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Brady tries to keep even keel during slow start

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady tries not to get too high when things are going well or too low when they’re not.

Good thing, considering how poorly the season has gone for him and the New England Patriots offense.

The winner of two MVP awards in both the regular season and the Super Bowl is ranked 27th in completion percentage, 29th in passer rating and 33rd in the 32-team NFL in average gain per attempt.

Now, coming off the second most lopsided loss in his 15 NFL seasons, he’ll face the team that has allowed the fewest points per game (11) this season, the unbeaten Cincinnati Bengals, on Sunday night.

“It’s important not to ride the wave of emotion of, ‘Yeah, we’re really great,’ and, ‘Yeah, we’re terrible this week,'” Brady said Wednesday. “It doesn’t serve any purpose other than to understand the things that you need to correct.”

There are plenty of those.

The offensive line has struggled with frequent personnel changes. Only one wide receiver has more than 10 catches.

In the last 14 quarters, Brady has led the offense to just 46 points. Backup Jimmy Garoppolo produced seven more when the rookie replaced Brady with just over 10 minutes left in Monday night’s 41-14 rout by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Since, then Brady has been criticized by television analysts.

He said he’s not listening as he prepares for the Bengals (3-0).

“I probably don’t pay attention too much because I understand what’s going on,” Brady said. “I know probably a lot more information than you guys have, a lot more information than they have, and we’re just trying to focus on the things we can to do to get better.”

But is he past his prime?

“I’m trying to do the best job I can do,” he said.

The Patriots (2-2) have little depth at any offensive position and the usually positive Brady was restrained in assessing the team.

Does he have the talent around him and blocking protection to succeed?

“We’ll see,” he said.

Does the team have “the intestinal fortitude” to fight through its current adversity?

“We’ll see,” he said.

Still, he said: “I trust all the guys in the locker room.”

Coach Bill Belichick was even more repetitive.

How difficult is it to recover from Monday’s loss? What about Brady’s age? How about having a 37-year-old quarterback?

“We’re on to Cincinnati,” he said in answering each question.

“Right now,” he added, “we’re preparing for Cincinnati.”

The Patriots hope that single-minded focus will get their offense rolling and restore the solid defense they played in their two games before the loss to the Chiefs.

“It’s not the time to tense up and call it a season,” Brady said. “We’re tied for the best record in our division, not that that is a great feat by any stretch. But we’ll see what we’re made of as we continue to fight through these tough weeks, and, hopefully, it builds character and builds resiliency.”

A loss would leave the Patriots at 2-3 for the first time since 2001. They won the Super Bowl that season.

That poor start didn’t generate such hand-wringing because expectations were low after a 5-11 record in 2000. But in the last 11 full regular seasons, they’re 138-38.

“Like (Belichick) always says, ignore the noise and just stay focused on what we need to do, stay focused on what our process is to try to make the improvement,” Brady said. “We’ve got an important job to do this week and the clock is ticking.”

Brady hasn’t thrown for more than 249 yards this season after averaging 271.4 last season. Against the Chiefs, he completed 14 of 23 passes for 159 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and two sacks.

Safety Devin McCourty isn’t surprised by the criticism of his quarterback.

“I think we all understand it’s all about what people think you’ve done lately,” he said. “We’re not worried about Tom. He’s a guy who’s a leader of this team.”

So far he’s led the team to a sputtering start.

“I can definitely do a better job (but) it’s not an individual sport,” Brady said. “This isn’t like hitting home runs or playing golf and not making par. We’re all trying to do a better job.”

___

Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and 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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