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Why have the Ravens struggled before their bye week?

By Ryan Wormeli

Why do the Ravens struggle before their bye week? originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has a reputation as one of the best coaches in the NFL coming out of a bye week, and it’s well deserved. In his 12 full seasons in Baltimore, he has won 10 post-bye games and done so in impressive fashion — those 10 wins came by an average of 13.6 points.

So the Ravens are winning post-bye games by two touchdowns since 2008. But the Ravens are heading to Philadelphia on Sunday for their pre-bye game this week, where they’ve curiously struggled.

When it comes to games before each season’s bye week, the Ravens are below .500 under Harbaugh. Are they looking ahead? Tiring out? Or is it just a meaningless small sample size?

Let’s take a look at those games.

We aren’t going to count 2008, Harbaugh’s debut season, because the Ravens’ bye was forced to move to Week 2 as a result of hurricane damage in Houston. It doesn’t make sense to count the season opener as a pre-bye game since those are such unusual circumstances.

Beyond that, the Ravens are 5-6 in the weeks leading into a bye since 2009. Their wins have come against the 2019 Seahawks, 2015 Chargers, 2014 Titans, 2011 Jets and 2010 Bills.

The losses, on the other hand, have come against much stiffer competition. Of the Ravens’ six defeats, two came against 12-4 teams (2012 Texans and 2009 Vikings) and another came against a 9-7 Titans team in 2017. Two more came at the hands of the Steelers in 2018 and 2013. As the Ravens’ biggest rival and one of the best-run organizations in the league, games against Pittsburgh are always among the season’s most difficult.

Just one of their pre-bye losses came to an actual bad team, the 5-11 Jets in 2016. So it hasn’t been an easy stretch of games by any means.

Harbaugh has been excellent in his career, not just out of a bye but overall with a 122-75 record. He is clearly a terrific coach whose record speaks for itself, and is known as a CEO-type who thrives on motivation and focus.

His relatively poor record before the bye? Likely just a product of small sample size combined with more difficult than average opponents. Compared to the rest of his career, it’s a small blip on the radar.

The Ravens head into Week 6 at Philadelphia with a Week 7 bye on the horizon. This time Baltimore is a heavy favorite and in great position to improve its pre-bye record.

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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