Skip to main content

For Redskins, failure in do-or-die game

By George Wallace

WASHINGTON — The Redskins talked all week about coming out and proving that this season still had hope. They kept referring to last season’s magical seven-game run as evidence that it could happen, especially with how weak the NFC East has been this season.

Philadelphia hadn’t won on its homefield since last September and the Redskins caught another break by facing Nick Foles instead of Michael Vick.

All of that seemed promising, right?

Well, then how do you explain coming out flat and being down 24-0 before starting to play football?

How does that happen in a game that was do-or-die for your season?

Other than Alfred Morris, who had 18 carries for 86 yards in the first half, the Redskins showed little to no life early on. Robert Griffin III had four net yards passing at halftime. It wasn’t until a 62-yard touchdown pass to Darrell Young in the fourth quarter that the Redskins started to show signs of life. It was too little, too late as Griffin threw an interception in the end zone late in the game that sealed the deal.

“We had a certain concept run, and nobody got open, so I was backing up. I tried to throw the ball to the back of the end zone,” Griffin said. “It didn’t get to where I wanted it to go, I was on my heels. It’s hard to swallow something like that, but we’ve got to digest it, move on.”

The post-game locker room was a little feisty to say the least. Trent Williams told reporters that the umpire verbally harassed him, approached him while on the line and called him a “garbage-a** disrespectful mother f***er” during the final possession of the first half.

Pierre Garcon initially declined to speak with reporters, saying he was injured. He later did speak outside the locker room and said the team would not quit on each other.

As far as what went wrong, players tried to find the reasons.

“Feeling is frustration, disappointment, sadness,” DeAngelo Hall said in the locker room. “Hell I was about to cry on the sideline. I just don’t understand where we’re falling apart, you know?”

Darrell Young added, “It’s the story of our season so far, man, just waiting until the last minute to try and do something. But we put ourselves in that bind.”

Mike Shanahan continues to have faith, “I’ve got a lot of belief in our football team,” he said. “Our guys fought extremely hard when they were down. But we made too many mistakes to win. They got the job done and we didn’t.”

That sounds all too familiar this season as the Redskins were left to wonder what could have been yet again.

Washington now sits at 0-3 in the NFC East with three division games left. At 3-7 with the 49ers coming to town for a Monday night match-up, what will be the message this week atRedskins Park?

Should be interesting.

Follow @WTOP on Twitter.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote