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49ers throttle Rams 31-17 for 3rd straight win

By WTOP Staff

R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS (AP) — The 49ers had Austin Davis on the run. San Francisco counterpart Colin Kaepernick had all day.

San Francisco’s defense took charge after spotting the St. Louis Rams 14 points, sacking Davis five times in the 49ers’ 31-17 victory on Monday night.

Kaepernick wasn’t sacked, and he threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns, putting the 49ers’ comeback into high gear on an 80-yard strike to Brandon Lloyd.

On 3rd-and-six with 27 seconds left in the half, the 49ers (4-2) thought the time was right to take a shot. Lloyd put a double move on Janoris Jenkins and had clear sailing down the sideline for a touchdown with 14 seconds left that cut the Rams’ lead to 14-10.

“It landed right in my lap,” Lloyd said. “It did a lot for our morale in the locker room.”

Ahmad Brooks and Dan Skuta had two sacks apiece for the 49ers, who have beaten the Rams (1-4) three straight times by double figures. They made the adjustment after being beaten early by unfamiliar plays and a quarterback some of them didn’t know by name.

The 49ers have won three straight, hitting their stride after a 1-2 start. The Rams believed they were good enough to overcome another season-ending injury to quarterback Sam Bradford but have been a big disappointment in coach Jeff Fisher’s third season.

Here are a few takeaways from the 49ers’ victory:

BIG STOPS

The 49ers permitted one first down on St. Louis’ first six possessions of the second half, taking a 24-14 lead. The Rams’ lone decent possession led to Greg Zuerlein’s 38-yard field goal that narrowed the gap to a touchdown with 2:24 to go, but San Francisco foiled an onside kick and then sealed the victory on Dontae Johnson’s 20-yard interception return for a touchdown with less than a minute to go.

“Talk about an opportunity, I had the chance to make a play,” Johnson said.

NO SACKS

The pass rush was supposed to be a Rams strength, but they are still stuck on one sack for the season. Robert Quinn led the NFC with 19 sacks last year, and again was frustrated.

Kaepernick threw for 343 yards, the second-highest total of his career, topped only by a 412-yard effort in the opener last year against Green Bay.

Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree also had touchdown catches for the 49ers. Boldin led the way with seven receptions for 94 yards, including an 11-yard score in the third quarter.

COST OF VICTORY

The 49ers lost two starters and a backup to injuries in the third quarter Monday night.

Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis (toe), guard Mike Iupati (concussion) and backup safety Jimmie Ward (quad) all were sidelined. San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh didn’t provide any updates.

LEARNING CURVE

Davis showed enough promise while Shaun Hill was out with a quadriceps injury to keep the starting job, and he threw for 300 yards each of the previous two games with six touchdown passes. The offense bogged down after gaining 151 yards in the first quarter.

He was 21 for 42 for 236 yards. Three of his four interceptions have been returned for touchdowns, all in the fourth quarter at home.

“We’ve had the ball in every game with a chance to either win or tie,” Davis said. “That’s where hopefully my experience will help, the more opportunities I get.

“You’ve got to be able to go win games at the end.”

GREATEST SHOW?

The Rams wore throwback uniforms — royal blue and bright yellow — to honor its 1999 Super Bowl title team, and they emulated that team but just for a short time. Guard Adam Timmerman joined wide receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt for an impromptu bob n’ weave TD dance in the end zone at halftime, and there wasn’t much to cheer about after that.

The Rams blew a 21-0 lead against Dallas in their last home game and haven’t had a winning season since the Greatest Show on Turf petered out in 2003.

NICE LEG

The 49ers’ comeback began on Phil Dawson’s 54-yard field goal, his 10th in a row with four beyond midfield.

___

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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