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Big win comes at a big price for Steelers

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor have been playing alongside each other for a dozen years, a union even longer than Polamalu’s marriage.

Fate dealt the cornerstones of the Pittsburgh Steelers secondary an unwanted separation.

Taylor underwent surgery Monday to repair the right forearm he broke in the third quarter of Sunday night’s 37-19 win over Carolina, the most serious of a handful of injuries that tempered some of the joy of a dominant performance.

“I’m deeply affected by it,” Polamalu said. “But he’s tough and I know he’ll be back.”

Just not anytime soon.

The Steelers (2-1) also lost linebackers Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones in the third quarter. Shazier sprained the MCL in his right knee when linebacker Lawrence Timmons accidentally collided with the rookie at the end of a play. Jones went to the locker room with a busted wrist moments after causing a fumble by Carolina quarterback Cam Newton that swung the momentum permanently in Pittsburgh’s favor.

Shazier spent Monday walking around with his right leg in a brace, while Jones had his wrist evaluated. Neither injury is expected to be season ending. Taylor’s situation is far more precarious, a stunning development for a player who has missed just seven games since 2003.

“It’s a shock because Ike never gets hurt,” cornerback Cortez Allen said. “He’s the most durable guy I know.”

One of grittiest too. While some of Taylor’s teammates dropped to a knee upon seeing his arm dangling after a freak collision with Timmons while the two tried to complete a tackle, Taylor turned to the sideline and told nickelback William Gay to get ready.

“He gave us that look when he left the field, like, ‘You all better win this game, because I broke my arm for you,'” Gay said.

The substitutes more than held their own. The Steelers led 16-3 when Taylor disappeared into the tunnel. An hour later they were walking off the field with their most impressive road win in four years.

Gay moved outside to take over for Taylor. Sean Spence completed his remarkable recovery from a gruesome knee injury two years ago to fill in capably for Shazier, while Arthur Moats was a disruptive force with Jones out.

“As a competitor, you want to go in there when the game is heated like that and it’s still a meaningful game,” said Moats, signed in the offseason after spending the first four years of his career in Buffalo. “Going in there at blowout time, it’s cool, but it’s great when you’re actually in there when you’re scratching and clawing for every inch.”

Not that the game stayed close for long. After going eight quarters without reaching the end zone, the Steelers crossed the goal line four times over the final 26 minutes. Jones’ forced fumble was the first turnover created by Pittsburgh this season. The special teams added the second when Shamarko Thomas blew up Carolina punt returner Corey Brown early in the fourth quarter and Robert Golden fell on the loose ball for a score that made it 30-13.

That was more than enough on a night running backs Le’Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount each topped 100 yards rushing — the first time two Steelers have done it in the same game since 1986. The Steelers hardly looked like the team that was overwhelmed in a loss to Baltimore in Week 2.

The reality of the injuries, however, set in less than 24 hours later. Instead of cutting up his teammates in a meeting room, Taylor began the day in the hospital. Shazier spent the afternoon getting treatment and a pep talk from Spence, whose career nearly ended in the final game of the 2012 preseason when he tore two ligaments and suffered nerve damage in his left knee when it gruesomely buckled.

Shazier will return. So will Jones. Taylor’s outlook is cloudier. The 34-year-old took a significant pay cut to come back for a 12th season. He’d already ceded his role as the team’s shutdown corner to Allen this fall. Replacing Taylor’s onfield leadership, however, is another matter.

“It’s a big void that has to be filled,” Allen said.

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://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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