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Bills WR Williams grew up disliking Dolphins

By WTOP Staff

JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Receiver Mike Williams doesn’t need added incentive to dislike the Bills’ AFC East rival Miami Dolphins.

He developed that as a youngster, growing up in a family of Bills fans in Buffalo.

“Oh yeah, hating the Dolphins, actually,” Williams said. “My mom wouldn’t let me forget those guys.”

Williams and his mother, Mary Rosenthal, can now share that distaste at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday. She’ll be in the stands watching her son make his Bills’ home debut against Miami.

“She’ll be front row for this one,” said the fifth-year player, who was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay in April.

Though the rivalry has cooled off as a result of their respective decade-long struggles, there’s a sense it might be starting to simmer again after both teams posted stunning season-opening victories.

The Dolphins knocked off division power New England with a 33-20 win. Buffalo showed resolve in pulling out a 23-20 overtime victory at Chicago.

Suddenly, an early season showdown is taking on even more significance for two teams that have one playoff berth between them (Miami in 2008) since 2002.

“We want to win the division,” Williams said. “And Miami’s in our way.”

For Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace, the game presents an opportunity to get an early jump on the division, something Miami failed to do last year.

The Dolphins went 2-4 against the East, including a pair of losses to Buffalo that contributed to them missing the playoffs with an 8-8 record.

“We don’t want to be playing catch up,” Wallace said. “We need to see how it feels to play as the division leaders the whole time. We have the team to do it.”

The Dolphins fell behind 17-7 against New England before responding in the second half by scoring 23 unanswered points, forcing two turnovers and limiting the Patriots to five first downs.

The Bills showed resolve at Chicago. After squandering a 17-7 lead, they stopped the Bears on their first overtime drive and capped the win on their next possession, set up by Fred Jackson’s 38-yard run.

“It’s got to be the character of this team this year: We have to be able to meet the face of adversity,” Jackson said.

Here’s other things to look out for on Sunday:

MANUEL MATURING: Several Bills veterans credited second-year quarterback EJ Manuel for providing an emotional lift before their game at Chicago. The usually reserved Manuel broke character and the locker room silence with a series of yells.

“I think it hyped everybody up,” Williams said.

Manuel acknowledged he was taking a risk with the outburst, but said he wanted to show more of the outgoing personality he had playing at Florida State.

“I was very happy to see that they responded really well to it,” he said. “It was a big step in my maturation as a quarterback and also as a leader.”

ON THE RUN: Offseason free-agent addition running back Knowshon Moreno got the Dolphins off to a running start with an NFL Week 1-leading 134 yards rushing and a touchdown.

Moreno took the pressure off Ryan Tannehill’s passing attack, and provided a boost to an offensive line that features five new starters.

“When you’re running the ball for 6 to 8 yards a carry, it’s a real luxury,” Tannehill said.

STOPPING THE RUN: The Bills’ once-porous run defense came up sturdy against the Bears by allowing 86 yards. Buffalo gave up under 90 yards rushing only three times last year, while surrendering more than 150 yards seven times under former coordinator Mike Pettine.

Former Lions coach Jim Schwartz has taken over after Pettine was hired to coach the Cleveland Browns.

WAKE-UP CALL: Dolphins DE Cameron Wake was the AFC defensive player of the week after forcing a career-best two fumbles and adding two sacks.

He’s part of a talented Miami front that faces a Bills offensive line that features two new starters.

Wake ranks fifth in the NFL with 53½ sacks since 2009, when he signed with the Dolphins after two seasons in the Canadian Football League.

Wake still wears the same flip-flops with the CFL logo on them he had in 2007. He joked he’ll have to call his former B.C. Lions general manager to see if he can get a new pair.

HONORING RALPH: The Bills will honor late Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson during a pre-game ceremony. Wilson died in March. On Tuesday, Wilson’s estate reached a “definitive agreement” to sell the team to Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula for an NFL-record $1.4 billion.

___

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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