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Roethlisberger, Steelers beat Colts 51-34

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The numbers were preposterous: 522 yards passing, 40 completions, six touchdowns.

Yet the only number Ben Roethlisberger seemed concerned about after helping the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts 51-34 on Sunday was two.

After spending the first seven weeks alternating wins and losses, the Steelers have won consecutive games for the first time this year. And just like that, Pittsburgh (5-3) is in the mix in the packed AFC North with a showdown against rival Baltimore next week.

“This is a big turning point for us if you will, 5-3 sounds a lot better than 4-4,” Roethlisberger said. “It puts us back in the thick of some AFC stuff.”

With a bullet.

The Steelers raced to an early 35-10 lead, scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions and mixed in a pick-six against Andrew Luck. Still, they needed an uncharacteristic mistake by Luck and some aggressive playcalling by coach Mike Tomlin to avoid a collapse.

The Colts trailed 42-34 midway through the fourth quarter when they recovered a fumble at the Pittsburgh 5. Any chance of another memorable comeback disappeared when Luck tripped over the foot of center Jonotthan Harrison and flung the ball from his backside while sitting on the goal line. Officials called him for intentional grounding in the end zone. The safety pushed the Steelers’ lead to 10 and Roethlisberger’s sixth touchdown pass of the day on the ensuing possession capped his 100th victory as a starter.

“This was offense, defense and special teams, coaches,” Roethlisberger said. “This was everybody and why does it have to stop here? Why can’t we keep doing this?”

Replicating the greatest performance of his 11-year career might be tough. Roethlisberger’s passing yardage tied for the fourth-most in NFL history. He became the first player ever to have two games with 500 yards in the air and set a team record with his half-dozen scoring tosses.

“Ben is Ben,” wide receiver Antonio Brown said. “He never surprises me. It’s a great day at the office.”

And not so much for the Colts (5-3), who saw their five-game winning streak end in spectacular fashion.

“We didn’t do much of anything to give ourselves a chance,” Indianapolis coach Chuck Pagano said.

Not with Roethlisberger at the top of his game.

Here are some other takeaways from Pittsburgh’s most impressive win of the season:

WIDE OPEN OFFENSE: While Brown led the way as usual with 10 receptions for 133 yards and two scores, Roethlisberger spread it around. Nine players caught at least one pass, including rookie Martavis Bryant. Buried on the inactive list for the first six weeks, Bryant now has three touchdowns in two games after hauling in 5-yard and 2-yard scores in the first half.

LOTS OF LUCK: The third-year quarterback passed for 400 yards and three touchdowns, extending his streak of games with at least 300 yards passing to six, a new club record. Donte Moncrief caught seven passes for 113 yards and a score and T.Y. Hilton grabbed six passes for 155 yards and a touchdown. Still, he’ll think about the pick-six he threw to Pittsburgh’s William Gay and the ill-fated pass from his backside that will stick with him.

“Just a bonehead play by me,” Luck said.

BACK TO EARTH: The Colts’ defense came in rolling after shutting out Cincinnati and limiting the Bengals to 135 yards. The Steelers topped that total by the end of the first quarter as Indianapolis struggled to generate any pass rush and Pittsburgh receivers ran wide open through the Colts’ secondary.

“We’ve shown everybody what we can do so the expectations are high,” safety Mike Adams said. “So to take a step back like this is tough.”

STAYING AGGRESSIVE: Tomlin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley have taken an aggressive tack in recent weeks searching for a spark. They found it on four-and-1 at the Indianapolis 11 with just over 5 minutes to go. Rather than kick a field goal, the offense stayed on the field and Roethlisberger found Miller in the back of the end zone for the clincher.

“We are not going to take our foot off the gas,” Tomlin said.

HURTING: Indianapolis lost cornerback Vontae Davis (knee) and linebacker Erik Walden (hip flexor). They will be re-evaluated on Monday. The Steelers didn’t sustain any significant injuries, though tackle Marcus Gilbert missed the game with a concussion and nose tackle Steve McLendon missed his second straight contest with a shoulder injury.

___

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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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