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The NFC East is so bad that Washington still has a chance

By Ryan Homler

The NFC East is so bad that Washington still has a chance originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Typically, a 1-4 start from the Washington Football Team would eliminate almost any consideration of a run at the NFC East title. All eyes would turn to marginal improvement and the NFL Draft.

2020 is not a typical season, at least in terms of the play in Washington’s division. The NFC East is bad, and wide open.

In first place sit the Dallas Cowboys, who are under .500 at 2-3. Even with a win on Sunday, Dallas took a major hit on Sunday when quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending ankle injury. Even with Andy Dalton, the Cowboys offense won’t be the same and the defense just gave up 34 points to a Giants team that hadn’t scored more than 16 all season.

Looking around the rest of the NFC East, things are not much better. The Eagles are 1-3-1, decimated with injuries and looking like a shell of their 2017 selves. The Giants are 0-5 and the stat mentioned above pretty much tells says everything one needs to know about how their season is going.

Then, you have the Washington Football Team at 1-4, struggling to find consistency at the quarterback position and filled with holes on offense and defense.

If that doesn’t paint a picture of just how poor the play is, here are some numbers to further prove it:

  • The combined record for the NFC East through five weeks is 4-15-1. The next-worst division win total is eight for a few groups (AFC East, AFC South, NFC South) but they have teams still waiting to play games in Week 5 or makeup games due to the coronavirus. 
  • Those four combined wins are equal to or less than nine SINGULAR NFL teams through five weeks.
  • Entering Week 5, teams in the NFC East only ran 14 plays in the fourth quarter while leading. The Eagles had three and Washington had 11 (against the Eagles). The number only increased because the Cowboys and Giants played one another and someone had to win.

There are other numbers that show how dismal the division has been, but that is enough to paint a picture. So, what does this mean for the Washington Football Team? It means that a chance at the playoffs still exists.

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Despite the product on the field not showing it, Washington *could* be a postseason team in 2020. They have five games remaining against divisional opponents and one win already under their belt. None of the matchups seems like guaranteed losses. More likely than not, it will be the NFC East head-to-head battles that determine the division winner.

The amount of parody — bad parody — in the division so far has shown Ron Rivera that there is still a path to success. It’s the main reason he felt comfortable making the switch from Dwayne Haskins to Kyle Allen at quarterback. The campaign isn’t just about growing, yet. Someone has to win the division, why not Washington?

Additionally, besides the Eagles, Washington has played opponents with a combined record of 15-5. Rivera noted on Monday that they understand the competition has been stiff, and that there are chances to win and improve coming.

“Disappointed. But, let’s look at who we lost to. Everybody that we lost to has a winning record. We’re playing good football teams. That’s the big thing, and that’s what we’re working to be is one of those kinds of teams. I think there’s huge disappointment because we had some opportunities,” Rivera said. “Defensively, there were some third downs that we didn’t stop them on. The players know that. Offensively, we had some plays where we didn’t quite make it and we didn’t convert. That’s the disappointment. We didn’t play up front as well as we would’ve liked to offensively. There are some things that we have to work on, we have to get shored up, and we have to get better at. Again, the disappointment is that we didn’t play better. That to me is a positive because the players know that.”

Next up? The Giants, Cowboys and Giants again. Not to mention the Lions and Bengals to follow. Schedule-wise, things do get easier in the coming weeks.

Washington will need to play better if the thought of competing for the division wants to become a reality, but the opportunities are there due to the ugly NFC East. Last year the division sent a team to the playoffs at 9-7. In 2020, seven may do the trick. 

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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