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No panic, though Packers look to boost offense

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jordy Nelson hears the concerns among the Packers’ fan base about Green Bay’s sputtering offense.

The receiver gets it.

He’s not happy about the output, either, just like the rest of the team.

But there is no panic in Green Bay.

“I don’t think anyone’s happy with how we performed,” Nelson said. “But yeah, we’ve got to stay calm, and we’ll stay the course and keep working at it and get better and hopefully go out and play better on Sunday.”

There is plenty of room for improvement after the performance last week in a 19-7 loss to Detroit.

Green Bay’s 223 yards of total offense were the team’s lowest total since a 184-yard outing on Nov. 9, 2008, in a 28-27 loss to Minnesota.

The 51 offensive plays against the Lions were well below the goal of 75 that coach Mike McCarthy likes to run in his up-tempo, no-huddle scheme.

“Our biggest thing right now is production. Our offense really isn’t where we would like it to be,” McCarthy said.

The Packers have faced three tough defenses to start the season in the Seahawks, Jets and Lions.

Still, the offensive woes are a bit surprising considering how well the team felt about the offense coming out of the preseason.

Now, there are a few pressing issues to address.

For instance, at receiver:

–Nelson is the biggest downfield threat for now. Randall Cobb had three short touchdown receptions the first two weeks, but otherwise hasn’t had more than 58 yards receiving in each of his first three games.

–Green Bay has had limited success with its third receivers, Jarrett Boykin or rookie Davante Adams.

“It’s kind of play to play,” Adams said when asked about issues with the offense. “Somebody might drop the ball, somebody might miss a block, something like that. But ultimately everything goes hand in hand, so you’ve got to pull all the pieces together to create good drives and good plays.”

Rodgers has completed 62.7 percent of passes through three games. For whatever reason, he noted, the Packers don’t usually get off to fast starts.

On his weekly radio appearance Tuesday on ESPN radio in Milwaukee, Rodgers urged calm.

“Five letters here, just for everybody out there in Packer land: R-E-L-A-X. Relax. We’re going to be OK,” he said.

He sounded a similar tone on Wednesday.

“There (are) high expectations here for us every year. But we’ve underachieved on offense, so you understand it,” Rodgers said Wednesday. “But I think it’s just a reminder that it’s a long season and all of our goals are in front of us and within reach.”

About the fourth, fifth or sixth game is when the Packers usually find their stride, he estimated. The Bears game will be the fourth for Green Bay.

“We can’t rely on that every year because that just makes it tough,” Rodgers added. “But for whatever reason, that’s kind of been the way our season has gone.”

Green Bay hasn’t been able to get its running game on track. It wasn’t working well even when the Lions played back with two safeties and left fewer defenders closer to the line of scrimmage.

Running back Eddie Lacy said Wednesday he was working on keeping his pads low. Theoretically, that would make Lacy a more compact target who would be tougher to tackle.

Last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, Lacy, is averaging just 3.1 yards on his 36 carries. Without a running game, play action becomes less of a viable option.

“It’ll get better throughout the course of the season, but nobody really expected … we’d run the ball the way we have the past few times,” Lacy said. “Everybody expected more.”

Notes: LB Clay Matthews (groin) practiced on a limited basis after getting hurt against Detroit. LB Brad Jones (quad) returned to practice on a limited basis after sitting out last week. … CB Davon House, WR Jarrett Boykin and RT Bryan Bulaga, who each have knee injuries, were full participants.

___

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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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