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Bills’ Pegula era opens with 37-22 loss to Pats

By WTOP Staff

NICHOLAS MENDOLA
Associated Press

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — There’s at least one thing Terry and Kim Pegulas’ billions couldn’t buy this week: a Buffalo Bills win over their longtime AFC East nemesis New England Patriots.

The day opened with a sellout crowd chanting “TERR-RRY! TERR-RRY!” during a pregame ceremony to welcome the Bills’ new owners. It ended with Buffalo losing 37-22.

“Obviously it’s frustrating,” said Bills tight end Scott Chandler, who caught six passes for 105 yards. “They’ve been the top dog in our division since the division formed.”

Tom Brady went 27 of 37 for 361 yards and threw four touchdowns Sunday to up his career record to 23-2 against Buffalo. The Patriots (4-2) beat the Bills for the sixth straight time and moved past Buffalo (3-3) for the top spot in the division.

For the Bills, it was a squandered opportunity to build on the momentum of a week that began with a come-from-behind 17-14 win at Detroit. Then on Wednesday, the Pegulas’ NFL-record $1.4 billion bid was approved by league owners.

“It was an opportunity to move into sole possession of the AFC East, so there was definitely a missed opportunity there,” said veteran running back Fred Jackson. “That’s something we got to be able to take advantage of.”

Kyle Orton went 24 of 38 for 299 yards with touchdown passes to Robert Woods and Chris Hogan. But he threw an interception and lost a fumble in his second start since taking over for EJ Manuel. Running back C.J. Spiller also lost a fumble, with the three second-quarter turnovers leading to 13 New England points.

“Sometimes we can’t stay out of our own way,” Orton said. “It’s tough to beat a good football team doing that.”

Buffalo trailed 30-14 when Orton found Hogan in the right corner of the end zone, closing the gap to one possession when his 2-point conversion pass to Woods just crossed the goal line.

But Brady crushed any hopes of a comeback on the next drive with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell, his second scoring catch of the game.

The Patriots took control on their drives before and after halftime. New England went up 13-7 on Stephen Gostkowski’s 53-yard field goal to close the second quarter. Then the Patriots opened the third with the ball, and Brady efficiently capped a six-play, 80-yard drive with a 43-yard pass over the middle to Tyms, who outmuscled cornerback Stephon Gilmore and came down with the ball in the end zone.

The Patriots capitalized on all three Buffalo turnovers in the second quarter. On the first play of the period, linebacker Jamie Collins undercut a route and picked off Orton. That led to Brady’s 1-yard touchdown pass to Wright.

Gostkowski, who missed his first field-goal attempt from 36 yards, hit a 42-yarder that was set up by Orton’s fumble on a sack by Chandler Jones.

Gostkowski’s 53-yard kick came two plays after Devin McCourty forced and recovered Spiller’s fumble at the Buffalo 42 at the end of a 15-yard gain.

The entire Pegula family took the field during a pregame ceremony. Pegula made a brief statement to the fans. And he paid tribute to Ralph Wilson, his predecessor, who died in March.

“There aren’t too many times in life where I’m happy with being second in anything,” Pegula said. “But to follow Ralph Wilson, I’ll accept that.”

___

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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