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Bears can’t stop Rodgers, fall 38-17 to Packers

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Bears were coming off prime-time victories on each coast. Then, Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers came to town, and the result was all too familiar for the Bears.

Aaron Rodgers threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns, and Green Bay shook off one of its worst offensive performances in years with a 38-17 victory over Chicago on Sunday.

“Certainly it was evident today that Aaron Rodgers was at his best, the Green Bay passing game was at its best, we weren’t able to get enough of a rush to hurry him enough, and when we did he got outside and made the plays,” Bears coach Marc Trestman said.

The Packers (2-2) scored on their first six possessions to build a 38-17 lead. They racked up 358 yards after being held to 223, their lowest total since 2008, a week earlier in a 19-7 loss at Detroit.

They intercepted Jay Cutler twice in the third quarter to pull away from the Bears (2-2). That gave Green Bay five straight wins at Soldier Field, including the NFC title game four years ago and a playoffs-or-bust finale for both teams last season.

For Chicago, the loss was a letdown after back-to-back wins in prime time at San Francisco and the New York Jets. The Bears finally got their run game going, but their defense got carved up.

Rodgers posted a 151.2 rating for the game, completing 22 of 28 passes, and had all the time he needed with five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen sitting out because of an illness.

He threw two touchdown passes each to Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson, and a fifth got called back by a penalty. That happened early in the third when a scrambling Rodgers got hit by at least one defender while unleashing an awkward, wobbly 34-yard pass that somehow connected with Davante Adams in the end zone.

Cobb had seven catches for 113 yards. Nelson had 10 receptions for 108 yards, and the Packers came away with the win despite allowing 496 yards.

The offenses were so effective — or the defenses struggled so badly — that neither team punted. That happened only once before in a regular-season NFL game, 22 years ago.

“Interesting,” Nelson said. “Obviously, turnovers were a big thing. It’s fun, especially when you’re putting up points and having a good time.”

The Bears basically matched Green Bay score for score before Cutler threw those interceptions. He wound up passing for 256 yards and two TDs but fell to 1-10 lifetime against Green Bay, counting the postseason.

Matt Forte ran for 122 yards on 23 carries. Martellus Bennett had nine catches for a career-high 134 yards, but Chicago fell to 0-2 at home.

“I thought we were playing well, I thought we were moving the ball well,” Cutler said. “We were changing it up. I thought (Trestman) called a really good game. We just had some unfortunate things happen to us that kind of derailed us, and they didn’t.”

Mason Crosby kicked a 53-yard field goal on the opening possession of the second half to extend the Packers’ lead to 24-17, and things unraveled for the Bears after that.

Chicago had the ball on the Green Bay 24 when Cutler hit cornerback Tramon Williams in the chest with a pass. The ball ricocheted to Clay Matthews, who returned it 45 yards. That led to an 11-yard scoring pass from Rodgers to Nelson, making it 31-17.

Another interception set up another TD for the Packers. This time, Brandon Marshall went long when Cutler expected him to cut back toward the quarterback.

The pass went right to Sam Shields, who crossed the field on a 62-yard return to put the ball at the 11. Chicago’s Jonathan Bostic got called for a hold, negating a field goal by Crosby to start the fourth quarter, and Rodgers hit Cobb from the 3 to make it 38-17.

“It’s unfortunate because we had a great call there, we probably are going to pick up 15 or 20 there and keep it moving,” Cutler said of Shields’ pick. “I wish we could get that one back, for sure.”

The Packers took a 21-17 lead to the locker room after the two teams combined for 508 yards. Chicago missed a touchdown by inches when Bennett got stopped just short of the end zone on an 8-yard catch. Cutler thought Bennett reached across the goal line before getting taken down, but the call was upheld after a review.

Notes: The only other regular-season game without a punt was between Buffalo and San Francisco on Sept. 13, 1992. … Green Bay’s Julius Peppers was in on two tackles in his return to Soldier Field, and fans booed the former Bear when he stopped Forte on the game’s first play from scrimmage. … Forte eclipsed 10,000 total yards for his career. He has 10,037.

___

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