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Packers seeking 4th straight NFC North title

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Julius Peppers didn’t seem very impressed with his first preseason sack with the Packers.

The hope in Green Bay is that it will be the first of many big plays from Peppers once the real games begin.

It’s early, but coach Mike McCarthy’s plan to boost the defense in 2014 looks as if it’s working so far.

Keep this up and Green Bay will be poised for a deep playoff run given the offense is already in good hands with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Peppers, who was signed as a free agent after being a salary cap casualty in NFC North rival Chicago, is far from satisfied with the preseason progress.

“Everything. We need to get better at everything, wrap up better and tackle, we need to rush better,” Peppers said after the 31-21 preseason win over the Oakland Raiders. “There’s always going to be room for improvement.”

The season opener doesn’t get any tougher — at Seattle on Sept. 4 against the Super Bowl champion Seahawks.

Things to watch this season with Green Bay going for a fourth straight division title:

DECADE OF RODGERS: Hard to believe, but the quarterback is entering his 10th season in the league. He looks as good as ever.

The throws are sharp and the up-tempo offense is running well. Rodgers did more yoga as part of his offseason routine, something that the 30-year-old quarterback has said helps with flexibility as he gets older.

The Packers were poised to pull away in the division last season until Rodgers went down with a collarbone injury. With a full year of Rodgers and Offensive Rookie Player of the Year Eddie Lacy in the backfield, the offense could be potent.

“We might be able to be a little bit more balanced, but we’re still going to attack people with our timing in the pass game and be able to do things in the run game that we haven’t done maybe in the last four or five years,” Rodgers said.

“I’ve always felt like our short passing game is extended handoffs, and we’re going to be slightly more pass than run.”

WHAT A RUSH: Peppers pairs with Clay Matthews to give the Packers a high-profile duo of prolific pass rushers. Defensive coordinator Dom Capers likes the depth at the position, too.

Mike Neal emerged last season with six sacks. Former first-round pick Nick Perry, who was hurt for much of last season, showed a glimpse of his potential after forcing a fumble on a sack of Matt Schaub last week against the Raiders.

Matthews is back from a thumb injury that sidelined him for parts of the 2013 season. Now, Green Bay can be creative with the pass rush with Peppers and Matthews on the field at the same time.

“It’s nice to have Clay back out there healthy. Clay has been able to take all of his reps through the preseason, which has been a real positive,” Capers said.

WHAT A RUSH, PART II: Lacy has received limited work in the preseason, but get ready to see a lot of him in the regular season. He regularly works on pass-catching during practice, and McCarthy wants all his running backs to prepare for three-down work.

James Starks and DuJuan Harris provide the Packers with a deep group in the backfield.

“You can never have enough running backs,” McCarthy said. “We want to line up and keep playing and we don’t want to get into substituting backs based on down and distance.

SEEKING HYDE: Safety was an issue last season after the Packers failed to get an interception from the position group. Veteran Morgan Burnett, who started 2013 with a hamstring injury, is back after getting over a couple of minor injuries this preseason.

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was drafted out of Alabama in the first round. But it is converted cornerback Micah Hyde who appears to have taken over as the other starter next to Burnett, though Clinton-Dix figures to see plenty of time in the rotation. McCarthy likes the potential of the personnel, including Sean Richardson.

INJURIES: Few teams last season were as affected by injuries as the Packers, who had Rodgers, Matthews and receiver Randall Cobb on the injury list.

McCarthy instituted some conditioning changes that seem to be directed at reducing ailments such as muscle pulls, and those tweaks appear to be working. It could also help with McCarthy’s desire to push the tempo on offense.

Still, Green Bay must move on from two significant injuries from the Raiders game. Defensive lineman B.J. Raji was lost for the season with a torn right biceps. Center J.C. Tretter is out several weeks with a knee injury.

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

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Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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