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Falcons’ defense braces for Vikings’ Bridgewater

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Falcons’ defense was handed a new challenge on Monday as players returned from their long weekend: How to contain Teddy Bridgewater.

Bridgewater, the rookie quarterback from Louisville, will make his first start for Minnesota on Sunday against Atlanta.

Atlanta recorded its first three sacks of the season and an interception return for a touchdown in its impressive 56-14 win over Tampa Bay on Thursday night.

No one on the defense was talking about the Buccaneers on Monday. Instead, Bridgewater was the popular topic.

Linebacker Paul Worrilow said the defense will have to play with discipline to keep Bridgewater, a threat as a runner and passer, in the pocket.

“They’re going to base their offense off of what he can do well, which is obviously run and move around,” Worrilow said. “That’s going to be something we’re going to have to prepare for.”

Bridgewater is untested as a starter in the NFL, but his college resume earned him respect from the Falcons.

“Teddy is a good player,” said Falcons rookie linebacker Prince Shembo. “We were in the same draft class and I have a lot of good friends that know him and played with him. He’s real consistent, he’s got a strong arm and he’s smart, real smart.”

Bridgewater made his debut in Sunday’s 20-9 loss to the Saints after starter Matt Cassel broke his left foot.

Falcons coach Mike Smith said his game plan for the Vikings changed with Cassel’s injury.

“We’ve got a challenge in my mind with an athletic quarterback to be able to keep him in the pocket,” Smith said after Monday’s practice.

“He is very athletic. … He was able to make some plays with his feet. That’s another dynamic. … I think you’ll see they want to put the ball in his hands and give him some run-pass options. That’s one of his strengths, the ability to extend plays, and he did a great job as a college quarterback extending plays. We’ll have to do some different things in preparing for him, in regards to pass rush and pass-rush lanes.”

Atlanta’s pass rush finally emerged against the Buccaneers. Jonathan Massaquoi, Stansly Maponga and Corey Peters recorded Atlanta’s first sacks of the season in the win over Tampa Bay.

“Once one person starts off with a sack, it’s like a virus,” said Massaquoi. “It’s contagious. Everybody wants to get a sack. That’s the beauty of this game of football. One person’s aspirations can motivate another.”

Safety Kemal Ishmael gave the defense another big play when he returned his first career interception 23 yards for a touchdown.

“I think the defense performed well,” Massaquoi said. “We executed well in a lot of fields and we still have a lot of things we need to clean up on.

“Guys ran around. We played physical. We’ve just got to get ready for Minnesota. That was last week.”

Bridgewater is this week’s test. He completed 12 of 20 passes for 150 yards and ran for 27 yards as he led two field-goal drives against the Saints.

“He has an arm; he can get it out there,” Massaquoi said. “He has his legs as weapons. As long as we contain the quarterback and get after him we should have no problems.”

NOTES: Smith said he will provide an injury report on Wednesday regarding WR Roddy White (hamstring), WR Harry Douglas (foot), RB Antone Smith and WR Devin Hester, who did not participate in the practice. White did not play against Tampa Bay.

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Online: 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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