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Vikings took Patterson with Patriots’ pick

By WTOP Staff

DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Pro Football Writer

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — There’s not much to regret for the New England Patriots over the last decade-plus. They’ve been by most accounts the NFL’s most successful franchise during that time.

Even if there is a legitimate second guess or two, well, they’d hardly admit to one. Playing the Minnesota Vikings, though, at least provides a scenario to ponder.

No, the Patriots didn’t make a mistake by trading Matt Cassel, who will start Sunday for the Vikings against good friend and former mentor Tom Brady for the first time. Brady has fared just fine since Cassel was dealt to Kansas City in 2009.

The player the Patriots, and a lot of teams in the league for that matter, could use is Cordarrelle Patterson. Their first-round draft pick was on the clock last year when the Vikings, enamored of the skills of the wide receiver and kickoff returner from Tennessee, offered four lower selections to move up to No. 29.

Deal, the Patriots said, and Patterson went to the Vikings.

“We made the decision based on what we felt was best for our team. That’s what we always do,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said this week.

Patriots wide receivers remain a developing group without a true star, still trying to establish the kind of dynamically versatile player the Vikings are grooming Patterson into. He turned a toss sweep into a 67-yard touchdown last week in the opener at St. Louis, a 34-6 victory, and has scored in six straight games.

Patterson said this week he uses the Patriots’ decision to pass on him as a little extra motivation.

“It’s always good to have that chip on your shoulder, just to go out there and just try to execute (against) the teams that didn’t even pick you when they said they wanted you,” Patterson said. “And you’ve got to go out and do your thing.”

Here are some key nuggets to know about the Patriots-Vikings game Sunday:

DEFENDING BRADY: Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer has helped slow Brady before, including last year as the defensive coordinator for Cincinnati. The Bengals won 13-6, sacking Brady four times, forcing two turnovers and allowing only 248 total yards.

In 2010, the result wasn’t as impressive. The Patriots beat the Bengals 38-24, and though two scores came from the defense and special teams, they went without allowing a sack or making a turnover, and Brady threw for three touchdowns.

But in 2003, one of the five seasons Belichick and Brady took the Patriots to the Super Bowl, Zimmer was the defensive coordinator for Dallas. Despite losing 12-0, the Cowboys had two sacks, one turnover and allowed just 248 total yards that day.

In three games against Zimmer, Brady has a total of three touchdown passes.

“He’s got a great scheme. I think he obviously coaches those guys very well. He’s a very disciplined coach,” Brady said.

Brady went 29 for 56 for 249 yards last week in a 33-20 loss to the Dolphins and was sacked four times. Zimmer was not about to acknowledge any less anxiety about strategizing against the nine-time Pro Bowl pick who turned 37 last month.

“I can remember watching him in the pregame last year, and he was just humming the ball,” Zimmer said. “I don’t know what caused any inaccuracy, if there was any last week. I just know that I’ve seen this guy really, really good. I always anticipate the best every week.”

CASSEL BUILDING: After Cassel helped the Patriots to an 11-5 record in 2008 when Brady’s knee was torn up in the opener, he was traded to the Chiefs with linebacker Mike Vrabel for a second-round draft pick, the 34th overall. That became Patrick Chung, who has returned to start at safety this year for the Patriots after one season away with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs played the Patriots once while Cassel was there, in 2011, but Cassel was injured. So this will be the first time he’s truly up against Brady, who he learned from for four years.

NEW HOME: This game starts a two-year stint for the Vikings as an outdoor team again. They’ll play at TCF Bank Stadium on the University of Minnesota’s campus until the new venue downtown opens in 2016 on the site of the torn-down Metrodome. The forecast for Sunday is dry with a high in the mid-60s.

STRONG STARTS: The Patriots had a 10-year streak of winning their opener end in Miami. They haven’t started 0-2 since 2001, the season that ended with their first of three Super Bowl titles. Over the last four years, the Patriots have had just two two-game losing streaks.

INTRADIVISION DOMINANCE: The Patriots have won 11 straight against the NFC North, the longest current streak in the league by one team against another division. Their last loss was on Oct. 13, 2002, to Green Bay. The last time the Vikings beat them was Sept. 17, 2000, in Belichick’s first year.

___

AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP

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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