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Giants QB Manning tests new offense in HOF Game

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Eli Manning is starting to get the hang of the New York Giants newly installed up-tempo offense.

It helped that the 11th-year quarterback got a chance to go in for a third series in the Giants’ 17-13 win over the Buffalo Bills in the preseason-opening Hall of Fame Game on Sunday night.

After Manning ended the Giants’ second series by losing a fumble on a sack, he bounced back by methodically engineering a 12-play, 80-yard drive capped by rookie Andre Williams’ 3-yard touchdown run.

“Yeah, it was big for our offense to get something going, get a few first downs, get in a good rhythm,” Manning said. “I’m glad we had that one last opportunity.”

Manning went 6 of 7 for 43 yards passing, with his longest completion for 10 yards. He was complemented by a 1-2 punch of a running game made up of Williams and free-agent addition Rashad Jennings, who took much of the pressure off the passing attack.

The focus on a ground game is part of the new wrinkles being introduced by new offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo.

“I thought there were some improvements. It was a good start,” Manning said.

Rookie receiver Corey Washington scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 73-yard pass up the right sideline from backup Ryan Nassib with 13:18 remaining.

Bills backup Jeff Tuel hit Robert Woods for a 2-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal to put Buffalo ahead 10-7 early in the second quarter.

Here are five things that stood out in front of an announced crowd of 22,052 at Fawcett Stadium:

GIANTS ON THE RUN: With running back David Wilson sidelined after sustaining his second neck injury in less than a year, Williams stepped in and capably filled the No. 2 spot behind newly acquired starter Rashad Jennings.

The fourth-round draft pick out of Boston College had seven carries for 48 yards and a TD.

“It gives me confidence. I feel like I’m supposed to be here,” said Williams, a Heisman Trophy candidate who led the nation with 2,177 yards rushing last season. “I’m part of the team now.”

“I though he played well, and that was encouraging,” coach Tom Coughlin said.

EJ’S INCONSISTENCIES: Bills starting quarterback EJ Manuel had several lapses during two series.

He completed just 2 of 7 attempts for 19 yards, and nearly had a pass intercepted by linebacker Jacquian Williams inside the New York 10. Manuel never looked off his intended target Sammy Watkins and was fortunate to have Williams bat the ball down.

“I would have liked to throw a touchdown pass or to score a touchdown while I was in, but it’s our first game,” said Manuel, the second-year player who has been inconsistent through the first two weeks of training camp. “We got our feet wet, and we’re looking forward to moving on to playing Carolina.”

Coach Doug Marrone didn’t sound as positive regarding the play of any of his quarterbacks.

“Obviously, the performances were not good for a win,” Marrone said. “We’ve got to get better, all of them.”

SAMMY SHUT OUT: Watkins, the Bills first-round pick, was held without a catch after being targeted three times. Two passes from Manuel directed Watkins’ way were tipped. Manuel also was late in finding Watkins flying up the left sideline, and overthrew him by a few yards.

“I’m fine,” Watkins said. “I wish I could have got a ball and got tackled.”

TABLET GLITCH: The NFL unveiled a few new wrinkles for the preseason, including providing coaches and players on the sidelines an opportunity to view pictures of plays on tablets and in color. That’s an improvement over the black-and-white still photos that were printed off on paper.

Marrone experienced a problem, saying his tablet initially didn’t work. The issue was fixed and he used the technology in the second half.

“There was a miscommunication,” he said. “I was excited. I did use it in the second half and I liked it a lot.”

HOF EXPERIENCE: Manning was excited to be on hand as former teammate Michael Strahan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the seven-member 2014 class. Best of all, Manning noted was how the defensive end got an opportunity to lead the pre-game huddle at 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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