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Packers’ comeback win good for confidence

By WTOP Staff

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Mike McCarthy likes to challenge his players to follow up strong performances with even better ones.

The Green Bay Packers coach calls it “stacking successes.”

And while any victory can serve that purpose, McCarthy acknowledged Monday that building blocks don’t come better than the Packers’ 27-24 come-from-behind victory over the Miami Dolphins in sweltering South Florida on Sunday.

“A big part of winning in this league is confidence. It obviously adds to your confidence,” McCarthy said one day after Aaron Rodgers’ 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Andrew Quarless with 3 seconds left gave the Packers (4-2) their third consecutive win.

“It’s an investment in confidence and in one another, from one unit to the next; everybody involved. But it’s also lessons of overcoming adversity. You cannot overcome enough adversity in the course of a game, during the preparation week. Those are all great lessons to learn from and add to that investment of confidence.”

Even if McCarthy didn’t really get to revel in the celebration of Quarless’ touchdown.

“I wish I would enjoy these games more than I do. It wears me out,” McCarthy said with a chuckle. “You go home and you see, ‘Boy, that was a heck of a game.’ It just didn’t look that way from where I was standing. You still have a job to do.”

Under McCarthy, who is 91-52-1 in nine seasons as coach, the Packers haven’t had many such rallies — in part because they’re seldom behind. Sunday’s win marked only the 11th time Rodgers had engineered a game-winning fourth-quarter or overtime drive.

And while Rodgers received much of the credit afterward, the quarterback pointed to the contributions from a variety of teammates who made it possible: Safety Micah Hyde gave the offense great field position with a heads-up punt return; guard T.J. Lang saved the game by recovering a third-down fumble by Rodgers; wide receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb each had critical catches on the final drive; rookie wideout Davante Adams picked up on Rodgers’ presnap signal and was ready for Rodgers’ fake-spike pass that gained 12 yards on the play before the decisive TD.

And Quarless, who’d spent much of the game pestering Rodgers to throw him the ball if a linebacker was on him, got his wish when Rodgers changed the play at the line of scrimmage and hit him with a back-shoulder strike.

“I think it’s very important to the team just as far as everybody’s confidence,” Quarless said Monday. “It just shows you that you’re getting stronger.”

And sometimes, it takes a fantastic finish.

Last season, when Rodgers missed seven starts with a broken left collarbone, backup Matt Flynn engineered three fourth-quarter comebacks. Then, with the NFC North title and a berth in the playoffs on the line, in his return to action, Rodgers threw a last-minute, 48-yard, fourth-down touchdown pass to Cobb in a 33-28 victory at Chicago.

“It’s huge. Huge for team morale,” Flynn said of the impact of a comeback. “To be able to pull that off, in a game that came down to the fourth quarter, to get a stop on defense, score on offense, it’s a big, big confidence booster.”

NOTES: After losing starting cornerbacks Sam Shields (knee) and Tramon Williams (ankle) in a three-play span Sunday, and losing starting inside linebacker Jamari Lattimore (neck) in the first half, McCarthy was relieved that none of the injuries are considered major. McCarthy said he had not spoken to team physician Patrick McKenzie but general manager Ted Thompson had. “I know his conversation with Dr. McKenzie, none of them were long-term (injuries),” McCarthy said. “But how fast (they will return) is still to be determined.” . McCarthy said he is not concerned that star outside linebacker Clay Matthews has just one sack through six games. “I’m very comfortable with the way Clay’s playing,” McCarthy said. “Production doesn’t always reflect the performance. . Clay’s a big-time player. Production will come. And I think history will show you it usually comes in chunks.”

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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