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Atlanta Falcons host rapidly sinking Buccaneers

By WTOP Staff

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were supposed to be vastly improved this year. The standings show a big, fat zero in the win column.

Yes, the talent base looks good on both sides of the ball. New coach Lovie Smith was a winner in Chicago and has brought a freshness to the environment in Tampa.

Yet his team lost two straight at home, both in close calls, but still defeats. Next up is Thursday night’s trip to Atlanta.

“That wasn’t a part of the master plan,” Smith said. “As much as anything for us, if we can just get to 1-2, get that first win. We weren’t able to get it done at home and that’s disappointing.”

Getting the victory could be made tougher by star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy’s broken left hand. He’ll be a game-time decision.

Atlanta fell flat in Cincinnati one week after a rousing comeback win against the Saints. Whether or not McCoy plays, the Falcons must find a way to better protect quarterback Matt Ryan, who comes off a bad performance.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt that Matt is going to bounce back,” said the other coaching Smith in this matchup, Atlanta’s Mike. “I know we’ve got to take care of the football. That’s the most important thing.”

The Falcons, tied for 17th in the AP Pro32 with, oddly, the archrival Saints, are 6 1/2-point favorites over No. 30 Tampa Bay. That spread is too big.

FALCONS, 23-20

___

No. 32 Oakland (plus 14) at No. 7 New England

Raiders get routed before heading across Atlantic.

BEST BET: PATRIOTS, 33-10

No. 12 Chicago (plus 2 1/2) at No. 19 New York Jets, Monday night

Did the guys who set the line not see the second half last weekend for both teams?

UPSET SPECIAL: BEARS, 27-20

No. 1 Denver (plus 4 1/2) at No. 2 Seattle

How much did Broncos learn from Super Bowl beating — and Chargers’ upset over Seahawks last week? Enough to cover, if not win.

SEAHAWKS, 27-26

No. 27 Kansas City (plus 4 1/2) at No. 21 Miami

Battered Chiefs must feel like it is Week 13, not Week 3.

DOLPHINS, 20-10

No. 13 Indianapolis (minus 7) at No. 31 Jacksonville

Time for Colts to wake up in Jaguars’ home opener.

COLTS, 23-13

No. 6 San Francisco (minus 3) at No. 8 Arizona

Cardinals can prove they are THE team in tough NFC West. Not quite …

49ERS, 19-14

No. 20 Pittsburgh (plus 3 1/2) at No. 5 Carolina

Panthers’ defense what the Steelers wish they still had.

PANTHERS, 22-13

No. 9 San Diego (plus 2) at No. 11 Buffalo

If Buffalo goes to 3-0, we’ll start believing.

CHARGERS, 27-21

No. 14 Baltimore (minus 1) at No. 25 Cleveland

If Cleveland goes to 2-1, we’ll start believing.

RAVENS, 19-17

No. 24 Washington (plus 6 1/2) at No. 4 Philadelphia

How far can Eagles fall behind this week and still win?

EAGLES, 30-20

No. 23 Tennessee (plus 7) at No. 3 Cincinnati

Slew of injuries for Bengals could slow them down here.

BENGALS, 23-20

No. 22 Dallas (minus 1) at No. 28 St. Louis

We now know DeMarco Murray is most important Cowboy.

RAMS, 26-24

No. 10 Green Bay (plus 1 1/2) at No. 16 Detroit

Packers ride momentum from comeback vs. Jets.

PACKERS, 33-31

No. 15 Houston (minus 2 1/2) at No. 29 New York Giants

Giants fall halfway to last year’s 0-6 in a squeaker.

TEXANS, 17-16

No. 26 Minnesota (plus 9 1/2) at No. 17 (tie) New Orleans

Saints come home limping, but this is a good matchup for them.

SAINTS, 34-20

___

2014 RECORD: Against spread: This week (6-9-1); Season (13-15-3). Straight up: This week (8-8); Season (18-14)

Best Bet: 1-1 against spread, 1-1 straight up.

Upset special: 2-0 against spread, 1-1 straight up.

___

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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