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Ryan facing different questions after dismal year

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — For Matt Ryan, there are none of those annoying questions about his playoff record.

Now, everyone wants to know if the Atlanta Falcons can bounce back from their worst season since his college days.

Ryan and the Falcons endured a miserable 2013, managing only four wins after nearly making the Super Bowl the previous year. With little help around him because of injuries and a leaky offensive line, Matty Ice was saddled with a one-dimensional offense.

That was a big reason he had unwanted career highs in pass attempts, interceptions and sacks.

As the 29-year-old Ryan heads into Sunday’s season opener against the New Orleans Saints, the expectations for Atlanta haven’t been this low since his rookie season back in 2008, when he took over a team that was supposed to be rebuilding after Michael Vick — and immediately guided them to the playoffs.

Since then, Ryan has clearly established himself as one of the NFL’s upper-echelon quarterbacks but still lacks the one thing that sets the great ones apart.

A championship.

“As a quarterback, you certainly feel responsible for doing your part,” Ryan said. “It’s a production-based league. You’ve got to produce. You’ve got to play well.”

While he plays a position that will always be the center of attention, Ryan warrants little blame for what happened last season. He lost his most dangerous receiver, Julio Jones, to a season-ending injury after only five games. Atlanta’s other top receiver, Roddy White, sustained a sprained ankle in the preseason and didn’t resemble himself until late in the year, long after hope was lost.

The biggest problem was the guys up front. Ryan was sacked 44 times — 16 more than his previous career high — and hurried more than 200 times. He couldn’t turn to the running game, either; the Falcons ranked last in that category with a measly 77.9 yards per game.

Ryan said he is confident the line will be much more effective despite the loss of left tackle Sam Baker, who tore up a knee in the preseason. First-round pick Jake Matthews took over Baker’s spot, and the Falcons also have a new starter at right guard with Jon Asamoah.

“I love where the offensive line is at,” Ryan insisted. “Those guys really had a productive training camp. Obviously, they’ve taken their fair share of criticism throughout the offseason. But I think they’ve shown up every day at work, and on the practice field, with the right attitude.”

He was also cheery about the running game, even though Steven Jackson didn’t play at all in the preseason because of a hamstring injury. Jackson is expected to go against the Saints, but there are plenty of questions about how effective he will be at age 31 coming off the worst season of his career

Ryan pointed to others in the backfield, where veteran backups Jacquizz Rodgers and Antone Smith are joined by fourth-round pick Devonta Freeman from national champion Florida State.

“Getting Steven back is huge,” Ryan said. “But there’s a lot of depth for us at the running back positions. We can go three or four deep and have fresh guys out there who are capable of making big plays.”

Before last season, the biggest mark against Ryan was his postseason record. Despite leading the Falcons to a pair of NFC South titles and four playoff appearances, his record in the games that really matter is just 1-4.

Atlanta has twice lost at home after posting the conference’s best record during the regular season, including a bitter setback against San Francisco in the NFC championship game. The 49ers rallied from a 17-point deficit and stopped Ryan’s final drive at the 10-yard line to preserve a 28-24 victory.

Even so, there’s no doubt he is the guy everyone looks up to in the Falcons’ locker room.

“His leadership is probably top of the charts for any quarterback I’ve ever played with,” newcomer Devin Hester said. “If you didn’t know how Matt Ryan looks, you wouldn’t even know it was Matt Ryan. Normally, the quarterbacks kind of shy away, stick with their guys, keep to themselves. But he’s open to the locker room, whether it be a practice-squad dude or anybody, he treats everyone the same. He mingles with everybody.”

Saints coach Sean Payton expects Ryan to lead an Atlanta resurgence.

“You hit stretches of adversity,” Payton said. “It tests the resiliency of your club. But players, especially players like Matt Ryan, will respond and lead others to the correct response.”

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

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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
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