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Seattle’s defense looks to match Super Bowl effort

By WTOP Staff

TIM BOOTH
AP Sports Writer

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — Demaryius Thomas caught the short pass but never got the chance to turn up field. Before he could break away, as he did so many times for Denver during the 2013 season, Thomas was flattened by Seattle strong safety Kam Chancellor.

That moment came on the third offensive play for Denver in the Super Bowl. And it was a tone-setting moment for the entire night during which the Broncos were bullied by the Seahawks.

“The way we out-hit them. It was like every time they touched the ball on their check downs we were smacking them left and right,” Seattle linebacker K.J. Wright said.

Seattle’s ability to control the Super Bowl with its physicality stood out almost from the first snap. Whether it was with the big hits like what Chancellor laid on Thomas, or Seattle’s defensive line collapsing the pocket and disrupting the timing of Peyton Manning and the Denver passing game, the Seahawks simply overpowered the Broncos.

“I believe that was the best game we have played,” Wright said this week. “I didn’t see any missed tackles. I didn’t see too many explosive plays.”

It’s hard to believe the Seahawks will equal that amount of success when Denver travels to Seattle on Sunday. The most prolific offense in NFL history was held to 280 passing yards and most importantly could not turn those short passes into long gains as it had throughout the season.

Denver averaged 6 yards after the catch throughout its record-setting 2013 regular season. According to STATS Inc., the Broncos were limited to 3.9 yards after catch by the Seahawks in the Super Bowl.

Chancellor’s big hit on Thomas was just the start. But it was a theme that played out throughout Seattle’s blowout.

“I think it was just as important as any hit in the game,” Chancellor said. “I think any hit can set the tone in any part of the game from anybody. Whenever we get an opportunity to do it we want to set a tone every game.”

Wright said the principles for how Seattle approached the Broncos fell within what the Seahawks had done throughout the season. The Seahawks limited big plays over the top, forced Manning to keep everything underneath and rallied to tackle.

That’s very similar to what San Diego’s game plan was last week against the Seahawks. Except Seattle struggled to keep Philip Rivers in the pocket and then failed to make tackles in the open field. The Chargers finished with 167 yards after catch, the most allowed by Seattle since the start of the 2013 season, according to STATS.

“The way our defense is structured those passes are going to be open, but the key is when they catch it just to punish them and make sure they don’t get any more yards after that,” Wright said. “If they catch it, like you saw last week, if they catch it and get 13 yards they can do that all game. But if they catch it and go down right then, we can get them in third down and get off the field.”

If nothing else, the loss to San Diego forced a refocus inside the Seattle locker room. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn noted Seattle had 12 missed tackles versus the Chargers. Safety Earl Thomas spoke of regaining his “championship spirit,” not realizing that feeling was gone until he was coming to grips with losing to the Chargers.

“My crave, my hunger, and my desire to be unstoppable (is) back,” Thomas said. “I don’t think I lost it, but after that game I was like, ‘Dang, something just hit me,’ and I’ve just been focused ever since and it feels so good just to be feeling like this.”

NOTES: RB Marshawn Lynch (back) was a full participant in Thursday’s practice after sitting out on Wednesday. Chancellor (ankle) was also a full participant. … LB Bruce Irvin was a new addition to the practice report with a rib injury. TE Zach Miller (ankle) also missed his second straight practice.

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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