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Jets’ O-line faces big test against Redskins

By WTOP Staff

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) – Matt Slauson used to see Adam Carriker in his sleep.

Back in their days together at Nebraska, the two would go up against each other in practice for some big-time battles that stuck with Slauson long after the hitting was over.

“That guy haunted my dreams for three years,” the New York Jets guard said of Carriker. “You line him up at a 4-3 defensive end spot and me at tackle? It was scary. He was a freak there.”

Slauson is hoping for a nightmare-free Sunday when the Jets (6-5) take on Carriker and the Washington Redskins’ sack-happy defense.

“They have a really capable front,” Slauson said. “But, we’ve blocked better fronts.”

Whoa.

Maybe so, but Washington will certainly be a handful for New York, and Slauson knows it. The Redskins are tied for third in the NFL with 33 sacks, ranked behind only Houston (35) and Baltimore (38), and they’ve done it from all different directions.

Rookie outside linebacker Ryan Kerrigan leads the way for the Redskins with 6 1/2 sacks, while fellow outside linebacker Brian Orakpo has six. Carriker has five from his left defensive end spot, with right defensive end Stephen Bowen adding 4 1/2.

“Obviously, the numbers speak for themselves,” Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said. “They’re around the quarterback even more than that. So, we’ve got some things in place that we do, we’re trying to just move some guys around and kind of monitor where they are, but when you play a 3-4 defense like that, it’s tough sometimes because they’re on the edges, they’re outside, they can get as wide as they want, and do things like that.”

Luckily for Slauson, he probably won’t see much of Carriker this time around. Slauson, the Jets’ left guard after playing mostly right guard and tackle in college, will likely see plenty of Bowen and nose tackle Barry Cofield, who has two sacks of his own.

“They’re a good group,” Schottenheimer said. “We’ll have to be on our best with protections, but we’ll keep it multiple and try to keep them off balance.”

Just as they did last week against Buffalo, when they didn’t allow the Bills to sack Mark Sanchez. It was the first time this season that the Jets kept their quarterback from hitting the turf.

It has been a rough year for the five guys usually recognized as one of the league’s best units and a major strength of the team. Center Nick Mangold was sidelined a few games with a badly sprained ankle, right guard Brandon Moore entered the season still recovering from offseason hip surgery and right tackle Wayne Hunter struggled mightily at times to replace the retired Damien Woody. Last week’s performance was certainly a step in the right direction, though, and gives Rex Ryan confidence the Jets’ line won’t be an issue anymore.

“I think that’s going to be a great battle,” Ryan said of going up against Washington’s pass rushers. “Clearly, we can’t hold the ball long. We’re going to have to throw the ball on time because those guys can really rush. Again, I feel good about it.”

The Jets have been using fullback John Conner more often to block, as well as keeping tight ends on the field. That’s buying Sanchez more time to throw – something that was sorely lacking early this season.

“Everybody’s meshing really well right now and we’re playing at a high level as a unit,” Slauson said. “We’re all really confident right now. Our running game has been going, and our protection was good. It’s a really good spot to build on and continue as a unit.”

John Madden even selected the Jets as this week’s winner of his Madden Protectors Award, given to the league’s top offensive line. Such praise seemed unlikely as recently as a few weeks ago when New York gave up three sacks at Denver and five against New England.

“You know, week in and week out, we always face top defenders and some guys you know and some you don’t,” left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson said. “It’s just our job to stop them. We’ll be ready.”

A good performance against the Redskins would certainly do a lot to boost the confidence of an offensive line that will need to be solid down the stretch as the Jets make a playoff run.

“We had a good game, but we aren’t going to rest on that,” Slauson said. “We feel like we need to have that kind of performance every week.”

(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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