Skip to main content

Panthers, Bengals play to 37-all tie on missed FG

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — Call it the place where dreams of game-winning kicks go to tie.

For the second time in seven seasons, the Cincinnati Bengals walked off their home field trying to figure out what to make of a game with no winner. So did Carolina receiver Jason Avant, who was part of both of them.

There’s just no way to put it into words.

Mike Nugent rushed his 36-yard field goal try as overtime ended on Sunday, pushing it wide right and leaving the Bengals to settle for a 37-all tie with the Panthers.

“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.”

With that, a game that went 3 hours, 59 minutes long had reached a wholly unsatisfying conclusion.

“I’m treating it as if it was a 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.”

The last overtime game at Paul Brown Stadium was in 2008 with the Eagles, which ended in a 13-all tie. Avant was with Philadelphia for that one.

“It’s not as bad as a loss, but pretty close,” he said. “When you think about playing, you never think about tying.”

Unless you’re in Cincinnati, that is.

It was tougher for the Bengals (3-1-1) to accept. Andy Dalton was nearly perfect in overtime — his only incompletion was a throwaway to avoid a sack — as he put his team in position to win it. Instead, he learned for the first time in his career what it’s like to have no winner.

“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.”

Carolina (3-2-1) was energized by Cam Newton’s re-emergence as a dual-threat quarterback. The Panthers had limited his running as he recovered from offseason ankle surgery and cracked ribs suffered in the preseason. They turned him loose on Sunday, and he repeatedly led late comebacks.

All for naught, of course.

Some things to take away from a fittingly tied finish:

ALL TIED UP: It’s the third tie in the NFL in the last three years. San Francisco and St. Louis played to a 24-all tie in 2012. The NFL changed the overtime rules to avoid having games end on a quick field goal by the receiving team, and Minnesota and Green Bay finished 26-all last season under the new format. 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.

It’s also the fourth time the Bengals have gone overtime in their last 16 regular season games. They were 1-2 in overtime last season at Buffalo, Miami and Baltimore.

DALTON WITHOUT GREEN: Receiver A.J. Green was inactive for the second time in his career with an injured big right toe. Dalton went to Mohamed Sanu (10 catches for 120 yards) and Jermaine Gresham (six catches for 68 yards) to compensate. Overall, Dalton was 33 of 43 for 323 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also was sacked for only the second time this season.

BIG PLAYS: Giovani Bernard carried 18 times for a career-high 137 yards. That included an 89-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that was the second-longest in Bengals history. Corey Dillon ran 96 yards for a touchdown at Detroit in 2001. Cincinnati’s Adam “Pacman” Jones had a 97-yard kickoff return that set up a fourth-quarter touchdown. Cornerback Antoine Cason returned Dalton’s first interception 80 yards to set up a touchdown.

SET NEWTON LOOSE: Newton did it all. He completed 39 of 46 passes for two touchdowns and one interception. With the Panthers’ backfield depleted by injuries, he took over that part of the offense, too, running 17 times for 107 yards and a touchdown. The available running backs — Whittaker and Darrin Reaves — combined for 17 carries and 40 yards.

“Some things came to fruition today,” Newton said.

INJURIES: Panthers running backs DeAngelo Williams (ankle) and Jonathan Stewart (knee) were inactive again. Guard Amini Ailatolu missed the second half with a calf injury. Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict returned after missing two games while recovering from his second concussion, but had to leave the field briefly when he got up woozy after a play. He also had two personal fouls. Linebacker Rey Maualuga injured his left hamstring and had to be helped off the field.

___

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