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Brady back on target heading into game vs. Bills

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady fired a pass for a 20-yard gain on the very first play.

It was like a dart that punctured the criticism that followed him after his offense’s awfulness in the previous game.

Over-the-hill? An offensive line that can’t protect him? Receivers who can’t get open?

New England Patriots 43, the no-longer-unbeaten Cincinnati Bengals 17.

Take that, Brady seemed to be saying from the start of Sunday night’s rout.

And his New England Patriots teammates never doubted he would make that statement.

“He’s still a young buck and he has a lot in his tank left,” tight end Rob Gronkowski said of the 15-year veteran. “I’m proud to be playing with him.”

“He played with a lot of emotion,” special teams star Matthew Slater said. “You can’t say enough good things about our leader, our quarterback, really the heartbeat of this team.”

But what about all that criticism Brady took after a the second biggest loss of his career just six days earlier, 41-14 to the Kansas City Chiefs?

“I didn’t criticize him,” right tackle Sebastian Vollmer said to a round of laughter.

After that first completion to Brandon LaFell, Brady pointed to the receiver in recognition. Three plays later on his second pass, he connected with Tim Wright for a 30-yard gain. On the next play, Brady abandoned his reluctance to run and scrambled up the middle for 6 yards.

“We were all ready to go out there and play a great game of football,” Brady said.

The drive finished with a 1-yard touchdown run by Stevan Ridley. The second possession ended with a 17-yard scoring pass from Brady to Wright.

Brady went to the sideline and broke into a big smile after Wright came up from behind and hugged him. In Kansas City, Brady had slumped on the bench with a look of frustration.

A 27-point loss one week, a 26-point win the next.

“We played two different teams,” coach Bill Belichick said.

After two surprising results, the Patriots (3-2) know another one could be coming Sunday when they visit Buffalo. So they’re not taking anything for granted after the Bills upset the Detroit Lions 17-14.

“Big win for Buffalo on Sunday, came back on the road against Detroit,” Belichick said. They “really showed some impressive mental toughness as a team and so I’m sure there will be a lot of energy in the stadium this weekend.”

Just as there was in Gillette Stadium on Sunday night against the Bengals (3-1).

Fans roared after the first touchdown. They chanted Brady’s name after the second. That touchdown came one play after Brady’s 27-yard completion to Gronkowski made him the sixth quarterback to throw for 50,000 yards in his career.

“I think we’ve played hard a lot this year, but we were able to execute things a little bit better,” Belichick said. “Of course, there was more emotion and energy as we were making plays, especially in the first — well, throughout the game — but especially in the first quarter.”

The Patriots’ priority was to get off to a strong start against a team that trailed for just 48 seconds this season and had allowed only 11 points per game. With more than three minutes left in the first quarter, the Patriots already led 14-0.

“When you had the result that we had (against the Chiefs) as a team, I think everybody rallied around each other,” Belichick said. “I mean, who else is there to rally around? That’s all we have: guys that can go out there and play and make a difference.”

The Patriots gained 505 yards and held the Bengals to 320.

Brady threw for 292 yards. Ridley’s 113 yards led a 220-yard ground game. Stephen Gostkowski kicked five field goals. Kyle Arrington returned a fumbled kickoff 9 yards for a touchdown.

The team that couldn’t do much right in Kansas City got solid performances in every phase of the game.

“You can just see the intensity that we had as the offense went out first,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “We kind of handled that on the defensive side as well.”

It all started with the quarterback.

And the “Brady’s Slipping” chorus faded into a faint, out-of-tune echo.

One fan even held up a sign: “WE STILL BELIEVE IN BRADY.”

The Patriots always did.

“We’ll go to the ends of the earth for our guy,” Slater said. “He’s our leader and as he goes, we go.”

___

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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