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Seattle banged up after loss to Dallas

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — There were going to be plenty of questions about where the Seattle Seahawks are headed on offense after Sunday’s 30-23 loss to Dallas.

Marshawn Lynch touched the ball only 10 times. Russell Wilson threw for 66 yards after the first quarter and Percy Harvin finished with zero yards receiving despite making three catches.

The bigger concern could be the list of injuries the Super Bowl champs are suddenly dealing with now.

Cornerback Byron Maxwell, middle linebacker Bobby Wagner and center Max Unger are all in question for Sunday’s game at St. Louis with a variety of injuries.

Maxwell was originally thought to have a high ankle sprain after going down in the second quarter on Sunday, but was diagnosed Monday with a calf strain that should get him back on the field sooner than first expected.

Unger has a strained foot that kept him inactive on Sunday and his status against the Rams likely won’t be decided till the end of the week.

The severity of Wagner’s turf toe injury has not been determined, but could be the most significant. Wagner was injured early in the second quarter on Sunday, but returned in the second half.

Coach Pete Carroll said Monday that Wagner is “banged up,” and didn’t rule out that the injury could be similar to the one suffered by left tackle Russell Okung last season in Week 2 that required surgery and a stint on injured reserve. Okung returned later in the season.

“(It) could be. We’ll have to wait and see,” Carroll said. “We’ll have to assess that and figure it out.”

Wagner was having a stellar start to his third season. He had double-digit tackles in Seattle’s first three games and collected the only sack in the Seahawks’ win over Washington last Monday night.

Undrafted rookie Brock Coyle filled in when Wagner was out on Sunday. Seattle has used K.J. Wright at middle linebacker in the past when Wagner was sidelined, but Carroll would not commit one way or the other.

“We’ll have to wait and see on that one,” Carroll said.

Along with that injured trio, tight end Zach Miller is not expected to be back this week after having ankle surgery during the bye week.

KCPQ-TV in Seattle reported Monday that Okung has been playing with a torn labrum in his shoulder suffered in Week 3 against Denver. Carroll didn’t confirm the report, but said Okung suffered a shoulder sprain and should be able to continue playing without issue.

About the only good news Seattle received among its injured players is the expectation that cornerback Tharold Simon will have a chance to play against the Rams and that safety Kam Chancellor made it through Sunday’s game without problems despite a strained hip.

Seattle was able to avoid major injury issues last season and when it did there was enough depth to plug the gaps until the starters returned. That depth was thinned through free agency and roster decisions in the offseason and is now being tested.

The injury problems muted the concerns about Seattle’s game plan against Dallas. Lynch seemed an afterthought as was most of Seattle’s run game.

Lynch didn’t have a carry between the end of the first quarter and Seattle’s first offensive play of the second half, a span of 21 minutes, 59 seconds of game time.

The Seahawks led the league in rushing entering Sunday, but the 18 total rushing attempts was the second time in five games Seattle failed to get 20 carries.

The Seahawks seemed more concerned with trying to get the ball to Harvin — who had six total touches for (minus)-1 yard — than relying on Lynch.

Carroll took responsibility for the lackluster effort, that included problems getting off the field defensively on third downs, saying he didn’t do a good enough job in preparation after the Monday night win over Washington.

“I think we’re still working at it. Sometimes it takes quite a while before you find it and we’re not quite there yet because we haven’t found the consistency,” Carroll said.

“We know what we’re trying to do. We know where it is and what it needs to be but we’re just not quite there yet.

___

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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