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Texans, with Watt and Clowney, await Falcons

By WTOP Staff

CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — J.J. Watt feels as if he gets asked about playing with Jadeveon Clowney every day.

When the Texans selected Clowney with the top overall pick, they instantly created what on paper looks like one of the league’s most formidable pass rushes.

Watt is one of the game’s most disruptive forces and Clowney was similarly dominant at South Carolina. Clowney is moving to outside linebacker in Romeo Crennel’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

The two showed a glimpse of what they could do on the second play from scrimmage in last week’s 32-0 loss in Arizona, with both charging in from the right side and Watt sacking Carson Palmer.

Watt downplayed how much to read into the play. The Texans weren’t doing anything complicated, and Watt wasn’t even paying attention to where Clowney lined up.

“Everyone makes a real big deal out of it,” Watt said, “but I didn’t notice that he was outside of me, so it’s just one of those things. You’re playing football and some people make a bigger deal on a lot of things than it really is out there.”

Watt played only one series against the Cardinals. With Watt out, Clowney shed a tight end and tackled Stepfan Taylor behind the line. Other than that, the Texans didn’t show much against the Cardinals.

Starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick played the entire first half and completed only six passes with two interceptions. The Cardinals’ offense, meanwhile, had their way with Houston’s defense, compiling 407 yards and going 11 for 17 on third downs.

Coach Bill O’Brien started the week with a morning film session before Monday’s practice, and he saw marked improvement in joint practices with Atlanta this week.

The Texans and Falcons play on Saturday night.

Help could be on the way for the Texans on Saturday. Running back Arian Foster, receiver Andre Johnson and linebacker Brian Cushing returned to practice on Wednesday after long layoffs, although O’Brien wouldn’t promise that any of the three would play against the Falcons.

Watt and Clowney likely will play after giving valuable looks to Atlanta’s reshaped offensive line in the combined practices.

Protecting the passer was a major issue for the Falcons last year, and they drafted tackle Jake Matthews and signed guard Jon Asamoah to shore up a front that allowed 44 sacks of Matt Ryan in 2013.

“In this league, you want to keep your quarterback standing up and that was one of our No. 1 goals going into this offseason was to improve our pass protection,” Atlanta coach Mike Smith said.

“Working against a good defensive line definitely helps us prepare for the regular season.”

The Falcons and Texans started last season with Super Bowl aspirations and finished as two of the league’s biggest disappointments.

Atlanta showed more promise in its preseason opener, beating Miami 16-10. Ryan and the first-team offense scored a touchdown on their only series, going 77 yards on 15 plays, and the defense held Miami to 229 and 12 first downs.

Ryan had one of his most productive seasons in 2013 despite the problems around him, completing 67 percent of his throws and a career-high 439 passes.

“The won-loss record wasn’t what you would want it to be, but I thought Matt had a really good season, showed a lot of resiliency,” Smith said. “I think it helped him grow as a player and as a person. He’s become more vocal and we need for him to be a vocal leader and this is Matt Ryan’s football team.”

Smith was noncommittal when asked if receiver Julio Jones would play in Houston. Jones is recovering from surgery on his right foot. He practiced Wednesday but not Thursday.

___

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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