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Steelers bracing for improving Browns

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Lawrence Timmons sounded like a changed man.

It’s not that the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker took the Cleveland Browns lightly when they faced off in the opener last month. It’s just that after spending most of his eight-year career helping the Steelers turn their longtime rivals into little more than fodder for the win column, Timmons has grown used to a certain level of dominance.

That notion shifted when Pittsburgh needed every last second on the clock to escape with a 30-27 victory five weeks ago, a game in which the Steelers squandered a 24-point halftime lead. Having watched Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer and an inexperienced running game push Pittsburgh’s defense around for 30 minutes — then see Cleveland do the same last weekend in a thrilling comeback win over Tennessee — Timmons became a convert.

The Browns (2-2), yes the Browns, look like they’re for real heading into Sunday’s rematch in Cleveland.

“I think they’re serious this year,” Timmons said. “You can’t take them lightly.”

No chance of that. If anything, Cleveland provided the Steelers (3-2) with a much-needed wakeup call after using an uptempo no-huddle in the second half. Pittsburgh rarely looked ready as the Browns reeled off 24 unanswered points behind unheralded rookie running backs Terrance West and Isaiah Crowell. Cleveland averaged 6.3 yards per carry while piling up 191 yards on the ground to nearly pull off a stunning upset even with hyped rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel spending the entire afternoon on the sideline.

“They have a running game now,” said Timmons, who is 11-2 against the Browns. That’s the change for us. As we played them before they never really got a 100 yards rushing on us. So now that they did that, that’s the game changer so we have to really be on our Ps and Qs.”

Cleveland’s approach forced the Steelers to make some minor adjustments to the way they get the defensive calls on the field. Rather than rely on Timmons to relay the information, the secondary often looks to the sideline for hand signals to find out where to line up.

“LT can’t tell everybody at the same time, he’s got a job to do too,” cornerback Brice McCain. “We sometimes know before he tells us.”

The early returns have been promising. The Steelers have limited opponents to 165 yards rushing and 3.6 yards per carry over their last three games. Yet those numbers come with a few caveats. The Panthers played without starting running back DeAngelo Williams. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were working Doug Martin back into the mix following an injury and the Jacksonville Jaguars are, well, Jacksonville.

“It’s only been a couple weeks,” linebacker Arthur Moats said. “We know we have to get better.”

On both sides of the ball. While Pittsburgh managed to escape north Florida with a 17-9 win over the Jaguars last Sunday, the Steelers needed a fourth quarter interception return for a score by Brice McCain to provide the win.

It’s not exactly the way to build momentum. Pittsburgh has alternated wins and losses through the first five weeks, looking competitive at times and confounding at others. The Steelers have been inconsistent. It needs to change if they want to make any kind of run for a playoff berth.

Scoring more points would help. Pittsburgh is fourth in the NFL in total offense but only 18th in points scored, averaging 22.4 points a game, a good field goal less than Cleveland’s average of 25.8. Finishing drives has been a problem. The Steelers are only converting 43 percent of their trips inside an opponent’s 20 into touchdowns. Pittsburgh only did it once in four trips against the Jaguars, kicking a field goal to end one possession and having Roethlisberger fumble to end another before ending the game with knee downs at the Jacksonville 18.

“We just need to continue to work, correct and rectify it and make sure it’s a strength for us,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “I know when we are playing well we are putting points on the board with seven.”

NOTES: Rookie LB Ryan Shazier will test his sprained right knee in practice this week. Shazier hasn’t played since injuring the knee in a victory over Carolina three weeks ago. … S Shamarko Thomas (hamstring) will also practice in a limited capacity. … Tomlin defended the decision to make a short pass to Antonio Brown in the waning moments last week, a pass that extended his streak of games with at least five receptions and 50 yards receiving to an NFL-record 21. “We had a low-risk play that had an opportunity to get the ball in his hands and we wanted to assist him in that,” Tomin said. “I think the guys were just as excited about doing that for him as he was.”

___

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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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