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Manning, Broncos set marks in 41-20 win over Cards

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

DENVER (AP) — Julius Thomas was lauded in one locker room and lambasted in the other.

The Pro Bowl tight end caught Peyton Manning’s 500th touchdown pass Sunday in Denver’s 41-20 win over Arizona.

He also caught a lot of flak from Cardinals coach Bruce Arians for his chop block that send Arizona defensive end Calais Campbell out with a sprained MCL that will keep him out a few weeks.

“I’ve been coaching for 37 years, it’s the dirtiest play I’ve seen,” Arians fumed. “It was a flat chop block and put him out of the game. I know John Fox, great coach and great guy. Somebody has got to answer to that. A fine isn’t going to do it, when he’s going to miss three or four weeks, on a blatant chop block.”

Arians didn’t have a lot to be happy about Sunday as he watched his defense surrender 568 yards, the most they’ve allowed since 1973. That also was the Broncos’ best offensive output ever.

Plus, fill-in quarterback Drew Stanton left with a concussion, cornerback Patrick Peterson sprained an ankle and the Cardinals (3-1) saw the Broncos (3-1) make historic play after historic play.

Manning joined Brett Favre in the NFL’s most exclusive of clubs with his 500th touchdown toss, then added three more, including two that covered 31 and 86 yards to Demaryius Thomas.

His 86-yarder tied Manning’s career high. He also threw an 86-yarder to Marcus Pollard in 2001 against the Saints.

Manning threw for 479 yards and four TDs, moving him within five of Favre’s record 508.

After getting his touchstone touchdown — a 7-yard dart to tight end Julius Thomas — out of the way early, Manning helped Demaryius Thomas and Wes Welker make history, too.

Demaryius Thomas set a franchise record with 226 yards on eight catches, beating Shannon Sharpe’s mark of 214 yards set against Kansas City in 2002.

Welker’s seven receptions moved him past Rod Smith for the most catches in NFL history by an undrafted player. He has 854, five more than Smith caught for Denver between 1995-2006.

Welker’s record-breaker came on the last play on the first half, something Manning called “kind of a ha-ha moment for scouting, for not drafting him. So, whoever was a general manager in 2004, those guys ought to send him an apology letter.”

Demaryius Thomas had a 77-yard TD but it was nullified by Julius Thomas’ chop block on Campbell when left tackle Ryan Clady was about to engage him.

Other takeaways from the Broncos’ big day that sent the Cardinals from the ranks of the unbeaten:

MANNING’S MILESTONE: Manning’s 500th TD throw came in his 244th career regular season game, 49 fewer games than it took Favre, the only other member of the NFL’s most exclusive club. It came against two of his mentors: Arians, who was his first QB coach in 1998, and Cardinals assistant head coach Tom Moore, who was his offensive coordinator during his 13 seasons in Indy.

“I give both of those men a lot of credit for helping me improve as a quarterback,” Manning said.

CAMPBELL’S HANDS: Before he got hurt, Campbell was having a memorable afternoon. The 300-pound defensive end snatched Manning’s screen pass to a wide-open Montee Ball and rumbled toward the end zone before Manning tripped him up at the 5.

“Don’t give me a full tackle for that,” Manning said. “Give me like a half. I barely grazed his leg.”

Ball later sustained a groin injury that could prove a serious setback for the second-year pro.

FIRST TD: After Stanton was knocked from the game on a hard hit by Von Miller in the third quarter, Logan Thomas came in. On his third series, he threaded a pass through linebacker Nate Irving’s grasp and into the arms of Ellington for a stunning 81-yard score that made it 24-20.

“Man, sometimes it’s just good to be lucky,” Irving said. “I felt like I was right there in his hip pocket and then he just started running with the ball.”

That ended up being Thomas’ only completion in eight attempts, however.

“It’s a dream that I’ve always had since I was a little kid so it’s awesome to have the opportunity and to have the first touchdown of my career,” Thomas said. “But at the same it was equally as bad to have a loss.”

GOOD, BAD, UGLY: Brandon McManus provided fodder for both his supporters and detractors in his first game since the Broncos decided to stick with him and release Matt Prater 72 hours before his suspension ended.

McManus had touchbacks on all eight of his kickoffs but his field goals were an adventure. He was good from 44 yards, wide left from 53 and then made a 41-yarder that bounced off the left post and through the uprights.

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

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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