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Jets D braces for Rodgers, Packers’ potent offense

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — New York Jets coach Rex Ryan’s checklist to successfully shut down the Green Bay Packers includes counting on quarterback Aaron Rodgers to stay in bed.

“Well, I hope he gets sick. That’s the first one,” Ryan joked this week.

That’s probably not going to happen, so the Jets’ secondary is on its own Sunday at Lambeau Field in the Packers’ home opener.

Safety Antonio Allen made his first NFL start at cornerback last week and fared pretty well when New York faced Oakland. Career backup Darrin Walls started at the opposite corner. First-round draft pick Calvin Pryor started at safety. The Jets won 19-14.

But it’s one thing to beat the Raiders and rookie quarterback Derek Carr. Rodgers and the Packers are at a whole different level.

“The thing that he kills you with is obviously he’s got a big arm and he can make every throw,” Ryan said. “But he keeps plays alive and that allows them to make big plays down the field.”

Except for last week, when the Seahawks’ punishing defense contained the Packers in the NFL opener. Rodgers didn’t have his best game, going 23 of 33 for 189 yards with a touchdown and an interception.

No Richard Sherman to contend with Sunday, though. No Antonio Cromartie, either, for that matter; the former Jets cornerback is now with Arizona.

The secondary will be in the spotlight facing Rodgers and the receiving duo of Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.

“Well, shoot, I feel a lot better about my corners than the experts do, I guess,” Ryan said. “Everybody thinks that we can’t play there.”

Still, no one in Green Bay is underestimating Ryan.

“Anytime you have a creative schemer like Rex, you can come up with some stuff that you just don’t see all of the time with the different personnel packages they put out there,” Rodgers said.

Here are a few other things to watch as the Packers try to improve to 7-2 in home openers under coach Mike McCarthy:

MISSING MILLINER: At least the Jets have one veteran locked into the secondary at safety in Dawan Landry. And they got Dee Milliner back in practice on a limited basis after the team’s top cornerback missed a month with a high ankle sprain. If Milliner returns Sunday for even limited snaps, it could be a huge boost for a defense that also has to face potent NFC North offenses in the Bears and Lions this month.

RUN OVER: The Jets rolled for 212 yards rushing in the win over the Raiders, led by Chris Ivory’s 102 yards and touchdown, and Chris Johnson’s 68 yards.

Couple it with quarterback Geno Smith’s good day — 23 of 28 for 221 yards — and New York had positives on which to build headed into Titletown. The Jets are also looking to be more efficient in the red zone after going just 1 for 4 on touchdowns last week when they got inside the 20.

RUN OVER, PART 2: The Packers allowed 207 yards rushing to Seattle. This is not what McCarthy was expecting after tweaking the defense in the offseason to get more big plays.

The defensive front is lighter than last year — particularly without injured nose tackle B.J. Raji — which is supposed to make the line more athletic. The Packers, who have played a base 3-4 defense, unveiled a four-lineman look against Seattle. But there was apparent confusion over personnel at one point that led to a touchdown run.

And a familiar issue re-emerged: poor tackling.

“It’s just something we know we have to work on as a group, that’s what we’re doing going into this week,” safety Morgan Burnett said. “We can’t think about last week. That’s gone, so now we’re getting ready for the Jets.”

LOOKING FOR LACY: In the Packers’ backfield, running back Eddie Lacy had a few extra days to recover from a concussion suffered at Seattle. McCarthy liked how the 2013 Offensive Rookie of the Year was progressing, and it appeared possible the bruising back would be available Sunday.

ROOKIE SAFETIES: The first two safeties who came off the board in this year’s NFL draft will meet. The Jets’ Pryor went with the 18th overall selection, three picks ahead of Green Bay’s Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.

“We would have been happy with either guy. But I took the guy who will knock your face in,” Ryan said.

The competition isn’t new. Pryor and Clinton-Dix have known each other since being elite prospects in high school.

“It’s a dream come true … and just to be here on this stage and be able to perform at the highest level we’ve dreamed of is amazing and a blessing,” Clinton-Dix said.

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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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