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Unbeaten Bengals have extra week to get healthy

By WTOP Staff

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — When the schedule came out, the Bengals saw what was happening in the fourth week and bristled.

A bye? So soon?

Teams prefer to get their week off later in the season, when they’re worn down a bit. The Bengals’ thinking has dramatically changed since. They’re off this week, and the timing now seems perfect.

Cincinnati (3-0) could use a break to get healthy after injuries sapped the roster. The AFC’s only undefeated team could emerge rested and even better.

A 33-7 win over the Titans on Sunday got Cincinnati off to its best start in eight years. The Bengals are one of only three unbeaten teams left in the league, along with Philadelphia and Arizona in the NFC. And they’ve stayed perfect despite missing a lot of important players.

After a week off, they’ll be getting some of them back.

Pro Bowl linebacker Vontaze Burfict sat out the win Sunday with his second concussion in two weeks. Receiver Marvin Jones missed his third game with a broken bone in his left foot.

“Obviously I can’t wait to get out there and share that same intensity,” Jones said Monday.

The Bengals will return to action with a high-profile game: at New England on a Sunday night.

Right guard Kevin Zeitler is recovering from an injured right calf that has sidelined him indefinitely. Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Green gets a week to rest the injured big toe on his right foot that forced him to miss most of the Week 2 game. He returned Sunday and had six catches for 102 yards.

“It will be a good uplift for us to gain these guys back in practice, and for the opportunity for them to play in the next football game,” coach Marvin Lewis said.

The Bengals have displayed their depth by winning despite the injuries. The offense has been hit particularly hard. Tight end Tyler Eiffert will miss at least half the season with an elbow injury. Backup tight end Alex Smith is out for the season with a biceps injury. Jones broke a bone in his left foot during training camp but is expected to rejoin practice soon.

“Knowing me, I can get ready pretty fast,” Jones said. “It takes a couple of practices. That first practice is always, ‘Oh, my gosh.’ It doesn’t matter how much conditioning you do on the side, nothing can replicate you actually going in there and consistently running routes and stuff like that.”

The Bengals also are expecting to get more out of defensive tackle Geno Atkins with each game. Atkins tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last Oct. 31 at Miami. He led the team with six sacks when he got hurt. The Bengals worked him in slowly during training camp.

Atkins has played between 41 and 49 snaps in each of the three games. He has no sacks and only three tackles but is holding his own in his limited role as he works his way back to full form.

“You just see his ability to play with power … all the way through,” Lewis said. “I think there at the end of the football game, he’s still in there being an effective rusher.

“He’s Geno. He’s doing what he’s asked to do.”

Notes: Lewis said RB Rex Burkhead also could return to practice as he recovers from a preseason knee injury. … The Bengals have had thousands of empty seats for each of their two home games. They drew 58,574 against the Falcons and 56,743 against the Titans, but both games were televised locally. Paul Brown Stadium seats 65,515. “We definitely notice it,” Jones said. “It’s hard not to. We have great fans and they’re very passionate. Hopefully we can do something to change that. Hopefully we’re doing stuff right now to change that. That’s on them. We’re doing our job on our end.”

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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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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