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Peyton closes in on Favre’s TD passes mark

By WTOP Staff

BARRY WILNER
AP Pro Football Writer

Peyton Manning shrugged off the question about the meaningfulness of inevitably breaking Brett Favre’s NFL record for touchdown passes.

Deep down, though, the only man to win five MVP awards must recognize what an achievement it is.

Next Sunday against San Francisco, or perhaps the following Thursday against San Diego, Manning will surpass Favre’s 508 regular-season TD throws. Manning is two shy after throwing for three scores in a 31-17 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday.

“I don’t know if any of them are big for me, necessarily, especially in the middle of the season,” Manning said. “We’re trying to win football games. It’s tough. It’s a tough schedule. That’s all I’m thinking about, trying to find a way to win the game.

“If Ronnie (Hillman) wants to run for four touchdowns next week, I’m in favor of that.”

It’s not that Manning doesn’t care about owning these records — and when he is through in the NFL, he might own all of the passing marks. He certainly covets all of those Associated Press Most Valuable Player honors, possessing two more than Favre, the next most frequent winner.

And when he threw for an almost unimaginable 55 touchdowns last season, the massiveness of the accomplishment wasn’t lost on him.

This upcoming record puts him in the category of Barry Bonds — or if you prefer, given the way Bonds’ career accomplishments are muddled, Hank Aaron.

“I think it is a measure of ultimately how productive he is,” said Bill Polian, the man who drafted Manning back in 1998 in Indianapolis and watched him develop into perhaps the greatest of all passers.

“That is the sort of No. 1 task of a quarterback, especially in this day and age, so it is very meaningful. It’s a little like the home run record.”

Manning has been hitting ’em out of the park — well, throwing them into the end zone — with incredible regularity since missing 2011 because of several neck surgeries. His work in Denver has been even more impressive given how questionable any comeback was when the Broncos signed him after Indianapolis released him in early 2012.

Two of his three highest passer ratings have come as a Bronco; only in his original record-setting season of 2004 did he rate higher with the Colts.

Manning averaged 46 TD passes in his first two Denver seasons; he averaged just under 24 in Indy. Two of his three highest completion percentages have come as a Bronco; same things for yards passing.

Polian doesn’t see too many adjustments that Manning has been forced to make in Denver.

“He looks to me very much like the quarterback I knew,” said Polian, now an analyst for SiriusXM NFL Radio and for ESPN. “The arm isn’t what it was, but it happens to every quarterback. I don’t think there’s much difference from Peyton in Indianapolis before the injury; his timing still is exquisite.”

It sure is: Denver hosts San Francisco on Sunday night, so Manning can grab the record in prime time. The NFL and NBC have to love that for the ratings it will bring.

Football fans haven’t lost any desire to watch this 38-year-old quarterback. Favre is the standard for longevity — sure, George Blanda played until he was 48, but the last nine seasons were mostly as a kicker; Vinny Testaverde lasted until he was 44, but in a journeyman sort of way. Manning remains at the top of his game, performing at a level few reach in any sport.

To Polian, what Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees still can do is entertaining, educational, and rare.

“They have seen everything that anyone can throw at them,” Polian said. There’s no new wrinkle a defensive coordinator can throw at them, even including terrifically creative guys like Rex Ryan. You are not going to fool them. Peyton and those guys can go back into their memory bank and see where they faced it, and they do just that.

“All of them are exceptionally intelligent and diligent. That long experience gives them an advantage in that it is impossible to fool them.

“One other thing all great quarterbacks have to a greater degree than most — and Peyton may be the best of all — they can manipulate defenses. Only the great ones can. With their eyes, their motions, looking people off, going through progressions, they are trying to make the defense react in a certain away. And they do very frequently. That is a huge advantage for those guys.”

___

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