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Bears looking more in sync after beating Falcons

By WTOP Staff

ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — A high-powered offense. A defense creating havoc.

This was how the Chicago Bears envisioned their season, and the picture came into focus at Atlanta on Sunday.

The Bears stopped a two-game losing streak and picked up the 750th win in franchise history with a 27-13 victory over the Falcons. Jay Cutler had his biggest passing game in six years with 381 yards, and a battered defense had one of its best performances in two seasons under coordinator Mel Tucker.

“We’ve seen signs in the first six weeks of the season of the type of team we can be and the way we can play the game, but it’s a fluid league and it all starts over on Wednesday,” coach Marc Trestman said Monday.

The Bears (3-3) will try to keep it up when they host the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. There were at least some encouraging signs against the Falcons.

Cutler had six completions of at least 19 yards and finished with the second-highest passing total of his career. He threw for 447 yards at Cleveland in 2008 when he was with Denver.

Perhaps more importantly, he did not throw an interception. The Bears are 3-0 when he doesn’t throw one. He had two in each of their three losses.

It didn’t hurt that Cutler was going against a defense that came in ranked 29th, and Brandon Marshall seems to be over the ankle injury he suffered in the opener. His 113 yards receiving were by far a season high. Fellow Pro Bowl receiver Alshon Jeffery came through with five catches for 136 yards, including a 74-yarder, and Matt Forte (80 yards rushing with two touchdowns, 77 yards receiving) had a solid game.

The defense delivered, too.

The Bears held Atlanta to 287 yards after allowing more than 300 in 22 straight games, and they were without four linebackers, including all three starters.

“I thought our linebackers played great,” defensive end Jared Allen said. “I’ll have to watch the tape. They came in and it was like business as usual.”

They were already missing Shea McClellin because of a hand injury when the rotation really thinned out leading up to this game.

Seven-time Pro Bowl linebacker Lance Briggs sat out all week after injuring his ribs at Carolina. One potential replacement at weakside linebacker was Jonathan Bostic, who was shelved with a back injury after being listed as questionable.

Then there was middle linebacker D.J. Williams (neck). He practiced without limitations on Friday before getting downgraded from probable to questionable the next day and ultimately getting held out of the game.

All those injuries forced the Bears to start Khaseem Greene, Darryl Sharpton and Christian Jones. It also led to extra meeting time with linebackers coach Reggie Herring at the team hotel.

“There was a lot of change going on and unknown going on during the week with Lance and with D.J.,” Trestman said. “D.J. practiced, so that was a late addition. Phil was involved in helping us move some people around and get some people up. But it was simply just hard work and their preparation.”

NOTES: Trestman said he Is “optimistic” about left tackle Jermon Bushrod (ankle/knee) returning against Miami after missing the past two games. Michael Ola has filled in for him. … Trestman also said S Chris Conte remains a starter even though he keeps getting injured. He left in the third quarter of Sunday’s game because of a shoulder injury, the fourth time this season he was unable to finish a game. Shoulder injuries knocked him out of games against San Francisco and the New York Jets, and a concussion forced Conte to exit against Carolina on Oct. 5. Conte also missed the offseason program and the start of training camp while recovering from shoulder surgery, and he left the third preseason game because of a concussion. “He’s a starter until the doctors and trainers say that … or he feels that he’s uncomfortable playing and it hasn’t been the case, and we’ll see where he is in the next couple days and how things proceed during the week,” Trestman said.

___

Online: 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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