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NFL playoff recap: Defense no longer wins championships

By WTOP Staff

Rob Woodfork, wtop.com

What an educational divisional round playoff round.

Not only did we enjoy two epic, compelling finishes in Denver and Atlanta, but we had two time-honored notions regarding the NFL playoffs officially dispelled: The team with the most momentum tends to win and defense wins championships. Time to take those two banners down.

This weekend, no winning team scored less than 30 points. In fact, even the losing teams managed 28 or better. We’ve heard for years that this is a quarterback’s league, but this is getting kinda ridiculous.

Just take this weekend: The winning QBs combined to throw for 11 TDs and three interceptions. The losing QBs threw for nine TDs and five INTs. This might sound like I’m oversimplifying things, but I’m sure we can all remember a day when defense ruled and the above losing numbers would be the best-case scenario for the winning QBs.

There’s certainly a more statistically sound case to be made for what I’m saying (starting with this), and just using “the eye test” (i.e., simply believing what you see) should tell us the rule changes in recent years have restricted some of the things defenses can do to slow down these potent passing attacks. Defenses in San Francisco and Denver were effective this season, yet still we watched each of those units get shredded at a time when they should be at their best. Just grinding out a win on D is no longer an option … now the only hope for defenders is to force a couple takeaways and hope your offense can outscore opponents straight up.

See a trend with the statistical rankings of the NFL’s Final Four?

Patriots: No. 1 offense (yards/scoring), No. 25 defense (No. 9 scoring)
Ravens: No. 16 offense (No. 10 scoring), No. 17 defense (No. 12 scoring)
Falcons: No. 8 offense (No. 7 scoring), No. 24 defense (No. 5 scoring)
Niners: No. 11 offense (yards/scoring), No. 3 defense (No. 2 scoring)

That’s right. Every offense is in the top half of the league, with only one defense ranking in the top half.

In addition to the death of defense, we saw “the hot teams” all fall. Last week, the Redskins entered the postseason with seven straight wins. The Bengals had won seven of eight going into Houston. Yet both fell.

This week, Denver was in the midst of a league-best 11-game winning streak. Yet they couldn’t hang on at home against a Ravens squad that backed its way into the playoffs with three losses in the team’s last four games. Seattle was on a six- game hot streak, but had their comeback in Atlanta fall short – yes, to the same Falcons that had two of their three losses in December.

Look at the recent NFL champions: The 2011 Giants were a mediocre 9-7 team that got hot in the playoffs. Ditto for the 2008 squad that went all the way. The 2009 Saints lost their last three games after a 13-0 start, but righted the ship once playoff time rolled around. The 2010 Packers were an injury-riddled team that won only three of their last six games to eek their way into the playoffs as the sixth and final seed. We know how that run ended.

This much we know is true: Home-field advantage no longer matters. (In fact, I’d make a case the bye week is more of a hindrance than a help … but we’ll save that talk for another day.) Momentum heading into the playoffs doesn’t count anymore. All that matters is getting into the tournament. Once you’re there, anything can happen.

Which is exactly why we love the NFL.

Ravens 38
Broncos 35 (2 OT)

Remember when Eli Manning proclaimed himself an elite quarterback before last season? And then he went out and backed it up? Yeah, Joe Flacco is one more win away from doing the same thing. Dude outdueled Peyton Manning despite going up against the second-ranked defense and helped his team to a win on a day when special teams alone surrendered two touchdowns. Color me impressed.

Speaking of Manning, his brother Peyton has once again proven what I’ve been saying for years: He’s a great regular-season player, but he’s not the same guy in the playoffs. Yes, his supporting cast failed him in this game, but a clutch QB doesn’t throw that horrible interception in overtime. Period. Eli might never come within shouting distance of his brother’s passing numbers, but Peyton has a lot of work to do to prove he’s anywhere near as clutch as his baby brother.

Packers 31
Niners 45

Colin Kaepernick did what Redskins fans envisioned with Robert Griffin III this season: 263 yards and two TDs passing, and a league-record 181 yards and two more scores on the ground. If Kaepernick keeps this up, we may have at least one Harbaugh coaching in the Super Bowl.

And what can we say about Green Bay that hasn’t already been said? They need to shore up that defense (which got shredded for a franchise-worst 579 yards, including 323 on the ground) and get Aaron Rodgers a running game. The only team that seems capable of advancing in the playoffs with a QB virtually doing it by himself is New England.

Seahawks 28
Falcons 30

Seattle may have had the two worst end-of-half sequences in the NFL this season. Unfortunately for the Seahawks, they both came in the most important game of the year. Russell Wilson is a terrific player and Seattle could end up ruling that division starting next season, but on Sunday night his coaches failed him.

“Matty Ice,” “The Matt-ural” … whatever you want to call Matt Ryan, he finally got the job done. Now that he’s got that elusive first playoff win and the monkey is off his back, maybe now he and the Falcons can play fast and loose against the Niners and get Atlanta back to the Super Bowl.

Texans 28
Patriots 41

Speaking of the Super Bowl, I’m done predicting big things for the Houston Texans. They just don’t have the coaching, the quarterback or the consistency to be a championship team. So after about three years of riding the Texans bandwagon, I’m swearing them off. I know a bad investment when I see one.

The New England Patriots are who we thought they were. However, if Stevan Ridley keeps playing like this and giving that New England offense some balance, this could be the year they break through and actually win a Super Bowl for the first time in eight years.

Follow @WTOPSports and @WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2013 by WTOP. 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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