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Saints visit Cowboys looking for yet another win

By WTOP Staff

SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jason Witten and the Dallas Cowboys can tell better than just about anyone the difference between the New Orleans Saints with and without coach Sean Payton.

The Saints hung on for a 34-31 overtime win in Texas two years ago on the same day they were eliminated from playoff contention in a lost season without their suspended coach.

Last year they became the first team in NFL history to get 40 first downs in a 49-17 blowout that was easily the worst for the Cowboys since coach Jason Garrett took over midway through the 2010 season.

“I think anytime you’re humbled like that, there’s a respect factor you have,” Witten said of a game that propelled the Saints back to the postseason with Payton in charge while Dallas missed for the fourth straight year.

“It was good for our team to watch that tape and to see it, see what they did to us. I’m sure they watched that tape as well.”

Payton will be on the sideline at the $1.2 billion home of the Cowboys on Sunday night after watching from his Dallas-area home in 2012 because of his season-long ban over the bounty scandal. He was on Bill Parcells’ staff in Dallas when he got the chance to coach the Saints.

“I’ve got a lot of close friends back there with that organization,” Payton said. “There’s a uniqueness about that program. It’s special. Just having those opportunities, and … when the schedule comes out and you see that it’s a Sunday night game, that’s exciting.”

Drew Brees can share in the excitement because he’s thrown for 838 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in his past two games against the Cowboys.

The former Texas high school star has won three straight against Dallas since the Cowboys beat the Saints in New Orleans when they were 13-0 and went on to win the Super Bowl in 2009. That win was the only one for Dallas in the past nine games against New Orleans.

“There’s a lot of new faces,” Payton said of the Cowboys. “The key, I think, and the message really was getting familiar with this team, the team we’re playing this weekend. These two teams really haven’t played each other yet when you look at the roster makeup.”

Things to watch in the fifth meeting in the past six seasons between the Saints and Cowboys, who lead the series 15-11 after winning 11 of the first 12 from 1967-84.

MOMENTUM FACTOR: The Cowboys have won two in a row for their fourth straight 2-1 record in four full seasons under Garrett. But they’ve never made it to 3-1 and haven’t won three straight in almost two years.

The Saints (1-2) are trying to continue their recovery from an uncharacteristic 0-2 start under Payton. They took the first step with last week’s 20-9 victory over Minnesota.

ROMO’S ROUTINE: Tony Romo skipped practice on Wednesday last week and played his best game since returning from back surgery in December in last week’s 34-31 win at St. Louis. He showed some mobility, found Dez Bryant wide open on a 68-yard touchdown pass and directed a rally from a 21-0 deficit.

So when he sat out Wednesday again this week, naturally the question of superstition came up. “No, it’s probably a little deeper than that, but you can write that if it helps,” Romo said with a smile.

WITTEN AND GRAHAM: Witten needs 106 yards to become the third tight end in league history with 10,000 yards receiving. And he’s squaring off against a standout in Jimmy Graham who’s likely to join that list someday if he stays healthy. He already has 4,117 yards early in his fifth season. Witten is in his 12th year.

ROB RYAN’S RETURN: Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan returns to his old home field after the Cowboys fired him following the 2012 season. He orchestrated the biggest defensive turnaround since the 1970 merger last year, and that included holding the Cowboys to their lowest yardage total (193) in five years.

SUNDAY NIGHT MAGIC: The Saints are 8-1 on Sunday night under the Payton era, easily explainable by outside linebacker Junior Galette. “Sunday night football, your mama’s watching, your aunt,” Galette said. “You know, everybody is going to be watching that game — your sixth-grade girlfriend. So you’re going to bring your A-game.”

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Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler

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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