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Indianapolis defense making progress; Texans next

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL MAROT
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts are trying to change their image.

Sure, Andrew Luck leads the NFL with 14 touchdown passes and Indy is tied for the league lead with 156 points.

But coach Chuck Pagano never wanted to rely solely on Luck’s arm and a potent offense to win games, and now, he might not need to.

“We’re getting pressure on the quarterback, we’re getting sacks, we’re getting turnovers, and our run defense has been great,” Pagano said Monday, less than 24 hours after the defense played its best game of the season. “The schemes, the plans are really good. Guys are executing those plans.”

The combination has given the Colts (3-2) a new look.

Instead of being considered an afterthought, the Colts’ defense could be viewed as an asset. Instead of simply protecting leads, as was the case during much of the Peyton Manning era, Pagano and Ryan Grigson have built this team around a philosophy that they can go toe-to-toe for 60 minutes.

The early returns have been a mixed bag.

The Colts struggled through the first two weeks against two of the league’s premier offenses, Denver and Philadelphia. They couldn’t pressure Manning, and wore down late against the Eagles’ up-tempo offense.

In the last three games, all wins, Indy has allowed 297.3 yards and 15.7 points, forced seven turnovers, recorded 11 sacks and given up only 13 first-half points. Not surprisingly, the Colts are ranked in the top half of the league in total defense and share the AFC South lead with Houston (3-2).

The sudden surge has come despite the absence of Indy’s most dynamic defender, Pro Bowl linebacker Robert Mathis, who has a season-ending torn left Achilles’ tendon; despite losing last season’s leading tackler, inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman, for two of those three games with an injured hamstring; and despite being without former Pro Bowl safety LaRon Landry, who sat out Sunday to serve the first week of a four-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy.

The Colts haven’t just persevered, they have thrived.

Against Baltimore, they sacked Joe Flacco a season-high four times, came up with three turnovers, allowed one third-down conversion and closed out the 20-13 victory by stopping the Ravens’ last-minute drive near midfield.

Players believe they are capable of playing even more.

“It’s the tip of the iceberg,” defensive end Cory Redding said as the Colts started preparing for Thursday night’s game at Houston. “We have so much more to gain, to improve and still get better at. Despite all that, we have still made some plays out there.”

For years, the outsiders believed that with so much money invested in the offense, the Colts had to win shootouts.

Pagano never bought into it.

So when he left Baltimore to take the Colts job, Pagano changed the Colts’ philosophy. He switched from a traditional 4-3 front to a 3-4, convinced Grigson to bring in bigger, more physical players who could excel under a more aggressive philosophy.

After three years, Pagano’s patience is starting to pay dividends.

“We’ve had a vision from Day 1 of what we wanted that side of the ball to look like, and I think for the last three weeks, and especially yesterday, you’re starting to see what we want the blueprint to look like — and it should look like,” Pagano said.

Redding is playing his best football since joining the team in 2012, Indy’s top three cornerbacks — Toler, Vontae Davis and Darius Butler — are anchoring a dramatically improved secondary, and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson has shored up a run defense that sits just outside the top third in league rankings.

The challenge, of course, is to keep it up.

With a team that already has the AFC’s top punter, the NFL’s best clutch kicker, an offense with four straight 100-yard rushing games, and Luck in charge, the addition of a stout, consistent defense could be the missing piece to the Colts’ puzzle.

“I think the difference now is that everyone is doing their part and that everyone knows the guy next to them is doing their job, and that can really put you in a bind if you’re trying to do someone else’s job, too,” cornerback Greg Toler said. “We’re a cohesive unit right now.”

Notes: The Colts signed linebacker Victor Butler to the active roster and waived outside linebacker Chris Carter on Monday. … Butler, defensive tackle Arthur Jones, left guard Jack Mewhort and outside linebacker Bjoern Werner all missed practice due to ankle injuries. Hugh Thornton took the majority of the snaps with the starters at right guard despite an ankle injury, Pagano said.

___

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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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