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Bridgewater debuts for Vikings vs. Falcons

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A little more than six years ago, Matt Ryan made his NFL debut.

Now, he’s in the top five in the league in most statistical categories for passing, in position to lead the Atlanta Falcons back from a rough 2013 that was the only losing season of his career.

Ryan has made the playoffs four times, been on a pair of 13-win teams and reached the NFC championship game once.

Those are quite the feats for Teddy Bridgewater to match, or beat, but maybe in six years he will. That’s the beauty of a first-round draft pick’s first NFL start.

“It’s a lifelong dream to play and to start in this league. It’s a really special day, one that you’ll never forget. I think Teddy will do a great job,” Ryan said.

“Obviously he’s a talented player who had an unbelievable college career. He’s going to be excited this week. But once you get out there and settle down, it’s the same game you always played.”

Matt Cassel broke his foot last Sunday, so Bridgewater will be in the huddle and behind center this week for the Minnesota Vikings (1-2) against the Falcons (2-1).

“It came very fast,” Bridgewater said, adding: “I always had my antennas up. I was always alert. Tried to prepare myself for when that time came.”

That time has come.

“We’re going to have to be prepared for a very athletic quarterback,” Falcons coach Mike Smith said.

Here are some key themes to watch Sunday:

WARY VIKINGS

Devin Hester of the Falcons became the all-time NFL leader last week with his 20th career return touchdown, four of which have come against the Vikings. In 15 games against them, Hester has a total of nine touchdowns. So while Vikings will be as wary of his ability as any other team, kickoff returner Cordarrelle Patterson has looked at Hester as a player to emulate since entering the league last season.

“Just watching film of him just gets me excited,” Patterson said.

KALIL’S CONFIDENCE

Vikings left tackle Matt Kalil, the fourth overall pick in the 2012 draft, has been vulnerable against the pass rush. The coaches have been urging Kalil to not let one bad play affect him on the next snap. Coach Mike Zimmer compared his struggles to a golfer letting frustration of missed putt linger at the next tee box to distract the focus on the drive.

“We’ve had corners get beat, we’ve got linebackers that get beat, we’ve got guards that get beat, but everybody is on this Kalil kick,” Zimmer said. “For 93 percent of the game he plays pretty good, but unfortunately the three or four bad plays he has show up, and then guys get on him. I’m not that discouraged, as everybody else is.”

The Falcons, who use both a 4-3 and a 3-4 alignment, were the only team in the league without a sack after two games. They had three last week against the reeling Buccaneers, but still have the third-fewest in the NFL.

“It was good to get the monkey off our backs. There’s been a lot of talk in the building about it,” said Falcons defensive tackle Corey Peters, who had one of the sacks.

SWEET HOME

Julio Jones, the NFL’s leader with 365 yards receiving, is a familiar foe for Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn.

They overlapped as NFC South opponents the past three seasons when Munnerlyn played for the Carolina Panthers and in 2008 in the mighty Southeastern Conference when Jones was a freshman for Alabama and Munnerlyn was in his last year at South Carolina. Their ties stretch deeper still, to the Gulf Coast of Alabama. Munnerlyn went to Murphy High School in Mobile, and Jones came from Foley, about an hour away across the bay.

ROAD TRIPPING

The Falcons have started a 65-day stretch with only one game at the Georgia Dome, since they had a home date against Detroit moved to London as part of the NFL’s overseas series. Including a 24-10 decision at Cincinnati two weeks ago, the Falcons have lost seven straight outdoor games. Their last such win was Nov. 25, 2012, at Tampa Bay.

The Vikings lost their home opener at TCF Bank Stadium at the University of Minnesota and haven’t won outside in six games since last Sept. 29 against Pittsburgh in London. Outdoors at U.S. stadiums, the Vikings are winless in their past 13 games since Dec. 24, 2011, at Washington.

WELCOME BACK

Falcons rookie defensive end Ra’Shede Hageman will return to his hometown and alma mater, where Hageman developed into an NFL prospect after leaving Minneapolis Washburn High School. Two of his former Gophers teammates, punt returner/cornerback Marcus Sherels and tight end MarQueis Gray, now play for the Vikings.

Falcons offensive line coach Mike Tice will also spend the weekend in a familiar place. He played the last three seasons of his career for the Vikings and spent 10 years on staff, including as head coach from 2002-05.

___

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://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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