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Eagles DC Jim Schwartz calls Lamar Jackson NFL’s ‘most dangerous player’

By Mike DePrisco

Eagles DC calls Lamar the 'most dangerous player' in NFL originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Putting aside the occasional gaffe, like putting a linebacker one-on-one with a deep threat on third down, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz has seen his fair share of quarterbacks and can usually put together a scheme to give his team a chance.

Nearly 25 years of NFL coaching experience will do that for you, so when he says someone is the most dangerous player in the league, you can probably take him at his word. 

“Lamar Jackson is probably the most dangerous player in the league,” Schwartz said Tuesday. “There are times you can do everything right on defense and you can’t catch him or he can throw a ball sidearm underneath of a free rusher and complete a pass.”

Jackson quickly became one of the best players in the league last season, leading the Ravens to a 14-2 record and taking home a unanimous MVP award. The playoffs proved to be a letdown, but it hasn’t seemed to hinder Jackson nor the Ravens’ offensive attack in 2020. They’re 4-1 and still boast an elite rushing attack (2nd in yards, 1st in YPC).

“I think you have to have a resilient attitude when you play him and you know that a playmaker like him is going to make some plays, you just have to limit his big plays,” Schwartz said. “They’re a strong running team, not just with Lamar Jackson but with Mark Ingram, all their running backs are good, powerful running backs.”

The Ravens will have their own set of challenges with Schwartz’s defense this Sunday. His unit is coming off a disappointing loss to the Steelers and the Eagles are in need of a win to vault themselves back toward the top of an incredibly weak NFC East. 

The Eagles have had success against mobile quarterbacks under Schwartz, primarily due to his heavy use of zone coverage. Philly typically only rushes four and drops everyone into coverage with an emphasis on stopping the run.

Even though they’ve played more man with Pro Bowl cornerback Darius Slay on the roster, the Eagles still rank ninth in the NFL in yards per carry (3.9). Based on what Baltimore’s strengths are, it’s likely they’ll see a multitude of different defenses this week. 

“There’s a lot of ways to try to battle scrambling quarterbacks or guys with legs,” Schwartz said. “You can blitz. You can play visual zone where you have a lot of eyes on him. You can play man with spies. There’s a lot of different ways to be able to handle that. I don’t want to give too much of what we would do personnel-wise when it comes to Sunday, but that’s certainly a thing is [Jackson’s] run keepers on first and second down and then scrambling to keep plays alive.”

For Jackson and the Ravens, it’ll be harder to bust big plays against this group. They’ll have to methodically work their way down the field. 

Then again, the Eagles have been full of surprises this year both good and bad. Maybe they’ll try out their one-on-one linebacker coverage on Marquise Brown at some point. They might even throw Jalen Hurts out there at corner since they love his positional versatility enough to burn a second-round pick on a backup quarterback. 

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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