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Seattle can’t slow Murray in 30-23 loss

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

SEATTLE (AP) — Doug Baldwin’s frustration first boiled on the sideline and percolated again in the Seattle Seahawks’ locker room.

Angry was the perfect way to describe Baldwin.

“We’re frustrated. The offense can’t … move the ball. We’ve got too much … talent over here not to be moving the ball,” Baldwin said.

“It’s not on (Russell Wilson), I’m just saying in general, our offense, we’re just too … good not to be moving the ball down the field. I’m not mad at Russ at all. It’s a collaborative thing. We all got to pitch in and do our part. We’ve all got to be better.”

Baldwin became the spokesman after the Seahawks were left questioning all that went wrong in a 30-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

The result wasn’t stunning. It was the way Dallas won. The Cowboys outhit, out-ran and bullied the Seahawks, showing no intimidation toward Seattle’s top defense or the noisy environment created by the 12th Man.

It looked very familiar to the way Seattle won last year on its way to the title, except this time it was the Seahawks left confused by what just happened.

“We didn’t run the ball the way we want to, we didn’t protect as well as we like, we didn’t throw the ball very well, and on defense we didn’t stop the run,” Seattle coach Pete Carroll said.

What seemed so surprising was Seattle giving way a 10-0 lead after Mike Morgan’s 25-yard touchdown return after Baldwin blocked Chris Jones’ punt. Seattle lacked an offensive identity, shying away from leaning on Marshawn Lynch and the run game that’s been so successful.

After being lauded for his Monday night performance, Wilson was part of a miserable day for Seattle’s offense. He finished 14 of 28 for 126 yards, 53 of those coming on one completion to Jermaine Kearse in the first quarter. Seattle was outgained 401-206 and had just nine first downs.

Lynch finished with only 10 carries for 61 yards and most of Percy Harvin’s plays went backward. Harvin’s three receptions equaled zero yards. After the opening drive of the game, Seattle didn’t have a possession that started in its own territory and crossed the 50.

“I think everybody was a little frustrated. It’s not just one guy or two guys or three guys or whatever,” Wilson said. “We’re so competitive, and we all want to win. When things aren’t going the way that you practice them all the time, or the way that you’re used to, or the way that you expect, sometimes you get a little frustrated. More than anything, I’m frustrated. I’m frustrated that we didn’t play our best game.”

While Seattle failed to find an offensive rhythm, the Cowboys continually turned to DeMarco Murray. He became just the sixth player to top 100 yards rushing against the Seahawks in Seattle during Carroll’s tenure. Murray finished with 115 yards and his 15-yard touchdown with 3:16 left gave Dallas the lead for good.

Murray joined Jim Brown (1958) as the only running backs in NFL history to start a season with six straight 100-yard rushing games. And Murray did it against the league’s best run defense, which had not allowed a running back more than 38 yards in a game this season.

Dallas’ improved offensive line opened enough space for Murray to run and for the most part kept quarterback Tony Romo protected. Romo was sacked only once, and bounced up off the turf from the one hard hit he took from Bobby Wagner on the Cowboys’ first drive.

And when Romo got pressured on Dallas’ late TD drive, Terrance Williams made a stunning toe-dragging catch along the sideline for 23 yards to convert a third-and-20. Romo moved away from pressure by Bruce Irvin and found Williams along the sideline in front of the Dallas bench for 23 yards.

Murray then broke free for 25 yards and added a 6-yard run to the Seattle 15. He then capped his record day by cutting back and rolling into the end zone.

“We thought it was going to be tough sledding to run the football but we had to be persistent with it,” Dallas coach Jason Garrett said. “Our guys did an excellent job.”

Seattle was fortunate to be leading when Murray scored. Dallas’ special teams handed the Seahawks 14 points thanks to Baldwin’s blocked punt and Dwayne Harris muffing a punt deep in his own territory in the third quarter. Two plays later, Wilson kept on a zone-read and sprinted 9 yards to pull Seattle even at 17.

“We just left so many plays out there on the field,” Baldwin said. “It’s just all over the board. We’ve just got to get better.”

NOTES: Seattle CB Byron Maxwell left in the second quarter with what Carroll thinks is a high ankle sprain. … Murray led Dallas with six receptions. … Seattle lost at home to a team outside of the NFC West for the first time since Week 12 of the 2011 season.

___

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
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