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Back to work for Packers D after long weekend off

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Mike Daniels gets right to the point.

He loved the long weekend off that the Packers had after routing the depleted Minnesota Vikings 42-10 on Thursday night.

On Monday, it was back to work to build on the most complete performance of the year for the Green Bay defense. There is always room to improve.

“They scored on us,” Daniels said. The straight-faced third-year player speaks in a taciturn tone that fits one of the Packers’ toughest defensive linemen.

A trip to Miami to face the Dolphins is next for the Packers, who are tied atop the NFC North at 3-2 with Detroit.

While the defense has been far from perfect — stopping the run remains a work in progress — it has shown signs of improvement each week.

“The last three games, division games, you know we gave up 10 against the Lions, 17 against the Bears and 10 against the Vikings,” coordinator Dom Capers said Monday. “You know over that period, we’ve given up 12 points a game, which is a step in the right direction.”

The Packers have come up with two interceptions in each of the last three games. The defense amassed six sacks against the Vikings, which started struggling backup quarterback Christian Ponder.

Green Bay kept harassing Ponder. Capers liked how the defense was able to get pressure with a four-man rush. That, in turn, frees up seven in coverage. More defenders in coverage theoretically would lead to more big plays.

“The really good defenses that I’ve been associated with can disrupt the quarterback with a four-man rush, and you’ve got the extra guy to cover with,” Capers said. “I think you’ve seen that show up in we’ve given up fewer big plays, and the fewer big plays ends up with fewer points on the board because people have a hard time scoring a lot of points on you if they don’t get big chunks.”

Capers and coach Mike McCarthy tweaked the defense this season to go more often with four linemen after relying on mainly a base 3-4 scheme in recent years. That change seems to cater to the addition of veteran Julius Peppers in free agency to play a hybrid defensive end-linebacker role.

“I think the flow of how we’re using our players, it (has) come together and our substitution patterns are where they need to be,” McCarthy said. “I think we have definitely gotten better on defense the last three weeks.”

The Packers seem to have a more active group at safety than a year ago with converted cornerback Micah Hyde and first-round draft pick Ha Ha Clinton-Dix partnering with Morgan Burnett. The veteran Burnett had a nice game against Minnesota with 11 tackles and a forced fumble.

Daniels led the way up front with 1 1/2 sacks, along with tackle Letroy Guion. The third-year pro from Iowa has become a key cog for his leadership and on-field play.

“We’ve got some pretty good players back there and got some good guys up front to get after the quarterback,” Daniels said. “We just continue to feed off each other and put this thing together — I’m very optimistic about it. It’s going to be fun.”

Daniels spoke in the most subdued of tones. It was time to get back to work.

Note: The team signed WR Kevin Dorsey to the active roster from the practice squad Monday and signed CB Tay Glover-Wright to the practice squad. Tight end Ryan Taylor was released.

___

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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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