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Jets bracing for Bears’ big wide receivers

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Rex Ryan has watched plenty of film of Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears’ offense during the past several days.

And from what Ryan and the New York Jets’ defense have seen, they know they’ll have their hands full with those big, bad Bears receivers.

“Sometimes they just throw it up there,” Ryan said. “Sometimes there are timing (routes). … A lot of times it’s like, ‘Hey, run behind the Buick, I’ll throw it to you.’ They have two monsters and they don’t mind feeding it to them, regardless of what your coverage looks like.”

Press-man coverage, zone coverage, whatever. The 6-foot-4 Brandon Marshall and 6-3 Alshon Jeffery cause opponents fits, and they’ll be looking to do more of the same against the Jets (1-1) when the Bears (1-1) come to MetLife Stadium on Monday night.

Both Marshall (ankle) and Jeffery (hamstring) were listed as questionable Saturday — but they were in the same position last week and both played. Marshall looked especially healthy last Sunday night when he caught three touchdown passes and helped the Bears roar back for a 28-20 comeback win at San Francisco.

“They’re both big receivers,” Jets defensive coordinator Dennis Thurman said. “They both can go up and catch the football. They both know how to box you out. They’re both strong. They’re built. They both can make one-handed, spectacular catches down the field.”

Other than all that, they should be no problem to defend.

Yeah, sure.

Marshall has 13 catches for 119 yards with four touchdowns, while Jeffery has eight receptions for 118 yards.

Oh, and the Jets will also have to be fully aware of playmaking 6-6 tight Martellus Bennett, who leads the Bears with 15 catches and has two TDs.

“They have a group of receivers that can get down the field and create mismatches,” Thurman said. “You’ve got to go up, fight them and contest them for the football and hope you win your share of them. Obviously, versus most teams, they win their share.”

Having an unsettled situation in the secondary also isn’t ideal for the Jets. Top cornerback Dee Milliner is doubtful for the game as he deals with ankle and quadriceps injuries that kept him out of practice Friday and Saturday.

Milliner, who suffered a high ankle sprain on Aug. 10 during training camp, missed the season opener against Oakland but then played last week at Green Bay. He was done for the day after allowing Jordy Nelson to score on an 80-yard touchdown catch.

Converted safety Antonio Allen and Darrin Walls are expected to start for the third straight game and will have to try to keep Marshall and Jeffery — and Bennett — from having huge games in the passing game. The Jets’ front seven will also be counted on to put lots of pressure on Cutler, forcing him into making mistakes.

“They give you a lot of looks up front, which takes time as a quarterback,” Cutler said. “It takes your eyes off the secondary because you have to worry about where they are coming from. Are you going to be picked up? Are you going to be hot? And that just takes away a click or two you have that you could be reading the secondary and finding your routes. So, it’s a tricky defense.”

But it’s also one that knows it needs to buckle down after allowing Aaron Rodgers to throw for 346 yards — 209 to Nelson — and three touchdowns last week. The Jets are facing a stretch of pass-happy opponents that doesn’t get much easier after Monday night.

Detroit, San Diego, Denver and New England are next, so Chicago will provide a good test as to where New York’s defense is. The Jets are ranked third in overall defense, helped by their No. 1 spot against the run. But they’re also a mediocre 17th against the pass.

“Hopefully, if you’re stopping the run, you’re pretty decent on second down against the pass,” linebacker Calvin Pace said. “And that way, on third down, you can kind of make them a little bit more one-sided. You can pin your ears back and go.”

Not that that will be a given against the Bears. Matt Forte is one of the league’s top dual threats, a running back who can rush for 100-plus yards and make plays catching short passes and turning them into big gains.

“We’re not sleeping on the fact that he’s in their backfield,” Thurman said. “Our No. 1 objective almost every week is to stop the run first and then play good pass defense and not let the ball go over our head.”

___

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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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