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Eagles ready to rest after statement win

By WTOP Staff

ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A convincing, 27-0 win over the New York Giants sent a message that the Philadelphia Eagles are still the team to beat in the NFC East.

That kind of talk doesn’t matter to coaches and players.

“You are what you are,” coach Chip Kelly said Monday. “Look at the standings. We’re 5-1. There’s noise out there and if you pay attention to it, you are wasting time.”

Despite winning four of their first five games, the Eagles were only 2 1/2-point favorites at home against the Giants (3-3). Critics questioned the way Philadelphia was winning and wondered if the team could continue having success.

Nick Foles and the rest of the offense were inconsistent. LeSean McCoy hardly looked like an All-Pro running back who set a franchise-record for yards rushing in 2013. The defense gave up too many big plays and nearly wasted a 27-point lead against St. Louis last week.

If it weren’t for the special teams scoring four touchdowns and Cody Parkey’s clutch kicking, the Eagles would’ve started 1-4.

“Praise and blame is all the same,” Kelly said. “If you let outside noise affect you, then you’re saying you value their opinion more than your own opinion.”

So after Dallas (5-1) made a statement with a 30-23 win at Seattle on Sunday afternoon, the Eagles followed with a dominant performance under the prime-time lights against the Giants. They head into a bye week on a positive note following their first shutout in 18 years.

Kelly gave the players time off until next Tuesday. The Eagles play next at Arizona (4-1) on Oct. 26.

“It’s a great position to be in,” Foles said. “We still have a lot of season left to go and I still have a lot of things to improve on, which excites me. It will be great to have the bye this week to get healthy, get some rest, recoup and get ready to go.”

Foles threw two more interceptions against the Giants, bringing his total to seven. He also has three fumbles and his 10 turnovers lead the NFL. Last year, Foles set an NFL record for best TD/interception ratio when he threw 27 TD passes and only two picks.

“If we keep winning, it doesn’t matter,” Kelly said. “But we still have to do a better job from that standpoint. We were a lot cleaner last year from a turnover standpoint, and he’ll be the first to tell you that. You can’t continue to do it at that rate and end up on the right side of the ledger. The turnover differential is really big in this league in terms of being an indicator of wins and losses.”

Perhaps the most encouraging sign was McCoy’s breakout effort. He ran for a season-high 149 yards, his first time over 100 this season. McCoy entered the game averaging just 2.9 yards per carry, but he had plenty of running lanes against New York.

Injuries on the offensive line contributed to McCoy’s poor start. The Eagles are missing All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis and center Jason Kelce. Right tackle was suspended the first four games. Since he returned, McCoy has 233 yards rushing in two games.

“It was obvious that there was a lot of room,” McCoy said. “Happy to get Lane back in there. I think every player in their second year, it is always the biggest jump that you really recognize and I can see it in Lane. It’s the guys up front just totally dominating and they made the right calls and played well. So definitely a lot more running lanes. And definitely myself, I felt I made a lot more better decisions, like just going and hitting it.”

The bye should help the Eagles get some key players back. Linebacker Mychal Kendricks hasn’t played since injuring his calf in Week 2. Running back Darren Sproles sprained his knee against the Giants, but Kelly doesn’t expect him to miss much time. Mathis and Kelce are planning to return on Nov. 10.

NOTES: The Eagles are 12-3, including a playoff loss, since the midpoint of last season. … The defense has 16 sacks in the past three games, including eight vs. the Giants.

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

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_RobMaaddi

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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