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Texans look to improve run game

By WTOP Staff

KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans managed to slip by the Buffalo Bills to improve to 3-1 despite rushing for a season-low 37 yards.

Coach Bill O’Brien and the Texans know they will have to find a way to fix their running game if they hope to compete with Dallas on Sunday.

“We have to keep making sure that we stick the run in there. We can’t just throw it 55 or 60 times a game and get away with that,” O’Brien said. “We’ve got to figure out how to run the ball better from a coaching standpoint and from a playing standpoint.”

The Texans had no trouble running the ball in the first two weeks with Arian Foster gaining more than 100 yards in each of those games. He missed the third game because of a hamstring injury, and part of Houston’s problem in Sunday’s win was that Foster admittedly wasn’t 100 percent healthy.

He managed just 6 yards on eight carries on a day when not-that-mobile quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick led the team with 14 yards rushing.

If O’Brien was concerned about Foster’s health, he didn’t acknowledge it on Monday. He said the running back, who led the NFL in yards rushing in 2010, will be day to day again this week.

“We’ll talk to him every day and see how he feels,” O’Brien said. “If he’s able to go, he’ll go.”

If he can’t play, the Texans will have to rely on rookie sixth-round draft pick Alfred Blue, who started in Week 3 when Foster was out. He had 13 carries for 78 yards in that game, but finished with just 9 yards on nine carries against the Bills.

The Texans have been impressed with his work ethic and improvement, but he will need to make bigger strides if Foster is out.

“We have to look at our game plans and think about what our players do well and run those types of plays,” O’Brien said. “Then the players, once we get that determined, need to go out there and execute that to the best of their ability. We’ve just got to be more consistent in how we run the football.”

Fitzpatrick didn’t have a great game on Sunday, either, throwing two interceptions to give him five in the past two games after not throwing one the first two weeks. He was candid about the fact that he’ll need to be better to help the offense run smoothly.

“We struggled to get things going (Sunday) for a lot of different reasons and … it starts with me and just consistent play; consistent and efficient,” he said. “That’s what we — that’s what I talk about and stress all the time. This offense is going to go as I go.”

Houston’s defense, led by J.J. Watt’s 80-yard interception return for a touchdown, helped the team offset its tough day offensively. The unit bounced back from last week’s loss to the Giants in which Rashad Jennings ran for a career-high 176 yards by allowing a season-low 96 yards rushing.

“It definitely improved,” O’Brien said. “We had better gap discipline, more guys to the ball, but we could do better. We could definitely do better.”

They will get another test in that area on Sunday when they face DeMarco Murray, who leads the NFL with 534 yards rushing this season.

“It’s a huge challenge for our football team,” O’Brien said. “It’s on the road. Playing on the road is very difficult. Our guys have to understand that challenge and be up to that challenge.”

___

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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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