Skip to main content

Injuries mounting, but Lions beat Packers 19-7

By WTOP Staff

NOAH TRISTER
AP Sports Writer

DETROIT (AP) — The injuries keep mounting on Detroit’s defense — the latest coming in bizarre fashion during a sack celebration — but it doesn’t seem to matter.

The Lions held Green Bay to one of its lowest-scoring games of the Aaron Rodgers era Sunday, beating the Packers 19-7. Detroit’s banged-up secondary avoided any major mistakes, while Ndamukong Suh and the defensive front controlled the game from the outset.

“They’re a tough and explosive team that has won a lot of games,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “Our defense did a great job in terms of making them go the distance.”

Suh had one of two Detroit sacks, and Rodgers threw for only 162 yards. The other sack was by linebacker Stephen Tulloch, who then hurt his left knee jumping forward in celebration.

“When I came down I kind of gave out on the inside,” Tulloch said. “I thought I’d be OK. I got on the bike and rode it, tried to warm it up. I went out there, was trying to get off a block and it didn’t feel right, so I’ll get some further examination to see what’s going on.”

Green Bay had won 15 of the past 17 meetings with Detroit, and the Packers were 9-1 with Rodgers playing. The one loss he took part in came in 2010, when he left the game in the first half with a concussion. Green Bay lost that game 7-3 — until Sunday, that was the only time since Rodgers became the starting quarterback in 2008 that the Packers were held to seven points or fewer.

Last season, Rodgers was out with a fractured collarbone when Green Bay lost to the Lions 40-10 on Thanksgiving.

This wasn’t as bad as that game for the Packers, but Green Bay (1-2) has issues to resolve on offense.

“There’s a lot missing. There’s execution missing. We haven’t been able to run the ball very well any of the three games. We just haven’t executed as well as we have in the past,” Rodgers said. “We haven’t been as sharp offensively. I haven’t been as sharp maybe as the standard I’ve set. We’ve all got to do better.”

Safety James Ihedigbo (neck) and cornerback Cassius Vaughn (ankle) were inactive for Detroit, which has also lost defensive backs Bill Bentley and Nevin Lawson to season-ending injuries. Tulloch left in the first quarter.

The Lions (2-1) won anyway, and here are a few more things we learned from their victory:

AS GOOD AS A PUNT: Lions QB Matthew Stafford threw two interceptions, but neither was crippling. They both came on third-and-long when Detroit would have been punting anyway with an incompletion.

Stafford’s second interception actually worked out in his team’s favor. His deep pass for Calvin Johnson was picked off near the goal line by Davon House, and although the play was initially ruled a touchback, a review gave Green Bay the ball at its own 1-yard line.

The Packers tried a run with Eddie Lacy, and linebacker DeAndre Levy caught him in the end zone for a safety that put Detroit ahead 9-7.

INTO THE GROUND: Green Bay seemed intent on trying to establish the run early, even though Detroit was short-handed in the defensive backfield. That strategy backfired right away when Lacy’s fumble was scooped up by Detroit defensive back Don Carey, who returned it 40 yards for a touchdown.

That was Carey’s only significant contribution. He left after aggravating a hamstring injury.

GETTING AWAY WITH IT: Detroit still isn’t doing a great job taking care of the ball. The Lions turned it over three times — including a fumble in the red zone by Stafford in the third quarter. The Packers couldn’t take advantage.

Detroit has turned the ball over seven times in its last two games against Green Bay, but the Lions won them both.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: With Tulloch out, Levy is under even more pressure in the middle of Detroit’s defense, but he is off to a fine start this season.

Levy had nine tackles and an assist Sunday. He also had an interception in Detroit’s season-opening win over the New York Giants earlier this month.

KICKING THEMSELVES?: The Lions will again have to evaluate their kicking situation after rookie Nate Freese missed from 41 yards at the end of the first half. The seventh-round draft pick is 0 for 4 from beyond 40 this year and 3 for 7 overall.

___

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote