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Steelers defense looking for consistency

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — James Harrison expected his body to be sore while working his way back into football shape following a nine-month break.

Turns out, the five-time Pro Bowl linebacker’s in better shape than he thought. He played 29 snaps in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ stunning 27-24 loss to Tampa Bay last Sunday, far more than he anticipated when the Steelers signed him off the couch a week ago.

The harder transition proved to be mental. He failed to register a single tackle and was a non-factor in the pass rush in part to being out of position at times.

“I had a few MEs (mental errors) out there,” Harrison said.

The 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year isn’t alone. Despite revamping a defense in the offseason to focus on speed and youth, the Steelers are still struggling to create the splash plays that came with such ease during their three Super Bowl appearances between the 2005 and 2010 seasons.

A fitful September mercifully in the rearview mirror, Pittsburgh (2-2) heads to Jacksonville (0-4) on Sunday searching for consistency and more than a little bit of snarl. The Steelers have produced seven sacks through four games — 18th in the league — and forced only three turnovers, one on a fumbled punt.

Pittsburgh expected growing pains while working in a handful of new faces. Four uneven games into the season, those pains show no sign of going away.

And it’s not just the kids making the miscues. Outside linebacker Jason Worilds, in a contract year that will likely determine the course of the rest of his career, has one sack. Arthur Moats — thrust into a starting role when Jarvis Jones was lost for at least eight weeks with a wrist injury — couldn’t find his way to Tampa Bay’s Mike Glennon on Sunday. Neither could Harrison, who could only watch as Glennon stepped up in the pocket time after time during a fourth quarter rally.

For Pittsburgh’s plan to reach the NFL elite again to work, opposing quarterbacks need to get uncomfortable.

“I’d like more from that (linebacker) group and I think that group is definitely capable of giving us more,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “But also I think some game circumstances will help us in that regard.”

Playing with a sizable lead would help. Pittsburgh showed flashes in the second half of a 37-19 win over Carolina on Sept. 21. The Steelers held Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in check and didn’t give him time to get set, the byproduct of knowing Carolina had to throw the ball to get back in the game.

Jones changed the momentum for good with a third quarter strip sack that forced Newton to fumble. Pittsburgh recovered deep in Panthers’ territory and scored to build a double-digit lead it would never relinquish. The Steelers couldn’t quite get to their comfort zone against the Buccaneers, and Tampa Bay took advantage to rally for the franchise’s first-ever win in Pittsburgh.

The 13 penalties the Steelers rolled up didn’t help. Neither did the offense’s inability to run out the clock after the defense made a fourth-down stand with less than 2 minutes to go. Still, the game was there to be won and the defense failed. Glennon had just enough time to hit Louis Murphy for a 41-yard gain that set up Vincent Jackson’s five-yard touchdown grab with 7 seconds left.

Pittsburgh only got to Glennon once on a Cam Heyward sack early in the second quarter. While cornerback Cortez Allen came up with his team’s first interception of the season by picking off Glennon in the third quarter, it comes with an asterisk. Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver Mike Evans pulled up during the middle of the play with a groin injury and there wasn’t a Buccaneer player within 20 yards of Allen when he came down with the ball.

It was a momentary victory, one that was of little solace when Jackson stretched out his 6-foot-5 frame to win it.

“We fell short in our responsibilities,” Allen said. “That’s why we didn’t come out with a win. It’s something we’ve got to fix.”

___

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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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