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Browns make history rallying to beat Titans 29-28

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — First-year Cleveland coach Mike Pettine credits Brian Hoyer with helping the Browns make NFL history with the largest comeback ever by a road team.

Hoyer threw for 292 yards and a career-high tying three touchdowns, including the game-winner with 1:09 left, in rallying the Browns from a 25-point deficit to a 29-28 win Sunday over the Tennessee Titans for the biggest comeback in team history. The quarterback who was fighting off rookie Johnny Manziel for his job only weeks ago stayed cool even trailing 28-3.

“His poise was pivotal for us,” Pettine said. “I think that calming influence in the huddle, he was never out of sorts.”

Hoyer finished off the comeback with two TDs to Travis Benjamin in the fourth quarter as the Browns (2-2) scored 16 points in the final 11:02.

Each game this season has been decided by three or fewer points for the Browns.

“I said when we broke it down, ‘Let’s just win one by two touchdowns one week and not give everybody a heart attack,'” Hoyer said. “It’s great to always win, but to win coming back and know that you battled your butt off is a great feeling.”

The Titans (1-4) now have lost four straight under first-year coach Ken Whisenhunt with this easily the most painful.

“We had the game,” Titans wide receiver Justin Hunter said. “We should have finished and won. I’m at a loss for words. It’s definitely devastating. We had a lead like that and end up losing it like that.”

Here are some things to know about the Browns’ historic comeback and the Titans’ collapse:

RANKING COMEBACKS, COLLAPSES: Only two other clubs have come back from bigger deficits in the regular season. San Francisco rallied from 28 down in beating New Orleans on Dec. 7, 1980, and Buffalo trailed 26-0 before beating Indianapolis 37-35 on Sept. 21, 1997. The Browns topped the 1966 team that trailed the Giants by 20 before winning 49-40.

For the Titans, this was the biggest blown lead in franchise history in the regular season. Only blowing the 32-point lead to Buffalo on Jan. 3, 1993, in the playoffs as the Houston Oilers was worse.

HOYER’S STREAK: Hoyer finally was intercepted for the first time this season when Titans safety Michael Griffin picked him off with 4:55 left. That ended a streak of 189 consecutive pass attempts without an interception and was the third-longest streak in Browns’ history. Hoyer hadn’t been intercepted since the third quarter of his debut with Cleveland on Sept. 22, 2013, at Minnesota. Only Bernie Kosar and Milt Plum had longer streaks for the Browns.

TITANS’ INJURY LIST: This lost could have been much more costly to Tennessee than simply the record and pride. Quarterback Jake Locker missed the second half with an injured right thumb. Tennessee coach Ken Whisenhunt said safety Bernard Pollard, who left on crutches, may have hurt his right Achilles tendon. Cornerback Coty Sensabaugh hurt his right knee and tight end Craig Stevens missed almost the whole game with an injured thigh.

SHAKE IT OFF: Travis Benjamin nearly had Cleveland’s first turnover this season when he let the ball bounce off his chest and Titans rookie Marqueston Huff recovered. But officials erased Benjamin’s mistake, flagging Huff for failing to get back on the field quickly enough after being blocked out of bounds in the third quarter. Pettine said he grabbed Benjamin and told him to be ready to make a play.

“It is obvious that he lacks confidence in the punt return game,” Pettine said. “For me, that is a microcosm of the team. … A guy that had something bad happened to him and he didn’t go in the tank. He bounced back and made two plays including the game winner.”

FOURTH-DOWN: Tate said he was surprised to see the Titans go for it on fourth down with less than a yard to go leading 28-22. Backup Charlie Whitehurst tried to sneak for Tennessee and was stopped before sliding to the right and landing with the ball outstretched. The whistle blew on his forward progress short of the marker. The Titans challenged and lost, giving the Browns the ball at the Tennessee 42 with 3:03 left.

“We thought he made it,” Whisenhunt said.

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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