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What to know about Titans beating Jaguars 16-14

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sammie Hill worried for a second that he didn’t get enough of the ball with his right hand to block Josh Scobee’s 55-yard field-goal attempt.

Then, the Titans lineman saw the ball fall to the ground and started celebrating.

Not the block, but Tennessee’s first win since the season opener.

“There is no feeling in the world right now that I can say makes me feel good, or any better, than just getting the win today,” Hill said. “Forget the block. Just win. That’s the biggest part for me. I don’t care how we did it as long as we did.”

His block helped the Titans hold on for a 16-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, snapping a four-game skid. The Titans (2-4) also avoided blowing a lead for a second straight week after making NFL history failing to hold the biggest home lead in the regular season against Cleveland.

“I had that sinking feeling you know just because of what we went through last week I’ll be honest with you,” Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “But Sammie got his big ole mitt up there and tipped it, so I am very happy for Sammie.”

The Jaguars (0-6) came the closest yet to their first win this season despite giving up six sacks and losing two turnovers.

“We definitely wish that we could have gotten a little closer and made it easier on Josh,” Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles said. “That’s just another thing and a little detail that could possibly help this situation out.”

Here are some things to know about the Titans edging the Jaguars:

NO EXCUSES: Titans safety Michael Griffin sat for more than 20 minutes after the game at his locker still in his uniform pants with a towel over his head. He was upset with himself for not recovering the onside kick, which would have allowed the Titans to kneel down for the win rather than needing Hill’s block. Whisenhunt said Griffin’s right arm was grabbed as the safety went for the ball for the second onside kick the Titans have lost in three games. Griffin wasn’t making any excuses.

“We’ve been making excuses all season,” Griffin said. “There’s no excuses. It was on me. I need to make those plays. I almost cost my team the game. I’m glad for the win for the team, but for myself that’s not good enough.”

BALL SECURITY: Bortles came into the game having been intercepted six times already in his limited playing time. The Jaguars’ rookie quarterback was intercepted only once by the Titans, and it was costly. Blidi Wreh-Wilson picked off Bortles’ pass at the Titans 16 late in the third quarter to end Jacksonville’s only drive in the quarter. The interception was the first of Wreh-Wilson’s career, a nice boost for a second-year cornerback who has struggled as a starter this season and was coming back from a concussion.

COMMUNICATION: This was the first NFL start for Titans left tackle Taylor Lewan, and Tennessee allowed Charlie Whitehurst to be sacked three times and hit far too often. Whisenhunt noted they went through the game without a penalty on Lewan but said communication issues led to protection problems. The Titans coach said that happens when integrating a new player into the line.

“We don’t want those sacks don’t get me wrong,” Whisenhunt said. “We’ll get it fixed.”

MAYDAY: The drill is called Mayday where a team has no timeout forcing the field goal unit to scramble out, line up and attempt a kick within the play clock. Bradley says the Jaguars usually need 17 seconds to execute, so he didn’t want to risk another play on third-and-2 to get closer with no timeouts remaining. So he sent Scobee out for a 55-yard field goal.

“I felt really confident,” Bradley said of the distance. (Scobee) felt confident on the sideline, and it looked like it was going. It was the right direction and he got enough on it. It was just the height on it.”

HOME SWEET HOME: The Titans finally got their first win in three tries at home this season. It was just their second home win in nine games dating back to last season.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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