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Falcons lose 3 linemen in 41-28 defeat by Vikings

By WTOP Staff

JON KRAWCZYNSKI
AP Sports Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons walked into the stadium Sunday unable to afford another injury to their bruised and battered offensive line.

By the time the game was over, they could barely walk out.

The Falcons lost three more offensive linemen to injuries, forcing them to play a tight end at right tackle, and the porous defense gave up 558 yards to the Minnesota Vikings in a 41-28 loss.

Center Joe Hawley (knee) and right tackle Lamar Holmes (foot) both needed crutches to hobble to the team bus. Left guard Justin Blalock (back) couldn’t finish the game either, forcing tight ends Levine Toilolo and Bear Pascoe to do some emergency work on the offensive line for much of the fourth quarter.

“In six-plus seasons of playing, I have never been in that situation where you have tight ends in there trying to play offensive tackle,” said quarterback Matt Ryan, who completed 25 of 41 passes for 298 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. “It’s part of the deal with a 46-man roster. You only have so many guys suited up. I thought our guys battled. I thought Bear Pascoe and Levine Toilolo did a great job of trying to come in and do the best that they could.”

The Falcons (2-2) already lost starting left tackle Sam Baker for the year during the preseason. Blalock went down in the second quarter and Holmes and Hawley were both injured in the third.

After rallying from a 13-point deficit early in the third quarter to take a 28-27 lead on Antone Smith’s 48-yard touchdown run, the potent Falcons offense was forced to shift gears. They sputtered badly.

“It limits what you can do,” Ryan said. “It makes things more difficult. But I think we try to make the best of that situation.”

At 6-foot-8 and 265 pounds, Toilolo has the size to play the position, but that’s about it. With right guard Jon Asamoah guiding him through it, Toilolo did what he could in a most unusual situation.

“Never like that. I’ve never seen that happen as far as injury-wise,” Toilolo said. “That’s unfortunate that we’re in that situation. But at the same time, coach (Mike) Smith always talks about being ready and next guy up trying to step in without having any drop-off.”

Almost as concerning as the offensive line depth is a defense that was gashed by a team that was missing star running back Adrian Peterson and was being guided by a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start.

The Vikings had lost two straight after Peterson was charged with child abuse for spanking his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch. He is on paid leave while the legal process plays out.

On Sunday, rookie Jerick McKinnon rushed for 135 yards on 18 carries and Matt Asiata added 78 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Teddy Bridgewater completed 19 of 30 passes for 317 yards before leaving late with an ankle injury, and the Vikings outscored Atlanta 14-0 in the fourth quarter to put the game away.

“They did basically whatever they wanted to in terms of controlling the line of scrimmage,” Smith said. “That is very alarming. And the way that we play on the road in the first two games is a big concern.”

The Falcons have given up 65 points and 411 yards rushing in road losses to the Bengals and Vikings and travel to New York to face the Giants next week.

Defensive tackle Paul Soliai said he takes the blame for those numbers.

“I’ve got to be more physical,” he said. “It starts up front. We have to play physical and get off blocks and gang tackle.”

Roddy White had four catches for 73 yards and a touchdown after missing last week with a hamstring injury and Devin Hester caught five passes for 70 yards and a score for Atlanta.

NOTES: Falcons S William Moore hurt his shoulder and did not return. … White was targeted 14 times and dropped at least three passes. … The Falcons never sacked Bridgewater, the third time in their four games they have gone without a sack. … Jarius Wright had eight catches for 132 yards for the Vikings.

___

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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