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Falcons lose 3rd straight, now things really tough

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — If there was ever a must-win game in October, this was it for the Atlanta Falcons.

Now, they’ve put themselves in a major hole.

The Falcons were totally outclassed Sunday in a 27-13 loss to the Chicago Bears, their third straight defeat even more crushing because they won’t play another game at the Georgia Dome until nearly Thanksgiving.

“We have to look at everything,” coach Mike Smith said. “Nothing is off the table for what we have to do to get better.”

Chicago’s Jay Cutler threw for 381 yards and a touchdown. It was the second-highest passing total of his career, surpassed only by a 447-yard effort at Cleveland in 2008.

Matt Forte ran for a couple of TDs after the Falcons, down 13-3 at the half, rallied to tie the game late in the third quarter.

But the Atlanta comeback, highlighted by yet another long scoring play for Antone Smith, was deceiving. The Bears dominated most of the way, outgaining the Falcons in total yards (478-287) and controlling the time of possession with more than 36 minutes.

Matt Ryan was 19 of 37 for 271 yards, including a late interception, though he seemed like a one-man team at times. His receivers sure didn’t help the cause, dropping at least seven passes. The depleted offensive line surrendered four sacks. The Falcons rushed for just 42 yards on 13 carries.

The loss was a huge blow for the Falcons (2-4), who won’t have another true home game until Nov. 23. Three of the next four are on the road, with the only designated home game actually the longest road trip of all — a game against Detroit at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Not a good omen for a team that has lost 10 of its last 11 on the road.

“We’ve got a tough stretch coming up,” Ryan said. “We can’t worry about it. We can’t complain about it. We’ve got to find a way to get it done.”

The Bears (3-3) are doing just fine away from the Windy City.

Chicago snapped a two-game losing streak with its third victory in four road games this season, though there were so many Bears fans at the Georgia Dome that this seemed almost like a neutral site.

“We travel well,” receiver Brandon Marshall said. “We gave them something to cheer about.”

After the Falcons tied the game at 13, the Bears quickly regained control. Cutler unleashed a towering pass to Alshon Jeffery that went for 74 yards. On the next play, Forte took it in for a 6-yard touchdown.

The Falcons went three-and-out, and Chicago finished them off with a 15-play, 87-yard drive. Forte capped the march down the field with a 9-yard scoring burst up the middle.

Jeffery had five catches for 136 yards. Marshall chipped in with six receptions for 113 yards.

“We came into it knowing we were going to have to get some chunks,” said Cutler, who had six completions of at least 19 yards. “We couldn’t just dink it.”

The Bears’ defense also came up with a monster effort, especially since all three starting linebackers and one of the top backups were out with injuries.

With the score tied at 3, Chicago pulled ahead on a seven-play, 79-yard drive. Cutler went to Marshall for the biggest play, a 47-yard pass to the Atlanta 3. On the next play, Cutler passed to Josh Morgan for the touchdown.

Robbie Gould’s second field goal, a 28-yarder with 2 seconds left in the half, came after Cutler directed an 83-yard drive.

The Falcons showed some life in the third period. Third-stringer Smith took a short pass 41 yards for his fifth touchdown of the season — all of them coming on efforts of at least 38 yards.

Smith’s big play was about as good as it got for the Falcons, even though Matt Bryant booted a 54-yard field goal to tie the game. Bryant also connected from 52 yards in the opening quarter.

By the fourth quarter, the Chicago defenders were whipping up their fans at the Georgia Dome, sending them into raucous chants of “Let’s go Bears!”

NOTES: Falcons LG Justin Blalock, who had missed the previous game with a back injury, returned to the lineup. … Atlanta return specialist Devin Hester didn’t do much against his former team. He had one catch for 23 yards, along with 54 yards on punt and kickoff returns. … Chicago was missing starting LBs Lance Briggs (rib), D.J. Williams (neck) and Shea McClellin (hand), along with Jonathan Bostic (back), who had been projected as Briggs’ replacement on the weakside.

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

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963

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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