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After 10-win season, Cardinals push for more

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — A 10-win season is usually enough to get a team into the playoffs.

Not last year. Not when you’re playing in the NFC West.

Coach Bruce Arians, in his first year in the desert, directed the Cardinals to just their second 10-win season in the 26 years they’ve been in Arizona. And all that got them was third place in the toughest division in football.

Confidence is palpable in the Cardinals’ locker room as the new season approaches, but the players know last year’s 2-4 record against NFC West foes has to improve.

Quarterback Carson Palmer calls this “by far the most talented team I’ve ever been on, top to bottom.”

Arizona added speed in Ted Ginn Jr. and rookie sensation John Brown, then bolstered an already good secondary by signing free agent cornerback Antonio Cromartie and drafting hard-hitting safety Deone Bucannon out of Washington State in the first round.

The Cardinals filled their biggest need on offense by signing massive Jerad Veldheer to play left tackle.

But a defection, a suspension and an injury created trouble up the middle of a defense that ranked sixth last season, second against the run.

Inside linebackers Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington are gone. Dansby left for Cleveland as a free agent, Washington is suspended for a year for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

Then in practice last week, tackle Darnell Dockett tore his ACL and is out for the season.

Larry Foote will try to prove he still has it at age 34 at one inside linebacker spot. Second-year pro Kevin Minter, who took one defensive snap last season, is supposed to fill the other spot, although he was slowed by a pectoral muscle injury in preseason. At tackle, Frostee Rucker has had a strong camp, but behind him are two rookies and two players the Cardinals just brought in the past few days.

Palmer, who says he’s comfortable in Arians’ system after struggling last season, said the offense needs to become “the backbone” of the team.

Safety Tyrann Mathieu, the versatile, disruptive “Honey Badger” who recovered from a severe knee injury much quicker than anticipated, says the deep, talented secondary needs to pick up the slack.

“That pass rush might not be there this year,” he said. “We may have to cover a bit longer.”

Here are some things to look for with the Cardinals this season:

RECEIVERS GALORE: Arians already had two pretty good ones in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. Now he’s added Ginn and Brown, the speedy receiver from little Pittsburg (Kansas) State who emerged as the camp sensation.

“I’ve been through this so many times with small school, smaller receivers that are fast,” Arians said. “A lot of guys like them 6-2, 220 that can’t run. I like those little fast guys.”

There’s another Brown, Jaron, who has made one big catch after another in preseason.

And dynamic second-year running back Andre Ellington will catch passes out of the backfield and has learned all of the wide receiver positions.

IS THERE A PASS RUSH?: Arizona has one established pass-rushing threat on the edge in 37-year-old outside linebacker John Abraham, who had 11½ sacks last year and is the active career sacks leader. Abraham missed most of training camp while dealing with what he called “personal stuff” following his arrest on a drunk driving charge in suburban Atlanta in late June.

Calais Campbell had nine sacks last season and seems poised for a big year after being passed over for the Pro Bowl last season.

PETERSON — BEST AND BEST PAID: Patrick Peterson, the self-proclaimed best cornerback in the NFL, is now the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, signing a six-year, $70 million contract, with $48 million guaranteed.

A Pro Bowl selection all three of his pro seasons, Peterson won’t return punts and have any plays for him on offense. He says that’s fine, giving him more time to “hone” his cornerback skills.

PALMER AT 36: Palmer got off to a rough start last year as he struggled to learn Arians’ offense. He was much better in the second half of the schedule, and not coincidentally, Arizona won seven of its last nine.

He says there’s no comparison to this year, when he has a total understanding of the offense and what he’s supposed to do in it.

Palmer, 34, has thrown for more than 4,000 yards each of the last two seasons, including a career-high 4,274 last year.

KID KICKER: After four seasons, Jay Feely is gone as placekicker, beaten out by undrafted rookie Chandler Catanzaro. Arians liked the booming, soaring kickoffs of Catanzaro enough to risk sending a rookie into clutch field goal situations.

___

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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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