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Rams’ offense faces another tough test vs. Bucs

By WTOP Staff

FRED GOODALL
AP Sports Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — When Jeff Fisher describes Lovie Smith-coached teams, one of the first things he mentions is their ability to impact games by causing turnovers.

“Their defense is always going to be very, very aggressive,” the St. Louis Rams coach said. “They’re going to find ways to get the ball back.”

Indeed, that’s an attitude Smith is trying to instill in his effort to transform the struggling Tampa Bay Buccaneers into winners.

In nine seasons as coach of the Chicago Bears from 2004 to 2012, Smith’s defenses led the NFL with 310 takeaways. They returned 34 of those turnovers for touchdowns, including 26 interceptions — tied the most in the league during that stretch.

The new coach of the Bucs understandably was disappointed when Tampa Bay turned the ball over three times and didn’t generate any takeaways in a 20-14 season-opening loss to Carolina last week.

Offseason free agent acquisition Josh McCown threw two interceptions, doubling his total for all of last season, when he was a part-time starter in Chicago.

The Bucs (0-1) also fumbled in the closing minutes after trimming a 17-point deficit to three, then getting the ball back only needing a field goal to tie or TD to possibly win.

“That was out of character to say the least. Josh will tell you that. He’s a veteran player. He knows how important it is,” to not turn the ball over, Smith said. “Every meeting I’ve had with our football team since I’ve been the head coach here, I’ve talked about the turnover ratio … and how important is.”

But Smith is far from concerned. He’s confident his players are capable of becoming the type of turnover-generating ones he’s accustomed to being around.

Fisher just hopes it’s not this week, when his Rams (0-1) visit the Bucs.

St. Louis lost starting quarterback Sam Bradford to injury in the preseason and also could be without his replacement, Shaun Hill on Sunday.

Hill left last week’s 34-6 loss to Minnesota with a left quadriceps injury. If he’s not able to play, Austin Davis will make his first NFL start.

Davis replaced Hill against the Vikings, throwing for 192 yards and having an interception returned for a touchdown in his pro debut. He entered training camp as the fourth quarterback and has been with the Rams parts of three seasons.

It’ll be the second straight week the Bucs have faced a backup. Cam Newton sat out Carolina’s opener with a rib injury, however Tampa Bay had few answers for his replacement, Derek Anderson.

Regardless who starts for the Rams, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier said it’s essential Tampa Bay play better.

“We’ve got to be able to get those turnovers, those takeaways, no matter how the game is going,” Frazier said. “It really gives you a chance to be successful.”

Things to watch when the Bucs and Rams try to avoid beginning the season with consecutive losses:

GETTING AFTER THE QB: The Rams have beaten the Bucs each of the past two seasons, in part because of the success of their pass rush. They had seven sacks during a 23-13 victory in St. Louis last December. They’ll be without DE Chris Long, who has been placed on injured reserve-designated for return because of an ankle injury that required surgery. William Hayes, who’s been a valuable backup, will make his first start in three seasons with St. Louis. There’s a chance, too, that Ethan Westbrooks, who beat out Michael Sam for a backup DE spot, will become part of the rotation.

STRONG FINISH A START? The Bucs struggled offensively until the last half of the fourth quarter against Carolina, when McCown threw a pair of TD passes to make it close. Smith hopes it carries over against the Rams, stressing the importance of starting faster.

FIXING MISTAKES: The Rams had plenty of things go wrong in their opener. While they contained Adrian Peterson, limiting him to 75 yards rushing on 21 carries, WR Cordarrelle Patterson hurt them for 102 yards on 3 carries, including a 67-yard TD run. The team was also penalized 13 times for 121 yards.

CAN’T FAULT THE EFFORT: St. Louis didn’t play well, but not for lack of effort, Fisher said, noting it was a relatively close game until late in the third quarter. “Things fell apart late,” the coach said. “We’ve looked hard at it, we’ve put it behind us, and we’re looking forward to the next challenge.”

MUST WIN?: The loser will fall to 0-2. Hardly desirable, but certainly not impossible to overcome. “There are no must-win games or anything like that early in the season, but this is one we need to win,” Smith said. “Kind of simple as that.”

___

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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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