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Romo’s back holds up, and now it’s on to Dolphins

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The first time Tony Romo set up to pass, he had to twist slightly and move forward in the pocket before zipping a throw to Dez Bryant.

When Romo botched a handoff for a fumble a few plays later, the Dallas quarterback found himself hanging onto Baltimore’s Courtney Upshaw with one hand, unsuccessfully trying to prevent a touchdown.

The good news, following surgery for a herniated disk, is that Romo’s back held up.

Now he and the Cowboys have to figure out how much he’ll play Saturday night in an exhibition game at Miami. That figures to be his last action before the opener Sept. 7 against San Francisco.

“It just feels like playing football,” Romo said after a 37-30 preseason loss to the Ravens on Saturday night. “Anytime you come off surgery, I understand the predictions, the process you’re going through. Everyone’s going to have them. Some people come back stronger, better. Some people come back early, they’ve got to take more time and then get better. Each guy’s different.”

He looked like the same Romo to those around him. This was his first game since getting injured and staying in for a season-saving win at Washington before missing the finale against Philadelphia, which beat the Cowboys in a battle for the playoffs.

“To me, he looked comfortable,” coach Jason Garrett said. “I thought that first third down where had to climb the pocket and deliver the ball to Dez, I thought that looked a lot like Tony Romo.”

Romo played two series because the first one ended prematurely when he and DeMarco Murray missed each other on a handoff. His 14th and final play was a 31-yard scoring toss to Bryant, who easily beat the defender for the touchdown.

Romo finished 4 of 5 for 80 yards, Bryant had three catches for 59 yards and Murray accounted for 45 of the 83 yards on the touchdown drive.

“We all know what Tony can do,” Bryant said. “He likes to win and he wants to win, so there’s no need for him to really be out here in the preseason because we need him in the long run.”

Actually, Romo slightly disagrees. He skipped the preseason opener at San Diego and is likely to sit for the finale at home against Houston. But he will play against the Dolphins. It’s just a matter of how long, and he figures it will be a little longer than his outing against the Ravens.

“When you play a game on the road in the preseason, I think that is very important,” said Romo, who took frequent breaks from practices during training camp in California. “I think you’re kidding yourself, as players, if you think you can just show up on game one of the regular season without playing in the preseason.”

Romo doesn’t have to show owner Jerry Jones anything else.

“I’m convinced that he can do what he does,” Jones said. “But still, he’ll want that just to be sharp and work with Dez and work with (Jason) Witten. We’ll see some of those guys as we go forward these next two games. We need to. When I say we need to, that’s just an opportunity for us to get ready for San Francisco.”

The 34-year-old Romo, getting ready for his eighth full season as the starter, wasn’t afraid to hold the ball. On his only incompletion, he spent several seconds in the pocket before a reverse pivot into the open field. He eventually threw across the field to tight end James Hanna, who couldn’t hold a slightly low throw.

“Yeah, I felt like I got hit enough,” Romo said. “I didn’t think about it. You just play. You don’t think about, ‘Oh, I got hit on that play.'”

Now it’s on to the next game.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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