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Bengals try to extend home win streak vs Panthers

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Bengals had just lost their distinction as the NFL’s last unbeaten team.

They’d been soundly beaten in New England 43-17 in a Sunday night game — yet another wasted chance to win over the skeptics on a big stage.

And coach Marvin Lewis had a message.

“Like coach Marvin said after the game: Great football teams don’t lose back to back,” running back Jeremy Hill said. “We know that going into it. If we want to consider ourselves one of the better teams in this league, we know we can’t lose back to back. So we’re going to have to go out there and play our butts off and get this thing going back in the way we want it to go.”

The Bengals (3-1) will have more than enough motivation on Sunday in a matchup of division leaders. The defending AFC North champions host NFC South leader Carolina (3-2) with the spotlight on how the offenses fare with reserves playing a big role.

The Panthers beat Chicago 31-24 even though running backs DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert were sidelined. Darrin Reaves and Chris Ogbonnaya, who weren’t on Carolina’s roster at the start of the season, managed 59 yards and a touchdown.

Williams (sprained ankle) and Stewart (sprained knee) weren’t expected back, so it’ll be up to the reserves to run it again and take some of the pressure off Cam Newton.

The Bengals had trouble with New England’s up-tempo offense, so it might be a good time for the Panthers to go to the no-huddle approach.

They’ve used the no-huddle on at least one play during seven drives this season and wound up scoring touchdowns on six of them, according to STATS.

“The no-huddle package has been good to us,” Newton said. “We’ve just got to find a way to sustain drives. But that has been our area, so to speak, to find a way to keep the tempo going and keep pressure on the defense.”

The Bengals have won 11 straight regular-season games at home, a franchise record. Their last home loss was in the playoffs to San Diego last season.

Things to watch on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium:

FOLLOWING THE PATRIOTS’ LEAD: New England rebounded from a drubbing at Kansas City with an inspiring performance the next week. The Bengals want to do the same thing. The lost back-to-back games only one time last season on their way to the division title.

“Responding from that game is a critical thing because of who we are and what we’re trying to establish for ourselves,” defensive end Carlos Dunlap said. “The New England game for us was a lesson learned, but it still is early and we’re 3-1 right now.”

UNLEASHING NEWTON: Newton ran out of the read option more last week, but hasn’t carried the ball as much because of offseason ankle surgery and broken ribs during the preseason. Coach Ron Rivera says he’ll “unleash” Newton when the time is right. He’s getting closer.

“They had the designed runs back in the offense last week so obviously they are feeling better about where he is physically,” Lewis said. “The fact that those were back in the plan I would imagine they will continue to expand on those things.”

CORNERBACK CONCERNS: Carolina’s injuries have also stretched to its defensive backfield, where it’ll be without starting cornerback Josh Norman (concussion) and nickel back Bene Benwikere (sprained ankle). Melvin White, who was benched the previous week after giving up two touchdown passes, will start for Norman while veteran Charles Godfrey will play nickel back.

BENGALS PASS: Cincinnati’s biggest injury concerns are at receiver. A.J. Green aggravated his injured big right toe during the week. Marvin Jones was limited to watching practice because of an injured ankle. Tight end Tyler Eifert is out until at least midseason with an injured elbow. Giovani Bernard and Hill could wind up catching a lot of passes out of the backfield in addition to running against a defense that’s given up a lot of yards on the ground.

“I think what Cincinnati does in their run game is interesting,” Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said.

KEEPING DALTON UPRIGHT: Andy Dalton was sacked for the first time this season during the loss in New England. That’s the only sack allowed by Cincinnati, the fewest in the NFL. Denver and Oakland are second with four sacks allowed. Carolina had three sacks in the second half of the win over Chicago on Sunday.

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AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, N.C., contributed to this report.

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AP NFL websites: 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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