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Colts trying to bounce back after rare 0-2 start

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Colts are ready to start fighting back.

They know the unpleasant reality of a 0-2 start — that only 12 percent of those teams have made the playoffs since 1990. They understand why outsiders worry about the lack of a consistent pass rush.

They’ve heard Andrew Luck walk into postgame news conferences the past two weeks and lament his own decisions. And they understand why so many questions are being asked just two weeks into the season.

Now, for the first time in more than two years, Indianapolis is attempting to rebound from back-to-back losses Sunday at Jacksonville.

“You can point out every week if we did this, this and this we’d be 2-0,” coach Chuck Pagano said Tuesday. “We have 14 games left and the only that matters right now is Jacksonville and that’s the next one. The record is the record. We’re not going to sit there and dwell on anything other than Jacksonville.”

The Colts haven’t been this desperate since Peyton Manning went down with a neck injury in 2011 and the Colts opened the season at 0-13.

After Monday night’s debacle, there are obvious reasons for concern.

The defense allowed 24 points over the final 20 minutes and still hasn’t found a replacement for the suspended Robert Mathis, the 2013 sacks champion who will miss the entire season after tearing his Achilles’ tendon during a private workout last week in Atlanta.

Indianapolis couldn’t even generate consistent pressure against Philadelphia’s makeshift offensive line, and now the Colts could be without their key free agent acquisition, Arthur Jones, for several weeks, too. Pagano confirmed Tuesday that Jones has a high right ankle sprain and listed him week to week.

The offense, which ran for 169 yards — its highest total since Week 3 of the 2013 season, couldn’t seal the win because the Eagles converted two second-half turnovers into two TDs.

And instead of running the ball on third down when they were in field goal range with a little over 5 minutes to play, the Colts got aggressive and threw the ball — and essentially the game — away with an ill-advised pass from Luck.

Sure, there were complaints about that there was no call when Luck’s intended receiver, T.Y. Hilton, appeared to be grabbed on the play.

But the Colts refused to make the calls the issue.

“We played as good a half as you can play against a good team, a playoff team,” Pagano said, referring to the Colts’ 17-6 halftime lead. “But it’s a 60-minute game and that’s what we’re shooting for, to play a complete game.”

Where do the Colts look to fix things?

Perhaps they’ll start with Luck, who acknowledged he “wasn’t sharp” Monday night.

While his completion rate is up, from 60.2 percent last season to 63.2 percent through two games this season, his yards per attempt have dropped for the third straight year. And he’s already thrown three interceptions after throwing only nine during the 2013 regular season.

The biggest concern: Decision-making.

A week ago, he called his decision to run a hurry-up quarterback sneak on fourth-and-goal at Denver “stupid” because the right players weren’t on the field. Luck was stopped cold and the Colts wound up losing 31-24.

On Monday, it was the late interception.

Indy also signed defensive tackle Kelcy Quarles, an undrafted rookie from South Carolina, to the active roster. The hope is he can help replace Jones.

But, for now, the Colts are going to have to look at internal options to fill their biggest hole, putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

“We’re going to continue to develop the guys that are here,” Pagano said. ” The Robert Mathis’ of the world, all the great pass rushers, right now, this time of the year, they’re not falling out of the sky and driving over to west 56th Street and getting ready to rush the passer. So we’ve got to get that fixed.”

And even though it is early, the defending AFC South champs realize they face an uphill battle to get back into the playoff chase.

“It appeared we had that game won and we let it slip away,” Pagano said. “I’ll start with myself. I’ve got to do a better job. We’ve got to coach better, we’ve got to play better.”

___

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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