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Patriots not used to slow starts

By WTOP Staff

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The New England Patriots have a little recent team history on their side when they look to even their record Sunday at Minnesota.

The Patriots have not started a season 0-2 since 2001, which means it hasn’t happened to them since Tom Brady became the starting quarterback. Brady relieved an injured Drew Bledsoe in the second game of the ’01 season and led the team to the first of three Super Bowl wins.

New England started 0-2 in 2000, losing its first four games under Bill Belichick. Also, in 1996, an 0-2 start was followed by another Super Bowl run, where they lost to the Packers.

Since the start of the current NFL playoff system, only 23 of 198 teams (12 percent) that started 0-2 reached the playoffs. The Patriots were two of those teams.

As far as two-game losing streaks at any time during a season, it has happened six times under Brady: twice in 2002, when New England had losing streaks of two and four games, and in 2006, ’09, ’11 and ’12.

Overall, as a starter, Brady is 33-8 following regular-season losses.

“Obviously, it starts at the top,” linebacker Jerod Mayo said Friday. “Coach Belichick . guys have that sense of urgency, instilling that in us to go out there and play well. Hopefully, the product we put on the field on Sunday is a good one.”

The Patriots took a 20-10 halftime lead at Miami last Sunday and then wilted in the South Florida heat. They gave up 23 unanswered points in the second half. And like they do with all games, win or loss, they left it there.

“I think we do a good job of trying to take each week as its own,” said special teams captain Matthew Slater. “Whether we win or lose our focus is to the next game, and we try not to let anything compound. We cleared last week and we’ve gone and focused on the opponent this week and hopefully we can have a good outing.”

Added safety Devin McCourty: “I think sometimes teams get caught up so much of what happened last week. Then you got to realize that you have a different challenge in front of you the next week that you got to focus in on and prepare for. So I think with us Mondays, that’s kind of (when) we put everything to bed, whether a win or loss. And when we come in here Wednesdays for practice it’s a whole new mindset, whether we were disappointed in last week or head over heels the week before and happy we won.”

Asked if it’s easier for the coaches to get the players’ attention in practice after a loss, Slater let out a small laugh and said, “I guess you could say that.”

Mayo wants to get right back in action after a defeat.

“Any time you come off a loss you want to get back on the field and get that sour taste out of your mouth,” he said.

NOTES: LB Jamie Collins, added to the injury report Thursday with a thigh problem, missed his second straight practice and was listed as questionable. … TE Rob Gronkowski, questionable before playing in the opener after knee surgery, is now listed as probable. . DE Chandler Jones, called for two costly head hits on quarterback Ryan Tannehill in last week’s opener, said, “It’s just one thing that I have to work on. When I get a shot at the quarterback I’ll just have to lower my pad level.” . Belichick seeks his 200th regular-season win for the second time Sunday. This is his 306th game, which would be the fourth-fastest coach in NFL history to 200. . Brady again goes for his 149th win, which would break a tie with John Elway for third place on the career list.

___

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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