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Bears’ patchwork defense shuts down Falcons, 27-13

By WTOP Staff

CHARLES ODUM
AP Sports Writer

ATLANTA (AP) — A Chicago defense with three fill-in starting linebackers held the Falcons to 12 first downs and 287 total yards, setting the stage for Jay Cutler’s big day.

The Bears held out four linebackers, including the three starters, with injuries. Backups Khaseem Greene, Darryl Sharpton and Christian Jones were the replacement starters.

“Unbelievable job,” said Cutler of the linebackers after Chicago’s 27-13 win over Atlanta. “As many guys as we lost toward the end of the week, we asked some of these young guys to step up, some guys who don’t have a lot of NFL experience. To play as well as they did, it’s a testament to how hard they work and to how well the coaches have instructed them.”

Linebackers Shea McClellin (hand), Lance Briggs (rib), D.J. Williams (neck) and Jonathan Bostic (back) did not play. The Falcons, held to 42 yards rushing, couldn’t take advantage of the fill-ins.

Greene said linebackers coach Reggie Herring told the group to “play fast” and “be calm.”

Cutler threw for 381 yards and a touchdown and Matt Forte ran for 80 yards with two scores for the Bears.

Cutler’s only touchdown pass was for 3 yards to Josh Morgan. He stretched Atlanta’s defense with deep passes to Brandon Marshall, who had six catches for 113 yards and Alshon Jeffery, who had five catches for 136 yards — including a 74-yarder.

“Jay was able to drop balls in places that only he and a few guys can,” Marshall said. “I’m just proud of our offense for bouncing back and buckling down.”

Forte had a 6-yard scoring run one play after Cutler’s long pass to Jeffery in the third quarter. Forte added a 9-yard touchdown run in the fourth, when the Falcons were shut out.

“When you don’t score in the fourth quarter, it’s tough to win, especially the way this game went,” said Falcons coach Mike Smith.

Chicago (3-3) snapped a two-game losing streak with its third victory in four road games.

The Falcons (2-4) have lost three straight. Atlanta rallied from a 13-3 halftime deficit to tie the game late in the third quarter on Matt Bryant’s 54-yard field goal. The Bears scored the final 14 points.

Here are some things to know about the Bears’ road win over the Falcons:

BIG DAY FOR CUTLER: Cutler had his biggest passing game in six years and the second-biggest game of his career. He threw for 447 yards at Cleveland in 2008. “If we can keep mixing it up like that and running the ball effectively, we should be good,” Cutler said.

SEE YOU IN SIX WEEKS: The Falcons now play their next four games away from Atlanta, so the loss was their last chance to gain momentum at home for the long stretch. The Falcons, who play at Baltimore next week, 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.

This isn’t good news for an Atlanta team that has lost 10 of its last 11 on the road.

ANOTHER BIG PLAY: Antone Smith, 29, remains a feel-good story for the Falcons. The backup running back had four catches for 64 yards, including a 41-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Smith now has five touchdowns this season, all on big plays: 38, 41, 48, 54 and 74 yards.

GOING DEEP: Cutler, who had six completions of at least 19 yards, said the game plan emphasized the vertical passing game. “We came into it knowing we were going to have to get some chunks,” he said. “We couldn’t just dink it. We’d have to get some chunks.”

DROPPED PASSES: Falcons receivers dropped at least seven passes from Matt Ryan, who completed 19 of 37 attempts for 271 yards with one interception and the one touchdown pass to Smith. Tight end Levine Toilolo and starting receivers Roddy White and Julio Jones had drops.

“It was a tough day at the office,” Toilolo said. “I feel like I let my team down a bit, but I am willing to work to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

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

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Follow Charles Odum on Twitter: http://twitter.com/CharlesOdum

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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