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Arizona Cardinals not carried away by 3-0 start

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals are looking down at Seattle and San Francisco in the NFC West standings.

The Cardinals (3-0) enter their bye week as one of just three NFL teams without a loss. But don’t expect to find any chest thumping in the Arizona locker room.

As coach Bruce Arians said, going from the top to the bottom “is a short elevator ride.”

“We know we’ve had a good start, but that’s all it is,” quarterback Carson Palmer said. “We’ve got a chance to be a very good team, a special team, but it’s a chance. We’ve got to go out and take advantage of what we’ve started.”

The Cardinals don’t have to look too far back to find a cautionary tale of how meaningless a fast start can be. Two seasons ago, Arizona was 4-0, then lost 11 of its next 12.

The bye week is “not relaxation time, it’s reloading time,” Arians said, saying the team needs to stay in shape for the rough 13 weeks ahead.

Teams prefer to have their bye week in mid-season or later, providing some rest before the stretch run. But an early bye will allow Palmer extra time to recover from the shoulder injury that kept him out of the last two games.

Among those also helped is safety Tyrann Mathieu, still trying to get back to form after a knee surgery.

“It’s a bad bye week when the schedule comes out because it’s so early,” Palmer said. “But as it turns out, it’s a blessing in disguise and we can definitely use it right now.”

Arizona has overcome a series of setbacks.

In the offseason, the Cardinals lost both of their inside linebackers. Karlos Dansby signed with Cleveland as a free agent; Daryl Washington was suspended for the year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

Then defensive tackle Darnell Dockett went down with a season-ending knee injury in training camp. And after sustaining a severe concussion in the opening victory over San Diego, outside linebacker John Abraham is out for the season.

But coordinator Todd Bowles has adjusted and, so far at least, has a strong defense that is at its best in the fourth quarter, when Arizona has outscored opponents 30-0.

“They’ve got a lot of pride; they’ve got a lot of leadership,” Arians said. “Normally by then (the fourth quarter) you’ve seen about everything they’re going to throw at you. Fourth quarter can be kind of repetitive for an offensive play caller, and our guys are very, very sharp and aware of what’s going on. So if they see it a second time, they usually stop it.”

The defense, adept at stopping the run, hasn’t been able to get consistent pressure on the quarterback without a blitz, though. So Bowles blitzes often, confident that his talented secondary can survive some one-on-one battles.

The Cardinals quickly tried to get past the distraction of backup running Jonathan Dwyer’s arrest on domestic violence charges. The team immediately deactivated him, then put him on a non-football illness list so he’s gone for the season.

Five days later, the Cardinals beat the 49ers for only the second time in their last 11 meetings.

Palmer sustained nerve damage when he was slammed to the turf in the season opener. Enter backup Drew Stanton, who hadn’t taken a snap in the regular season in four years. He smoothly took over the offense and directed a road victory over the New York Giants and the home win over the 49ers.

The Cardinals think they have a dangerous crew of playmakers — among them speedy rookie John Brown, dynamic tailback Andre Ellington (nursing a sore foot), wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd, tight end John Carlson and wide receiver-kick returner Ted Ginn Jr., who returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown against the Giants.

Next up, the Cardinals are at Denver on Oct. 5.

“I think it’s a testament to our coach and our front office about getting good, quality guys in here,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “And the coaches for getting us prepared. Everybody on the team is prepared.

“Guys get ready so, when their name’s called, they can do a good job. Coaches put us in a position to make plays. So it’s a good team atmosphere, good coaching and a lot of hard work.”

___

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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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