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QBs look sharp, Bears beat Eagles 34-28

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — No matter who the quarterback was, the Chicago Bears had no trouble finding the end zone.

Jay Cutler, Jordan Palmer and Jimmy Clausen threw touchdown passes to help Chicago beat the Philadelphia Eagles 34-28 on Friday night in the preseason opener for both teams.

Cutler looked sharp in his brief stint. Palmer overcame an interception, and Clausen, the man he is fighting for the backup job, made a strong case, too.

“I like the way (Palmer) brought the team back,” coach Marc Trestman said. “He came back and moved the football team. And the same thing with Jimmy. I thought he moved the football team, was poised for a guy who’s been here so little time.

“I think we saw something there, as well, so that competition continues.”

It was a different story for Philadelphia quarterback Nick Foles.

The Bears rattled him early, intercepting two passes even though they were missing Jared Allen. The five-time Pro Bowl defensive end and prized free-agent acquisition missed practices this week because his wife gave birth to a girl.

Tight end Martellus Bennett remained suspended by the Bears for his role in an altercation with cornerback Kyle Fuller at practice on Monday. Chicago also was missing right guard Kyle Long (ankle) and right tackle Jordan Mills (foot), but had no trouble moving the ball.

Cutler made the most of his two possessions, completing 9 of 13 passes for 85 yards. Then, he watched both contenders for the backup job deliver solid performances.

Palmer got the first shot and went 8 of 11 for 104 yards. He got hit attempting a deep pass to Chris Williams, resulting in an interception for Nate Allen, but redeemed himself late in the half with a touchdown pass.

Clausen started the third quarter and threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns, including a 73-yarder to Williams along the right sideline. Later in the quarter, he connected with Michael Spurlock on a 22-yard scoring pass and hit Dante Rosario on the two-point conversion to put Chicago ahead 31-28.

Zach Miller caught six passes for 68 yards, including touchdowns from Cutler and Palmer, and the Bears earned the win.

For Foles, it was simply a brutal night. The quarterback who posted the NFL’s highest passer rating and threw just two interceptions in 13 games last season couldn’t get in sync.

He wound up with 44 yards on 6-of-9 passing before Jets castoff Mark Sanchez took over.

“We can’t have the errors that we had to start the game on offense, whether it be the interceptions or the penalties,” Foles said. “What preseason allows is an opportunity to clean it up. That’s what we’ll do as a team. We’ll clean it up and we’ll move forward.”

Sanchez was 7 for 10 for 79 yards against backups on defense.

Matthew Tucker ran for 40 yards and two touchdowns before leaving with a hamstring injury. Josh Huff returned a kickoff 102 yards late in the first half to give the Eagles a 21-14 lead.

Foles’ troubles started on the game’s first possession when he got pressured and threw the ball right to Chicago’s Ryan Mundy, resulting in an easy interception for a player vying for time at safety.

Cutler led the Bears on a 69-yard touchdown drive on their second possession, finishing it with a 10-yard strike to Miller to make it 7-0.

Foles then had the Eagles threatening, but with the ball on the 32, a short pass intended for Zach Ertz got picked off by Sherrick McManis.

Sanchez was decisive, on target and a big reason why the Eagles scored touchdowns on three straight possessions to take a 21-14 halftime lead.

He led them on 53 and 51-yard scoring drives that ended with short runs by Tucker to put Philadelphia up 14-7.

Palmer answered with a 12-yard TD to Miller to tie it with just over a minute left, but in a flash, the Eagles regained the lead. Huff returned the kickoff 102 yards untouched up the left sideline to put Philadelphia ahead 21-14 at the half.

“I’ve learned a lot from Coach Trestman about moving on, the inevitability of success and adversity — it’s going to strike you,” Palmer said. “For me, when something bad happens, you shake it off and move forward because you can’t do anything about the last play.”

Notes: Philadelphia’s Jeremy Maclin had one 15-yard catch after missing last season with a torn ACL. … Asked if Bennett will practice on Sunday, Trestman said, “It has not been decided.” … Trestman said safeties Chris Conte (shoulder) and Craig Steltz (groin) are “very close” to being cleared to practice — possibly next week. Both are on the physically unable to perform list.

___

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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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