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Big D: Ansah, Suh, Lions dominate Vikings 17-3

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Defense in the NFC North last season was, well, in name only. This year, there’s a legitimate unit in Detroit.

Dominant, actually. That’s why the Lions are tied for first place.

With Ziggy Ansah and Ndamukong Suh leading a relentless rush, the Lions had eight sacks and three interceptions of Minnesota rookie Teddy Bridgewater in a 17-3 victory over the Vikings on Sunday.

The Lions (4-2) entered the week allowing the fewest yards per game and the second-fewest points per game in the NFL and still managed to top themselves, keeping pace with three-time defending division champion Green Bay.

“It’s a dominant performance across the board,” Suh said, “and all of us just working together and knowing how each other rushes.”

Fast and furious was the way it looked to Bridgewater and the Vikings (2-4).

Ansah, who was limping around at times, had 2 1/2 sacks. Seven different Lions were credited with at least a half of a sack. They held the Vikings to 212 total yards.

“It was just one of those days we needed to show up,” Bridgewater said, “and we didn’t.”

Bridgewater, who finished 23 for 37 for 188 yards, was picked off twice by Tahir Whitehead, both on tipped balls. One was tipped at the line by Devin Taylor and another went through running back Matt Asiata’s hands.

Bridgewater was left largely unprotected during another shaky performance by the offensive line.

“I’ve been around an awful lot of teams. Bothers me a little bit, when some things happen bad and we don’t fight our way out of the hole,” coach Mike Zimmer said. “That’s what the good teams do. They haven’t done that yet.”

With Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush absent because of ankle injuries, the Lions played a low-risk game and were forced to punt as often as the Vikings: seven times each. They converted only one of 13 third downs.

Matthew Stafford wasn’t at his best, missing his three-time All-Pro wide receiver Johnson and finishing 19 for 33 for 185 yards. Theo Riddick caught five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown, the latest running back to work his way into the game plan this season. Riddick later hurt his hamstring.

Joique Bell put the game away with a fourth-quarter touchdown run to finish with 74 yards on an 18 carries, though, and Stafford was turnover-free. He led a seven-play, 80-yard opening drive for a score to put the defense in position to dominate.

The Lions have allowed an average of 13.7 points per game.

“We can be the best ever, in my eyes,” defensive tackle Nick Fairley said, adding: “Just look at us, man. We’ve got a defensive line that can get after anybody. Our linebacker corps, it’s amazing the way they fly sideline to sideline, and our secondary is covering for us.”

Here are some key nuggets to know about the game:

BLOWN AWAY: After letting Nate Freese and Alex Henery go, the Lions gave the kicking duty to veteran Matt Prater, who missed two of three field goals in his debut. That dropped the team total to a dismal 5 of 15 this season.

Prater said he was upset with his performance, but Caldwell said he wasn’t concerned. Both of the failed kicks, from 50 and 44 yards, went into swirling wind in the open end of the stadium.

“I have all the confidence in the world in him,” Caldwell said.

SACKS FOR SUH: Suh, in his fifth season, passed Shaun Rogers on the franchise list for career sacks by a defensive tackle and has 30 1/2. Rogers played seven years for the Lions.

“I appreciate it. I definitely owe it to all my guys I play next to, especially Nick Fairley and C.J. Mosley,” Suh said.

RARE ROAD WIN: The Lions won at Minnesota for only the second time in the last 17 trips here. Their overtime victory at the Metrodome in 2011 was the only other one since 1997. The Vikings, who lead the all-time series 69-35-2, lost outdoors at home to the Lions for the first time since 1974.

BACKFIELD SHUFFLE: Jerick McKinnon moved ahead of Asiata as the featured runner for the Vikings and totaled 82 total yards on 17 touches. Asiata only had two carries, for a net of minus-5 yards, and caught one pass for 18 yards.

OFF TARGET: Bridgewater ended a promising opening possession by locking his eyes on Cordarrelle Patterson in the end zone, allowing Glover Quin to break on the ball and pick it off. Patterson was a nonfactor again with one carry for 2 yards and two catches for 15 yards despite eight targets, playing through a nagging hip injury.

“It’s a struggle out here right now, just trying to get open for Teddy to see me. Next week, I’ve got to do a better job,” Patterson said.

___

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://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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