Skip to main content

Falcons look to bounce back from dismal season

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — This is new territory for the Atlanta Falcons.

At least for these guys.

The Falcons plummeted to 4-12 last season, a bitter disappointment for a team that nearly went to the Super Bowl the previous year.

Now, everyone is curious how the team will bounce back from its first losing mark since 2007, given only a handful of players on the current roster were even with the team the last time it happened.

“This is my first go-round,” safety William Moore said. “So I really don’t know. I can tell you that after this season.”

When general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Mike Smith arrived in 2008, the Falcons began a stretch of five straight winning seasons, which included four playoff appearances, two division titles and a trip to the NFC championship game.

That was a striking change for a franchise that somehow managed to go four decades without so much as back-to-back winning years.

Atlanta, it seemed, had finally grown into one of those elite NFL franchises, so accustomed to winning that no other outcome even seemed plausible.

Then came 2013, a throwback to so many of those nightmare seasons from years past.

Having spent lavishly to surround quarterback Matt Ryan with an array of dazzling offensive options, Dimitroff went cheap with the offensive line — and wound up paying a heavy price. Ryan was sacked a career-high 44 times and the running game ranked last in the league. Making matters worse, star receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White were injured.

The Falcons drafted Jake Matthews at No. 6 overall, and he moved right into the crucial left tackle position when Sam Baker went down with a season-ending knee injury during a preseason game. Jones and White are healthy, but tight end Tony Gonzalez finally went through with retirement, depriving Ryan of a key target in the passing game.

While eager to correct the problems, Ryan said he’s not putting too much emphasis on what happened in 2013.

“Those first five years happened, too,” he said. “I don’t think you can lose your confidence just based on (last season). And I don’t think we have. I think confidence is high here. I think guys expect to make the plays we need to make in order to win games.”

But clearly, this team is viewed much differently by those on the outside than it was just a year ago.

The questions extend to the defensive side, where no one managed double-digit sacks and there are doubts about free agent signees Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai doing much to address the issue. Jackson, the third overall pick in 2009, never lived up to his potential in Kansas City, while Soliai is more of a run stopper.

The linebackers are especially thin with Sean Weatherspoon out for the season. He went down during a routine offseason workout, leaving a pair of undrafted second-year players, Paul Worrilow and Joplo Bartu, as the starters.

Here are some things to watch for when the Falcons open the season Sept. 7 against New Orleans:

SHAKY LINE: No other position will draw as much scrutiny as the offensive front. The Falcons must give Ryan more time to throw and create holes for running back Steven Jackson, who gained just 543 yards to break a streak of eight straight 1,000-yard seasons. Baker’s injury forced Matthews to shift from right to left tackle ahead of schedule, and Lamar Holmes is back in the lineup after struggling to block anyone last season.

REPLACING GONZO: There’s no denying the hole that Gonzalez’s retirement leaves in the Atlanta offense. He was Ryan’s default receiver, going out in style with 83 receptions for 859 yards and eight touchdowns. The Falcons won’t come close to that sort of production with the new tight end, Levine Toilolo.

JULIO’S HEALTH: It’s vital to keep Jones on the field after he played only five games because of a foot injury. The Falcons brought him along slowly in the preseason, trying to make sure he didn’t suffer any setbacks before the games started counting. A healthy Jones is one of the league’s top receivers, a unique mix of size and speed who is impossible to cover one-on-one.

GETTING DEFENSIVE: Coordinator Mike Nolan experimented with a number of alignments in training camp, clearly hoping that deception will help compensate for a lack of playmakers in the defensive front. The Falcons will likely spend most of their time in a nickel alignment, taking advantage of a secondary that is their biggest strength on that side of the line.

UNDER PRESSURE: A good start is especially important for the Falcons coming off such a miserable season. Despite a 60-36 coaching record, there’s a bit of heat on Smith to turn things around quickly. The first two games — home against the Saints, on the road against Cincinnati — look a bit treacherous. Two losses will likely shake the team’s fragile confidence and spur on speculation about Smith’s future.

___

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

___

Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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