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`Legit’ Cowboys on roll, visit Redskins

By WTOP Staff

By JOSEPH WHITE
AP Sports Writer

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) – The last time they saw the Washington Redskins, the Dallas Cowboys were a bumbling outfit that couldn’t score a touchdown or even find a reliable way to snap the ball to Tony Romo. No one had yet seen much of DeMarco Murray, and Laurent Robinson was catching his first three passes of the season.

Now Dallas has won three of four – all by double digits – and is coming off a 44-7 rout of the Buffalo Bills. The Cowboys (5-4) are but one game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East heading into Sunday’s game at Washington (3-6). Murray’s emergence, and Robinson’s as well, has made them look like a different team.

“We kind of have a few different guys in different positions,” Romo said. “We’re playing some good football, and I think we’re starting to figure out what some of these guys can do.” Third-round pick Murray is averaging 150 yards over four games since Felix Jones was sidelined with a severely sprained ankle. Fifth-year player Robinson has four touchdown catches in the last three games, doubling his career total.

Murray, in particular, adds a new dimension to those studying for a way to beat the Cowboys. His 674 yards rushing lead all NFL rookies.

“The way he’s running the ball, it makes Romo’s job a lot easier,” Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo said. “There’s not a lot of pressure on him. He doesn’t have to make a lot of plays in the air. These guys are legit right now.”

They sure didn’t look very legit in Week 3, when center Phil Costa misfired four times attempting shotgun snaps toward Romo. The Cowboys’ only points came on six field goals from Dan Bailey, barely enough to pull out an 18-16 win.

The bouncing balls led to allegations by Costa of snap-count mimicking against Redskins defensive end Stephen Bowen, who came from Dallas to Washington as a free agent this year. Bowen accused Costa of lying and Costa’s allegations were never proven, but the NFL nevertheless sent a memo to all teams reminding them that defenders can’t shout out fake snap counts.

“It’s over with,” Bowen said this week. “I don’t really know what that was about, honesty. I talked to Phil Costa after that game and I respect him calling me and reaching out to me. We squashed it, and there’s no hard feelings.”

Costa hasn’t been charged with a fumble since.

“It really hasn’t been an issue. It was just for that game,” Romo said. “That was early in the year and our first home game. Just little things like that, we were still working out some kinks. … We got it righted and he’s doing a good job now.”

There’s not much going right for the Redskins, who have lost five straight. While Murray is taking the league by storm, Washington has no running game to speak of. While Robinson is hauling in TDs, the Redskins keep trotting out different combinations of receivers hoping someone will catch fire and stay healthy. While Romo flirts with a 100 passer rating, Washington has gone from Rex Grossman to John Beck and back to Grossman.

Throw the records out the window when these teams meet? Yeah, right. The Redskins can only wish it were possible.

“It’s irrelevant at this point,” Washington tight end Logan Paulsen said. “It’s Dallas, whatever. They’re kind of on the rise right now, but we just need to get a win.”

The losing streak is the longest in coach Mike Shanahan’s 18 seasons as a head coach. One more would mark the longest skid since Dan Snyder bought the Redskins in 1999, and history suggests Snyder will again have to put up with the embarrassing sight of large swaths of Cowboys fans invading his stadium on Sunday.

Grossman will make his second start since regaining the job from Beck. A modest goal: score a touchdown in the first half, something the Redskins haven’t done since Oct. 2.

“We need some type of boost, regardless of who was up,” Orakpo said. “Dallas is the one that’s up this week.”

—
Joseph White can be reached at http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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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