Skip to main content

Nugent’s miss leaves Bengals, Panthers tied 37-all

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Cam Newton re-emerged as dual-threat danger. Andy Dalton missed on only one pass in overtime — a sack-saving throwaway, no less. Back and forth they went, rallying their teams through a pulsating finish.

Mike Nugent’s miss left it tied, unsatisfying and confusing. And perfectly appropriate.

Nugent missed a 36-yard field goal attempt on the final play of overtime Sunday, leaving the Bengals and Panthers in a 37-37 tie — the NFL’s first this season. A game full of big plays and big comebacks was basically a wash.

“It’s a weird feeling,” Dalton said. “I’ve never been part of a tie. You didn’t lose, but you didn’t win. We had our chances and when you don’t win, it’s tough.”

It doesn’t happen very often — at least, not outside of Cincinnati.

The Bengals and Eagles played to a 13-13 tie at Paul Brown Stadium in 2008, when Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham missed a 47-yard try with 7 seconds left in overtime. Four years later, San Francisco and St. Louis played to a 24-all tie.

The NFL changed the overtime rules to avoid having games end on a field goal by the receiving team. Minnesota and Green Bay finished 26-all last season under the new format.

The crowd of 57,053 at Paul Brown Stadium was standing and ready to celebrate when Nugent set up for the final kick with only 2 seconds left on the clock. It was a good snap and hold. Nugent rushed his approach and sliced it wide right.

“That was the worst ball I’ve ever hit in my career,” Nugent said. “My plant foot was way too far forward. I think there was a little excitement. I was a little too quick.”

The crowd stood stunned. The players walked onto the field to shake hands, trying to figure out what it all meant.

“I’m treating it as if it was loss,” said Panthers running back Fozzy Whittaker, who had a 4-yard touchdown run. “We had many opportunities to win it. But it doesn’t hurt as bad (as a loss), I guess.”

A matchup of division leaders and impressive quarterbacks came down to the kickers.

Nugent made a 42-yard field goal that put Cincinnati (3-1-1) up after the opening drive of overtime. Carolina (3-2-1) tied it on Graham Gano’s 36-yarder with 2:19 left.

That was enough time for Dalton to maneuver the Bengals into position to win it. He was 8 for 9 for 87 yards with one throwaway in overtime. A roughing-the-passer penalty on Panthers end Charles Johnson helped the Bengals get in position for Nugent’s final kick.

“On that last drive, I thought we’d go down there and put ourselves in a position to win it,” said Dalton, who was 33 of 43 overall for 323 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. “We did that. We were close.”

The game marked Newton’s return as a running threat. He had been mostly limited to throwing the ball because of offseason ankle surgery and cracked ribs from the preseason.

With their backfield depleted by injuries, the Panthers turned Newton loose on Sunday. He ran a team-high 17 times for 107 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown in the second half. He also completed 29 of 46 for 284 yards and two touchdowns, including a 13-yarder that put Carolina up 31-24 with 4:50 left.

The drama was just starting.

Adam “Pacman” Jones ran the kickoff back 97 yards to set up a tying touchdown, and the kickers traded field goals in the closing minutes. Gano’s 44-yarder sent it to overtime.

There were other big plays, too. Giovani Bernard had an 89-yard touchdown run — the second-longest in Bengals history — to help Cincinnati to a 17-10 halftime lead. Bernard carried 18 times for a career-high 137 yards, missing part of the second half with an injured right shoulder.

All of that aside, it came down to a kicker missing one that’s usually routine.

“You want to come away with a victory there,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. “That’s a shame.”

NOTES: The 74 combined points were the third-most in an NFL tie, according to STATS. The Patriots and Raiders tied 43-all in 1964. The Broncos and Bills tied 38-all in 1960. … The Panthers have given up the two longest runs in the NFL this season — Bernard’s TD and Le’Veon Bell’s 81-yarder. … Bengals WR A.J. Green was inactive because of an injured big right toe that has bothered him all season, only the second time in his career he was inactive. … Corey Dillon had the longest TD run in Bengals history, 96 yards in Detroit in 2001.

___

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote