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Dallas Cowboys still have questions on defense

By WTOP Staff

IRVING, Texas (AP) — A day after the biggest regulation comeback in Dallas Cowboys history, coach Jason Garrett still had to answer questions about the defense.

Particularly third-year cornerback Morris Claiborne, who was beaten for two touchdowns before his late interception in a 34-31 victory at St. Louis, where the Cowboys overcame a 21-0 deficit.

Garrett would not say Monday whether Claiborne’s starting job was in jeopardy, and whether the interception that ended the Rams’ last threat made up for the earlier mistakes.

“We’ll determine how we’re going to play guys as the week goes on,” the coach said, repeating those words when he was asked again.

“Let’s look at the stuff he did well and the stuff he didn’t do quite as well,” he said. “One of the best things Mo did, he fought through those adversities and was able to make a play at the end. You have to look at the whole thing and clean it up and get better.”

Rams rookie quarterback Austin Davis threw for 327 yards Sunday in his second NFL start.

This week, the Cowboys (2-1) are home to face the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees, who last season threw for 392 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-17 win over Dallas.

“We have our moments where we don’t do things like we should,” said linebacker Bruce Carter, who returned an interception for a touchdown against the Rams. “But I think the talent is there, the coaching is there and once we put it all together I think it’s going to be a great thing.”

The Cowboys trailed St. Louis 21-0 in the second quarter. They had twice before rallied from 21-point deficits to win, both overtime games — against New Orleans in 1984 and Washington in the 1999 season opener.

Dallas is 2-1 for the fourth year in a row. The last three seasons, the Cowboys went on to finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs under Garrett.

While Claiborne struggled for the most part Sunday, no St. Louis receivers had catches on the other side of the field against corner Brandon Carr, and nickel back Orlando Scandrick returned from a two-game suspension. Sterling Moore played well while Scandrick was out.

Claiborne, a first-round pick in 2012, said after the game that he hasn’t lost confidence.

“Playing this position, you can’t hang your head. Guys are going to catch balls,” Claiborne said. “You can’t be down on yourself, because they’re going to throw it again and you’re going to be down about that one too.”

Garrett said Claiborne got in situations where he was isolated by himself, and that the Rams made good throws and catches against him.

“His technique on each of those plays wasn’t perfect,” Garrett said. “And they had success for different reasons on each of those plays where he got beat.”

NOTES: K Dan Bailey made two field goals Sunday, extending his streak of consecutive makes to 28 and moving past Chris Boniol for the longest in team history. … With starting LBs Rolando McClain and Justin Durant out because of groin injuries, Carter and rookie Anthony Hitchens held up well. Carter scored on his first career interception, and Hitchens led the team with 10 tackles. … The front seven didn’t help the secondary much. Dallas didn’t sack Davis. . Garrett said DT Henry Melton has a hamstring injury but did not reveal its extent. The coach said DE Anthony Spencer might take part in a full practice this week for the first time in a year.

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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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