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Falcons in big trouble after 3rd straight loss

By WTOP Staff

PAUL NEWBERRY
AP Sports Writer

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have put themselves in quite a bind. Now, even though coach Mike Smith says nothing is off the table, don’t look for a bunch of major changes.

This isn’t baseball, where a struggling team might make a blockbuster trade to shake things up.

The Falcons (2-4) are pretty much stuck with the guys they’ve got — and they’re not getting the job done as the team heads into what could be its toughest stretch of the season.

Smith talked about a wide array of problems Monday after Atlanta’s third straight loss, a 27-13 setback to the Chicago Bears. A defense that gave up huge chunks of yardage. An offense that persistently faced third-and-long, dropped too many passes, didn’t run the ball effectively, and struggled to protect quarterback Matt Ryan.

“I’m frustrated, discouraged, disappointed,” Smith said. “I know we can play a whole lot better than we’ve played.”

For now, the changes are likely to be more subtle than dramatic. The coach seemed to indicate a simplifying of the defense, pointing to several communication breakdowns that allowed the Bears to rip off big plays. Five of Jay Cutler’s completions accounted for a staggering 197 yards.

“We’ve given up way too many explosive plays” Smith said. “Is it the scheme? Are we asking guy to do too much? Is it their ability to execute the scheme? If you look at different plays you get different answers. We’ve got to be much better at it.”

From a personnel standpoint, the Falcons don’t have a lot of options.

At defensive end, Jonathan Massaquoi appears to be getting more playing time at the expense of Kroy Biermann. Offensively, the most pressing issue is figuring out a way to get more touches for running back Antone Smith, who has scored five touchdowns this season — all on plays of at least 38 yards.

“You get what you earn in the NFL,” Mike Smith said. “We’ve got to make decisions based on who gives us the best opportunity to win.”

The Falcons next travel to Baltimore to face the Ravens (4-2), who are coming off an impressive 48-17 victory over Tampa Bay. Atlanta better get used to life on the road, because that game is followed by a weeklong trip to London for a contest against Detroit (4-2).

After a bye week, the Falcons play two more road games, against NFC South foes Carolina (3-2-1) and Tampa Bay (1-5). They don’t play another game at the Georgia Dome until Nov. 23 against Cleveland — four days before Thanksgiving. It’s the longest stretch without a true home game in franchise history.

Perhaps the biggest concern for the Falcons is the way they’ve closed out games. Over the last four weeks, they’ve been outscored 49-0 in the fourth quarter.

“We’re close, but we need to finish,” center Peter Konz said. “That’s what we’re focused on — finishing.”

Considering the Falcons have won only six of 22 games since nearly reaching the Super Bowl during the 2012 season, they also have to be concerned about dissension in the locker room. That doesn’t seem to be a problem at the moment, but a few more losses could stir up some grumbling.

“That’s what losers do,” safety Dwight Lowery said. “We’re not here to be losers. We’re here to win. Everybody is committed. These kind of times need to bring a team closer. We’re starting to go through the middle part of the schedule, which really makes or breaks your year, in my opinion. We have to come together and figure out what it is we need to do in order to compete every Sunday, finish games, not make the errors we’re making, trust each other, and play to the best of our ability.”

Receiver Roddy White conceded that all the players are pressing a bit.

“Everybody is trying to make the play that’s going to win the game, and we ain’t making any plays,” he said. “We’ve got to just sit back, kind of relax and just execute the plays like they’re drawn up, instead of going out there doing our own thing.”

But it was clear from the tension in Smith’s voice that this is no time for relaxing. He wants everyone playing with a sense of urgency before this losing streak really gets out of hand.

“We’re judged on one thing, and one thing only,” the coach said. “We all know what that is.”

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