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Brady leads Patriots to 37-22 win over Bills

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — After all these years, Tom Brady still has difficulty pinpointing a reason he and the Patriots consistently beat the Buffalo Bills.

Brady threw four touchdowns to up his career record to 23-2 against Buffalo in a 37-22 win Sunday. He went 27 of 37 for 361 yards to become the NFL’s fifth player with 60 300-yard games.

“I’m not sure really, historically,” Brady said. “I have a lot of respect for this team. They play hard every time we play them. I think we just come out on the winning end. It’s good to be on the winning end.”

Brandon LaFell scored on 17- and 56-yard passes less than six minutes apart in the fourth quarter. Tim Wright and Brian Tyms also caught touchdowns. The Patriots’ defense forced three turnovers and New England never trailed.

And it doesn’t seem to matter who’s signing the Bills’ checks.

Brady and the Patriots dominated their AFC East rival under the tenure of late Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson, who died in March. On Sunday, they spoiled the Bills’ new era under Terry and Kim Pegula, the Buffalo Sabres owners who completed their NFL-record $1.4 billion purchase of the team last week.

The Patriots (4-2) gained sole possession of first place in the division in moving ahead of the Bills (3-3). And they did so by beating Buffalo for the sixth straight time.

“It’s frustrating,” Bills tight end Scott Chandler said. “They’ve been the top dog in our division since the division was formed.”

LaFell, a newcomer in New England, isn’t surprise by the lopsided edge Brady has enjoyed over Buffalo.

“He’s a winner, man,” said LaFell, who had four catches for 97 yards. “That guy comes out every week and puts us in a situation to win games.”

And so much for questions about Brady being over the hill and the Patriots being vulnerable. Coming off a 43-17 win over Cincinnati, New England has won two straight since being blown out 41-14 at Kansas City on Sept. 29.

“I don’t pay attention to that noise,” receiver Julian Edelman said.

The Bills failed to build on the momentum of a thrilling come-from-behind 17-14 win at Detroit a week earlier. They let down a soldout crowd that was on its feet, chanting “TERR-RRY! TERR-RRY!” as Pegula and his entire family were introduced at midfield during a pregame ceremony

Once the game began, Buffalo’s offense was sloppy, and its defense uncharacteristically porous.

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.

“I’ve got to be better with the football,” Orton said.

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.

Hogan’s 8-yard touchdown catch and Woods’ 2-point conversion pulled Buffalo within 30-22 with 5:58 remaining. But facing second-and-12 at his own 44, Brady hit LaFell up the right sideline for a touchdown to clinch the victory.

The Patriots overcame injuries to several starters. Linebacker Jerod Mayo did not return after hurting his knee in the first half. Running back Stevan Ridley did not come back after injuring his right knee in the third quarter. Guard Dan Connolly also sustained a concussion.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said all three players would be evaluated, but specifically referred to Mayo’s injury as “a little bittersweet.”

NOTES: Brady is two 300-yard passing games shy of matching Brett Favre’s total. It was also Brady’s 16th career game with four or more touchdowns and no interceptions. … Chandler led Buffalo with six catches for a career-high 105 yards, becoming the team’s first tight end to surpass 100 yards since Pete Metzelaars had 113 on Sept. 13, 1992. … Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski had seven catches for 94 yards, but an 18-yard TD was nullified in the fourth quarter by a holding penalty against guard Jordan Devey.

___

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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