Skip to main content

Offensive line braces for Watt and Texans

By WTOP Staff

TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Since Pro Bowl guard Chris Snee retired at the start of training camp and high-priced free agent Geoff Schwartz was injured in a preseason game, there have been giant concerns about the New York’s offensive line.

Across the board, the group included veteran Will Beatty returning from a broken leg; rookie Weston Richburg; two experienced free agents in J.D. Walton and John Jerry; and second-year pro Justin Pugh, the 2013 first-round draft pick.

It’s not the group the coaching staff envisioned heading into the season, but two games in the line is showing progress.

In the 25-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, the running and passing games had increased production, and Eli Manning found time to throw instead of having to duck early and often.

“We’re starting to jell,” Jerry said Wednesday after the Giants (0-2) practiced for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans (2-0). “We’re starting to come together. If we can eliminate the mistakes …”

Jerry didn’t finish the thought, but it was obvious. Eliminate the mistakes and Tom Coughlin’s crew can put up a much-needed W.

The Giants really need one. They opened last season 0-6 in missing the playoffs for the second straight season, and an 0-3 start would put them on the road to another dismal year.

The line picked it up this past weekend, especially in pass protection. Manning threw for 260 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. While he was sacked twice, there were only two quarterback hurries, seven less than the week before against the Lions.

The running game picked up 81 yards, 28 more than in the opener.

“As offensive linemen we always say it starts with us,” Beatty said. “Now build on that. We did from Week 1 to Week 2, but not enough in hindsight to win the game. Now we have to build on it again and make sure Game 3 is better than Game 2.”

One of the big differences against the Cardinals was that the Giants controlled the ball for more than 32 minutes despite turning it over four times

Had it not been for the turnovers, penalties and five dropped passes, the Giants probably would have had a 400-yard game for new coordinator Ben McAdoo.

“You wish you could do that,” Pugh said of eliminating the mistakes. “We see the yards we left on the field and the points we left off the board. We know if we can take care of business and minimize the mistakes that led to those turnovers, we can be a good offense and score on anybody.”

The lack of points has hurt the Giants. They have scored 14 in each of their first two games. It’s a total that is not going to win a lot of games.

However, if the line continues to give Manning time to throw and the running game improves, the Giants are going to score more points.

“The line has played better, but it’s also having long drives, getting first downs and getting into a rhythm, especially if you can go no-huddle,” Manning said of the 13- and eight-play touchdown drives Sunday. “It slows things down. You run the ball, get the ball out quickly on some passes, and then you can hold it a little more and move around, and (you) sense the defensive line is getting tired. If we can do that, it should give us an advantage.”

What the Giants can’t do is give away the ball. They have a league-worst minus-6 differential and they are facing the Texans, who are tied for the league’s best at plus-5.

“It comes down to why are we shooting ourselves in the foot?” Beatty said. “The first thing we have to do is stop shooting ourselves in the foot. You have to keep working and keep practicing. It was definitely an improvement from the week before, but by no means are we where we need to be at.”

NOTES: MLB Jon Beason (foot), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (hamstring), LB Devon Kennard (hamstring) and P Steve Weatherford (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. … Giants coach Tom Coughlin is not saying whether Jameel McClain or Mark Herzlich will replace Beason if he can’t go. … WR Preston Parker will get the first shot at replacing Jerrel Jernigan (IR) as the third wideout. … Coughlin and WR Victor Cruz had a talk about trying to get more production from the wideouts. Cruz dropped two key passes last weekend and has not scored a touchdown since Week 4 of last season.

___

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
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