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Saints outlast Bucs, 37-31 in OT

By WTOP Staff

BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pierre Thomas kept his body compact and his thick legs churning, bursting through thin seams in the Tampa Bay defense, slipping away from some tacklers and surging through others.

Eight seasons after entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent, Thomas still comes up with the big gains on screen passes and on the ground that have been the hallmarks of his career.

On Sunday, Thomas had 112 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, the Saints overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime, and Thomas’ understudy, Khiry Robinson, capped a 37-31 victory with a tackle-breaking 18-yard touchdown run.

Few were more thankful for Thomas’ performance than star quarterback Drew Brees, whose three interceptions put the Saints (2-3) in danger of falling into last place in the NFC South.

Brees called Thomas “everything you’d want in a teammate in regards to not only his production on game day but throughout the week.”

“He can do it all,” Brees added. “He’s one of the best all-purpose backs in the league, no question, and he’s been that for a long time.”

With a shoulder injury forcing tight end Jimmy Graham from the game in the second quarter, Brees still passed for 371 yards. But he also misfired 22 times, finishing 35 of 57.

Thomas became one of Brees’ top targets, catching eight passes for 77 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown on a screen pass. He rushed for 35 yards, highlighted by his 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Robinson rushed 21 times for 89 yards. Thomas, Robinson and fellow running back Travaris Cadet combined for 228 yards from scrimmage and four TDs.

“We dug deep and did what we have to do to win,” Thomas said. “We never gave up hope. We kept fighting, fighting and fighting. It shows how much heart we have.”

The Buccaneers (1-4) hurt themselves with 15 penalties for 113 yards, none more damaging than the flag on cornerback Johnthan Banks in overtime for illegal hands to the face as Brees threw incomplete on third down.

The penalties “really hurt us,” Bucs coach Lovie Smith said, adding that infractions like the one Banks committed “are ones you just can’t make.”

Tampa Bay quarterback Mike Glennon was 19 for 32 for 249 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted once in the first half and sacked by Junior Galette for a safety in the fourth quarter.

Starting for Josh McCown (injured thumb), Glennon nearly got his second straight victory in a stadium where the Bucs have not won since the last game of the 2010 regular season. That was also the last time the Saints lost in the Superdome with coach Sean Payton — who was suspended in 2012 — roaming the sideline.

Tampa Bay held a two-score lead early in the fourth quarter after Glennon’s 9-yard pass to Robert Herron, capping a drive highlighted by a 34-yard completion to Vincent Jackson.

The Saints cut it 31-26 on Thomas’ rushing TD, then failed to convert a 2-point try. But with the Superdome crowd roaring, the Bucs’ offense seemed to unravel. A holding penalty was followed by a botched snap, then a pair of pre-snap penalties that backed Tamp Bay up against its goal line.

“We were up five at the time and would have liked to have moved the ball and get points, but at least push them back so they didn’t have great field position,” Glennon said. “It was not well-executed by us and it’s something we’ll look at.”

The series ended when Galette stunted inside behind defensive end Cameron Jordan’s outside pass rush and had a free run at Glennon for a safety that made it a 31-28.

“I saw the opening and shot it,” Galette said.

New Orleans then capped the next drive with Shayne Graham’s 44-yard field goal to tie it with 2:30 left.

The Bucs did not score until Patrick Murray’s 55-yard field goal made it 13-3 with 1:54 left in the second quarter. Soon after, Banks cut in front of Cadet for an interception on the Saints 40. Glennon then found receiver Louis Murphy for a 20-yard score to make it 13-10.

Bobby Rainey’s 9-yard run made it 17-13 early in the third quarter. Brees then threw his second interception as he was bumped and falling backward. Danny Lansanah grabbed the errant throw and galloped 33 yards for his second touchdown on an interception this season.

Brees responded with a 5-yard TD pass to Cadet, setting up a wild fourth quarter.

NOTES: In addition to Jimmy Graham, the Saints also lost C Jonathan Goodwin (knee) and LB Ramon Humber (ankle) to injuries during the game. … The Bucs did not announce any injuries. … Brees surpassed 40,000 yards passing with the Saints in his 132nd game with the club. Dan Marino had been the fastest to 40,000 yards with one club, doing so with Miami in 153 games.

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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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