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Gronk’s health key to success of Patriots, Brady

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady and his receiving corps are more comfortable in their second season together.

The star quarterback also may have his biggest target back for the New England Patriots’ opener.

If Rob Gronkowski can stay healthy after two injury-plagued seasons, the NFL’s third-highest scoring team last year should be even more potent. And the Patriots’ prospects of winning their 12th AFC East title in 14 years would become even brighter.

Gronkowski has been making progress after ACL and MCL surgery on his right knee, but hasn’t played in a preseason game while taking limited contact in practice. After playing just 18 regular-season games over the past two seasons, the tight end plans to play all 16.

“The more that he’s able to do and help us, the better we’re going to be,” Brady said. “He’s working his way back, and it’s been great to have him out there for more and more activity, and, hopefully, that continues because he’s a big part of our offense.”

The first time Brady threw a pass to him, Gronkowski caught it for a 1-yard touchdown as a rookie in the 2010 opener. He and Brady have connected on 223 other throws. In 2011, Gronkowski set NFL records for tight ends with 90 receptions, 1,327 yards receiving, 18 total touchdowns and 17 touchdown catches.

Gronkowski missed the first six games last year after forearm and back surgeries, and the last three with the knee injury.

In training camp, he caught passes on the side before taking the next step, catching them on the field.

“It’s definitely huge to get going and be on the same page as the quarterback,” Gronkowski said, “just all on the same page as the offense as a whole. I’ve been working with Tom since I’ve been out here, but we haven’t been doing it versus the defense.

“So it was good to be right out there and boom, just like we’d never missed (a beat).”

Three of Brady’s top four wide receivers last year, when the Patriots (12-4) lost the AFC championship game to the Denver Broncos, were new to the team: veteran Danny Amendola and rookies Aaron Dobson and Kenbrell Thompkins. Julian Edelman had 105 catches after having just 69 total in his other four seasons.

“All the guys that came last year, there was a lot that was forced on their plate and they’ve been able to handle it,” Brady said. “There’s not as many things you need to go over, (but) you’re still trying to make improvements.”

Other things to watch from the Patriots:

IMPROVED DEFENSE: Opposing receivers should have a tough time against the new starting cornerbacks. Darrelle Revis is one of the best at that position and Brandon Browner is one of the biggest. Browner must sit out the first four games after being suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. But last year’s starter, Alfonzo Dennard, and Logan Ryan and Kyle Arrington are solid replacements. The Patriots have two key defensive players back from injuries that sidelined them most of last season: tackle Vince Wilfork and linebacker Jerod Mayo.

RUNNING BACKS: Stevan Ridley is the top rusher but has lost six of his eight fumbles the past two seasons. Fourth-round pick James White is a rookie. That leaves Shane Vereen, drafted in 2011 like Ridley, as the most reliable running back. He emerged as a receiving threat last season with 47 catches, three for touchdowns. In last Friday night’s 30-7 preseason win over the Panthers, Vereen caught two touchdown passes. “He’s a very dependable guy,” coach Bill Belichick said.

YOUTH MOVEMENT: Three veterans who built solid careers elsewhere, defensive linemen Tommy Kelly and Will Smith and linebacker James Anderson, were released Monday. First-round pick Dominique Easley and second-year player Michael Buchanan should see playing time along with fellow youngsters Chris Jones and Sealver Siliga on the line. At linebacker, the Patriots have Darius Fleming, who spent his other two seasons on San Francisco’s injured reserve list, and 2013 draftee Steve Beauharnais.

OFFENSIVE LINE SHIFTS: The offensive line needs to improve over last year, when several veterans struggled. Two of them, Ryan Wendell and Dan Connolly, are competing for the center position. Promising youngsters Jordan Devey, Josh Kline and Bryan Stork could make an impact, but standout guard Logan Mankins was traded to Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

SIMPLE DIVISION: The Patriots figure to start the regular season with a win at Miami and end it with a win over another division opponent, at home against Buffalo. In between, they should pile up enough victories to continue their domination of the AFC East. Only six of the Patriots’ 16 games are against teams with winning records last season.

___

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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