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Vikings up next to try to contain Packers’ Nelson

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Building a successful working relationship between a quarterback and receiver requires a lot of time and communication.

After seven years together, there are few better combinations in the NFL than the Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson.

A quarterback renowned for accuracy throwing to the league’s leading receiver, and they’ll try to keep the Packers’ passing game rolling against the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night at Lambeau Field.

“The best players are often the smartest players and the ones that have the distinct attention to detail, and Jordy has such great second and third reactions,” Rodgers said.

“But he also, really, from his second year on, really wanted to get on the same page with me and cared about how I was seeing the game, and has really gotten in my hip pocket since then.”

Early on, Rodgers did most of the talking. Nelson listened. Then the receiver started earning trust by making plays. Offensive coordinator Tom Clements said Nelson runs textbook routes.

Now it’s a two-way conversation between Rodgers and Nelson.

“The longer you’re here, the more experience you have with (Rodgers), you get a slight — a slight — privilege to say some stuff,” Nelson said with a laugh.

He leads the league with 33 catches for 459 yards. Nelson has an uncanny knack of catches on the sideline as if he’s walking a tightrope. Nelson makes the most difficult moves look easy, such as midair adjustments to make tough catches with defenders draped on him.

“I don’t think I walked into here after Year 4 or something and said, ‘All right, now I’m going to tell you how I feel about things,'” Nelson said. ‘I think it’s just a feel-out process and just . I’m sure one day he just asked a question and it built off of there.”

Vikings receiver Greg Jennings is familiar with how things work in Green Bay. He played for the Packers until 2012, and had 80 catches for 1,292 yards and nine scores in 2008, Nelson’s first year in the league.

After Nelson had nine catches for 209 yards against the Jets in Week 2, Jennings sent a congratulatory text.

“I had to shoot him a ‘way to ball out’ text,” Jennings said. “But, yeah, it’s no surprise to me at all.”

Some things to watch in the teams’ first meeting since the 26-all tie last November at Lambeau Field:

JUST JENNINGS: The Minnesota wideout tried to make amends last year for pointed comments questioning Rodgers and his leadership. Asked this week to reflect on the comments, Jennings sounded more conciliatory.

“Those were some things that I wish I had not said or done. But again, life is about adapting and showing resolve,” Jennings said.

Still, Jennings can’t expect a warm welcome back in Titletown. When asked, Jennings added he did not miss Green Bay, but for reasons that didn’t have to do with football.

“I would have loved to have finished my career out in Green Bay, but from where I am spiritually and where I am with my family and the growth that we’ve had because of what we have around us educationally — and there was some great educational systems there, as well — but this is a step up for us,” Jennings said.

BRIDGEWATER: The Vikings quarterback had an impressive debut in his first career start with 317 yards passing in a 41-28 win last week over Atlanta. But he sprained his left ankle in the game and his status is uncertain. Christian Ponder would start if Bridgewater can’t go.

ZIMMER’S D: The last time Mike Zimmer coached against Green Bay, he was the defensive coordinator for the Bengals in a 34-30 win last year in Cincinnati. Rodgers said the Vikings’ defense is running some similar schemes.

“You know a key is to stay out of third-and-extra-longs because that’s when his scheme and his defense really thrive,” Rodgers said.

SMOOTH RHODES: It’s a good thing for the Vikings that cornerback Xavier Rhodes is coming off the best game of his two-year career: five tackles and four pass breakups against Atlanta’s potent offense. But Zimmer would rather not have to get into another high-scoring affair.

“I hope not. I don’t really like those shootouts,” Zimmer said.

ON THE RUN: While the Packers’ passing game is clicking, the running attack needs work. Eddie Lacy, the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year, is off to a slow start, and Green Bay is just 28th in the league on the ground.

Green Bay is even worse against the run, ranking last. Minnesota rookie Jerick McKinnon ran for 135 yards on 18 carries last week against the Falcons, while Matt Asiata had three rushing touchdowns.

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Online:

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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