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Indy hoping to protect home turf against Titans

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck hears the instructions every week.

Avoid turnovers.

Get the ball to his cast of playmakers.

Win at home.

It’s been a proven plan for years in the NFL, and now, after blowing a 14-point second-half lead in their home opener two weeks ago, the Colts’ franchise quarterback knows his team cannot afford another misstep on its home turf. Especially against a division rival.

“You have to win your home games and protect that turf,” Luck said. “We take that to heart and we know we need to get back on the right track.”

Indy (1-2) took one step last week by beating up on winless Jacksonville to snap the first two-game losing streak of Luck’s career.

Now comes reeling Tennessee (1-2), which is 0-6 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

On paper, Sunday’s game looks as if it’s two teams going in opposite directions.

Luck seems to be getting in sync, having reduced his interception total in each of the first three weeks while taking the league lead in touchdown passes (nine).

The Colts’ ground game has provided balance, the makeshift offensive line is playing with more cohesiveness, they are coming off their first turnover-free game of the season. And a defense that limited Peyton Manning to seven second-half points and Philadelphia to six first-half points put together its most complete game against the Jaguars.

The Titans’ defense, meanwhile, has allowed 59 points in two straight losses after opening the season with a win over Kansas City.

Things aren’t about to get any easier.

For the second straight week, Tennessee faces a defending division champ on the road, this time potentially without starting quarterback Jake Locker who injured the wrist on his throwing arm.

But coach Ken Whisenhunt is more concerned with making corrections.

“I think we need to cut penalties out. We’ve had way too many of those,” Whisenhunt said when asked about fixing the defense. “We’ve got to play better, as far as some of the technique things that we’re doing to try and keep teams from having sustained drives on us.”

The Colts will try to get back to the basics of Chuck Pagano’s hometown plan.

“We’ve got to stack wins together,” Luck said. “We dug ourselves a bit of a hole with those first two weeks, but I think we’re on the right track. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going.”

Here are some other things to watch Sunday.

THE LOCKER ROOM: Whisenhunt and Titans doctors will closely monitor Locker’s health before making a decision. Locker completes 56.4 percent of his passes and is tied for the league high in interceptions (four). If he doesn’t play, longtime journeyman but little-used Charlie Whitehurst would likely make his fifth career start. Whitehurst hasn’t thrown a pass since 2011 and has a career completion rate of 54.2 and more interceptions (four) than touchdowns (three).

DIVISION CHASE: Sure, it’s early, but the Colts are already in the midst of a key four-week stretch with three games against AFC South foes. A sweep would allow the Colts to take control of the division race. And it could happen. Indy has won eight straight over division opponents, the longest active streak in the league. Against Tennessee, the Colts have been even better — winning five straight and 10 of the past 11.

SLOW STARTS: A year ago, Indy had to perpetually dig itself out of slow starts. Now, it’s the Titans’ turn. Tennessee has been outscored 16-0 and 19-0 in the first half of its past two games, and if the Titans fall behind early again Sunday, it will only compound the potential problems for a team that won’t be at full strength — with or without Locker.

GROUND CHUCK: Pagano has the one-two punch in the ground game. Ahmad Bradshaw is healthy, running hard and catching passes. Trent Richardson has shown steady improvement. The combination has allowed Indy to rush for 313 yards over the past two weeks. Tennessee’s struggling run defense must find a way to slow down the suddenly efficient Colts.

WAYNE’S MILESTONES: Reggie Wayne could turn this week’s game into another personal showcase. He needs three receptions to pass Isaac Bruce for seventh on the NFL’s career list, 24 yards receiving to pass Henry Ellard for No. 10 all time. A three-catch day would extend Wayne’s NFL record to 75 straight games, and it could all come in his 200th game.

___

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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