Skip to main content

Raiders falter late in 31-28 loss to Chargers

By WTOP Staff

JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The stage was set for Raiders rookie Derek Carr to put a perfect capper on a breakthrough performance.

He launched a pass that he hoped would go for his fifth touchdown, only to watch Jason Verrett steal it away for an acrobatic, game-sealing interception.

Verrett’s deft move came after Branden Oliver gave San Diego the lead with a 1-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left, and the Chargers spoiled interim coach Tony Sparano’s debut with Oakland with a 31-28 win Sunday.

“The guy made a great play,” Carr said. “Those things are going to happen. Yeah, it hurts. It hurts because that’s the way it ended.”

The interception was a bad ending to an otherwise strong day for Carr. His 282 yards passing and four touchdown passes were not enough to prevent Oakland’s 11th straight loss and first after the firing of Dennis Allen.

Carr took a deep shot for Brice Butler with the Raiders (0-5) facing second-and-1 from the San Diego 45, needing just a few more yards to get into range for a potential tying field goal.

“It was a scenario where the coverage dictated where the ball was going to go and we took the shot,” Sparano said. “The kid made a heck of a play as you can see. We’re talking about an inch one way or an inch the other way and that’s the nature of our game. You lose one-score games and those are the ones that hurt.”

Philip Rivers had three touchdown passes and engineered the winning drive to give San Diego (5-1) its fifth straight win. Oakland matched the team’s longest losing streak since 1962.

Oliver, an undrafted rookie out of Buffalo, ran for 101 yards to complement another strong performance by Rivers, who threw for 313 yards and posted a 120 passer rating for a record fifth straight game.

Carr’s best throw might have been his last TD, when he rolled to his right and patiently waited for Andre Holmes to break open in the back of the end zone for a 6-yard score that put Oakland up 28-21.

But it wasn’t enough to give the Raiders the win.

“We have to be in these kinds of football games,” Sparano said. “We have to win one of these types of football games and that’s how you get this thing turned around.”

Rivers took over after that, leading San Diego on a pair of scoring drives starting with a 30-yard field goal by Nick Novak.

After the Raiders went three-and-out for the second time all game, Rivers got the ball at the Oakland 39 with 4:43 to play and calmly led the Chargers downfield to set up Oliver’s winning run.

“I’m the type of guy that, if you keep giving me the ball, I feel like I get stronger as the game goes,” Oliver said.

Sparano talked this week about ending a pattern of “Oakland beating Oakland,” and the Raiders used San Diego’s mistakes to take the lead in the third quarter.

The Chargers committed three penalties on one drive, including a hold on Ladarius Green that negated Novak’s 54-yard field goal.

Instead of punting on fourth-and-35, up back Eric Weddle decided to try a fake but threw an incompletion intended for Seyi Ajirotutu.

Oakland took advantage of the good field position to take the lead on Carr’s 47-yard TD pass to Butler that put the Raiders up 21-14 for their first second-half lead since last Thanksgiving in Dallas.

Rivers answered with a 1-yarder to Antonio Gates for his third TD pass late in the third.

Carr threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Holmes in the opening minute and he and Rivers each had two scoring throws to send the game to halftime tied at 14.

Oakland missed a chance for a halftime lead when Sebastian Janikowski was wide left on a 53-yard field goal try on the final play.

NOTES: Carr’s first TD pass to Holmes was the longest scoring throw for the Raiders since JaMarcus Russell and Zach Miller connected on an 86-yarder on Oct. 10, 2009. … Rivers became the fifth QB to throw for 4,000 yards in his career against the Raiders, joining John Elway, Dan Fouts, John Hadl and Dave Kreig.

___

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