good in practice and we’ve just got to get him his first game really,” special teams coach Dave Toub said.

___

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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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