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Arizona hit by 7 injuries, Arians rips chop block

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals lost seven players due to injury in Sunday’s loss at Denver, and one of them — starting outside linebacker Matt Shaughnessy — will go on injured reserve designated to return.

Shaughnessy, who has knee cartilage damage, cannot play in a game for eight weeks, meaning he could come back for the final four games of the season.

Defensive end Calais Campbell, injured in what coach Bruce Arians called “the dirtiest play” he’s seen in his 37 years in the NFL, has no structural damage. Arians said Campbell is out one to three weeks with an MCL strain.

There is great uncertainty at quarterback, with a chance Carson Palmer and/or Drew Stanton could be back for Sunday’s game against Washington. But Arians said “there’s a good chance neither one of them” will play.

The damaged nerve in Palmer’s throwing shoulder responded to treatment he received from a specialist in Denver. The quarterback, injured in Arizona’s season-opening win over San Diego, threw 20 passes from a distance of 10 yards on Sunday and will throw more on Tuesday, Arians said.

“Carson is feeling much better today,” Arians said at his Monday news conference. “No residual effects from throwing, so he’s continued on his treatment and is on the way back. So he and Drew are possible for this ball game.”

Stanton is going through the NFL-mandated concussion protocol.

In order for Palmer to play against the Redskins, he would have to go through a full practice and be able to make all his normal throws, Arians said.

With rookie Logan Thomas the team’s only healthy quarterback, the Cardinals could be looking to sign someone. Anyone the team signs, Arians said, hopefully would be familiar with the team’s offensive system. Any new signee would be a backup to Thomas, Arians said.

Second-year pro Alex Okafor will start in place of Shaughnessy, the coach said. A combination of players, including rookie Karim Martin, will fill in for Campbell.

Asked how Martin played on Sunday, the coach said, “Not so good.”

The NFL issued a statement on Monday verifying that Campbell was injured by a chop block by Broncos tight end Julius Thomas in violation of a league rule. Thomas blocked Campbell “in the area of the thigh or lower” while Ryan Clady engaged the big Arizona defensive lineman “simultaneously” with a high block, the statement said. The play drew a 15-yard penalty.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora said “a decision on a possible fine will be made later this week.”

“You’ll never convince me it wasn’t premeditated,” Arians said.

Arians said the proper punishment would be to suspend the culprit as long as Campbell is out “but that’s not the way it is.”

“To set somebody up there and another guy chops you, I haven’t seen that one ever,” he said.

Arians said he brought up the play in his brief postgame conversation with Broncos coach John Fox.

“He had no clue,” that the play had occurred, other than it drew a penalty, Arians said. “I respect John.”

Inside linebacker Larry Foote said “current players, ex-players, they should be disgusted with that play.”

“I’m waiting to see what the league does,” Foote said. “That looked like ‘Karate Kid,’ ‘Sweep the legs, Johnny.’ It was ugly. That’s a black eye to football — period. Even their own players knew it. Yeah, they said something, even the linemen. Hopefully it isn’t coming from the sidelines. I don’t want to play that game. But that should be dealt with. It don’t get no uglier than that.”

Cornerback-special teams player Justin Bethel has an AC sprain but “should be able to go this week,” Arians said, while cornerback Patrick Peterson has a low ankle sprain and “should be fine.”

Punter Dave Zastudil reinjured his groin against the Broncos, which could mean a return of Drew Butler from the practice squad.

Rookie tight end Troy Niklas has a high ankle sprain and probably will not practice Wednesday.

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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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