Skip to main content

Patriots big favorites despite mediocre start

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have been mediocre in splitting their first two games. Yet they’re two-touchdown favorites on Sunday.

No surprise, considering they’re facing the Oakland Raiders.

The visitors for the Patriots’ home opener have lost 14 straight games in the Eastern time zone. They start a rookie quarterback who hasn’t won yet, have allowed more yards rushing than any other team, and were dominated last Sunday by a team that lost its final 14 games last season.

The Patriots, echoing coach Bill Belichick’s message that no opponent be taken lightly, ignore the point spread.

“They’re off to a start they obviously didn’t want to get off to, but they’ve got a lot of really good players, especially on defense,” quarterback Tom Brady said. “I think we’re going to get their best shot. It’s a very good defense. They’re hungry for the ball.”

The Raiders’ defense had an interception and a fumble recovery in their 19-14 loss to the Jets. But in their 30-14 loss to Houston, the Raiders had no takeaways while the Texans intercepted two of Derek Carr’s passes and recovered two fumbles.

“There have been obviously negative things that have happened. There have obviously been a lot of positive things that have happened,” Carr said. “Neither really matter to me. I’m just trying to grow.”

The Patriots’ offense also has struggled.

In their 33-20 opening loss to the Miami Dolphins, they gained just 67 yards in the second half when they were outscored 20-0. In a 30-7 win against the Minnesota Vikings, only one drive covered more than 50 yards and Brady threw for just 149.

“We’ve got a lot of football left. We’re still trying to figure out what we’re good at, and we’ll probably be trying to figure that out for a long time,” Brady said. “I don’t think we’re ready for the Super Bowl this week.”

They’re a lot closer than the Raiders.

But coach Dennis Allen says they’re headed in the right direction after 11 consecutive seasons without a playoff berth or a winning record.

“I think they are, but we need to begin to get the results on the field and that’s what really matters,” he said.

Here are other things to watch for Sunday:

COLLEGE REUNION: Nearly 13 years after ex-Michigan teammates Brady and Charles Woodson crashed into history in the “tuck rule” game, the Patriots quarterback and the Raiders safety meet again.

“He was making plays back (in college) and he’s still making plays the same way,” Brady said.

In the final two minutes of regulation in the AFC divisional round on Jan. 19, 2002, Woodson blitzed and knocked the ball out of Brady’s hand as it was moving forward. The Raiders recovered, but the call was overturned on replay. The Patriots kicked the tying field goal, won 16-13 in overtime and went on to their first Super Bowl championship.

“I don’t think we’ve ever talked about that, but I remember it very well,” Brady said, “and I’m sure he does, too.”

THE OTHER TUCK: After nine seasons with 60 1-2 sacks for the Giants, defensive end Justin Tuck signed with the Raiders, So far, they have the NFL’s worst run defense.

“A lot of times you overlook the little things and those are the things that come back to bite you in games: shedding blocks, using your hands up front, making the right checks to get everybody in the right position,” Tuck said.

Now the Raiders must face Stevan Ridley, who rushed for 101 yards against the Vikings. The Raiders have allowed an average of 200 yards rushing per game.

HOME AGAIN: The Patriots are 11-1 in their last 12 home openers, losing only in 2012 to the Arizona Cardinals 20-18 when Stephen Gostkowski missed a 42-yard field goal on the next-to-last play.

“It’s good when you’re at home and you’re playing with your own fans,” Ridley said. “We go to an away stadium and (our) fans are way up top of the nosebleeds (seats) somewhere and you don’t really hear them.”

TRAVELIN’ MEN: The trip to Foxborough is the first leg of a long eastbound journey for the Raiders. They’ll leave after the game for London, where they play the Dolphins the following Sunday.

“The schedule is what the schedule is, and our job is to show up and try to win a football game,” Allen said. “We’re not really focused on the travel.”

WHAT’S MY LINE? : Both teams shook up their lines before the season — the Raiders on offense and defense, the Patriots on offense. Oakland added free agents Donald Penn and Austin Howard on the offensive side and free agents Tuck, LaMarr Woodley and Antonio Smith on defense. For the Patriots, the trade of left guard Logan Mankins to Tampa Bay late last month resulted in Belichick rotating players on the offensive line.

___

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://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