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Packers’ corners gear up for Lions’ Calvin Johnson

By WTOP Staff

GENARO C. ARMAS
AP Sports Writer

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers cornerbacks Sam Shields and Tramon Williams are bracing for another matchup with Calvin Johnson.

Twice a season, the cornerbacks brace themselves to face one of the best receivers in the NFL.

The Detroit Lions have a new coach in Jim Caldwell, but Johnson hasn’t changed. The NFC North rivals meet Sunday in Detroit.

“He’s a beast,” Shields said Thursday. “You know when he does catch it, we’ve just got to tackle him.”

Sounds simple enough. Yet nothing is simple about defending Detroit’s 6-foot-5 star wideout.

Johnson has 13 catches for 247 yards with two touchdowns this season. He has 71 catches for 1,163 yards and 12 scores in 12 games against Green Bay.

Shields and Williams are both 5-foot-11. While they may have the speed to keep up, the Packers’ cornerback duo can’t measure up by height with Johnson.

This makes Johnson a bit tough to tackle, so wrapping up low will be important to slow down Johnson. Watch out for the stiff-arm, too.

“When he (does) catch it, don’t let him run after the catch,” Shields said. “Just get him down right there, and not let him get big plays.”

Maybe the gray T-shirt that Williams wore after practice on Thursday is a sign of the matchup to come. The shirt had a picture of one of the robotic vehicle heads from the “Transformers” movie series.

Johnson’s nickname is “Megatron,” the villain in the “Transformers” movies.

“It’s not intimidating. You just hope it don’t happen,” Williams said. “When I see that ball in the air, I’m going to say to myself, ‘It’s my ball and I’m going to go get it.’ Now, if we go up and we battle for it, it’s a different story.

“That’s what the game is about — battles. I feel that I have the same amount of ability to go get the ball as anybody else,” Williams added.

Now for all the consternation about Johnson, the Packers have still had success against Detroit. Green Bay is 10-2 since 2007 against the Lions when Johnson plays.

This year, the Lions have a new coach, along with a new complement for Johnson in the receiving group in Golden Tate.

“I think that it does sort of tip the scales a little bit to keep the double-coverage off of him,” Caldwell said. “And obviously when that occurs, he’s pretty hard to handle. I would anticipate that teams would use double coverage and things of that nature, try to roll to his side.”

The Packers also have to account for the multifaceted Reggie Bush out of the backfield. Their secondary, though, should be at full strength after safety Micah Hyde returned to practice Thursday as a full participant. He was limited on Wednesday with a knee injury.

No matter who is on the field, Johnson presents a stern test.

“If you cover a bigger guy, he’s probably going to be stronger than you. Obviously, he’s going to be bigger. You never want to be overly aggressive with him,” Williams said.

Notes: B.J. Raji said that the recovery for his torn right biceps tendon could take from six to nine months. Raji, who is out for the year after getting hurt in the preseason, had signed a one-year deal in the offseason to stay in Green Bay. “I would love to be a Packer, but obviously who knows at this point. I’m more worried about my rehab and just being around the team and trying to be a help to the young guys,” Raji said. … CB Casey Hayward returned to practice on a limited basis after missing a day. … RT Bryan Bulaga (left) was limited for a second straight day.

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Follow Genaro Armas at http://twitter.com/GArmasAP

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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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