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Titans must show they have shored up run defense

By WTOP Staff

TERESA M. WALKER
AP Pro Football Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The Tennessee Titans know they made mistakes. Blaming the switch to a 3-4 scheme would be the easy out, though game tape shows exactly where they messed up by straying from gaps.

The Titans allowed the Cowboys to run for 220 yards against them just a week after holding Jamaal Charles to a measly 19 yards.

Safety Bernard Pollard says the Titans (1-1) cannot perform like that ever again.

“We are our own worst enemy, and it was great to hear from our coaches, to see the film and it’s time to fix it,” Pollard said.

DeMarco Murray ran for 167 yards all by himself, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Defensive tackle Jurrell Casey says the Titans took a loss they shouldn’t have had.

“It’s not necessarily harping on what happened in the past,” Casey said. “I think we know what we messed up on, and we think we made the corrections. It’s just getting back out there and showing we are able to be consistent.”

Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton keeps saying transitioning to a 3-4 scheme takes time for players to be comfortable enough to simply play without thinking about where they should be on each play. The Titans certainly looked comfortable in Kansas City when they shut down the AFC’s leading rusher in 2013, allowing them to pile up four sacks.

The Titans got to Tony Romo early with three sacks before the Cowboys started gashing Tennessee on the ground, and the Titans didn’t stop them. Outside linebacker Kamerion Wimbley, who played defensive end for Tennessee the past two seasons, said they need to simply stay in their spots and handle their own assignments.

“Not trying to do too much and just playing sound football,” Wimbley said. “I think if we just handle that, we’ll be fine.”

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, who uses a 4-3 scheme at Cincinnati, noted how the Titans added linebackers Wesley Woodyard and Shaun Phillips to help the transition to a 3-4 and likes what Tennessee has up front. Lewis also knows Horton from his work last year at Cleveland.

“They have a fine, fine scheme, and we’ve got to do a great job of being able to get bodies on people,” Lewis said. “They’re an explosive defense up front with guys that are strong, and it’s going to be important that we do a great job. I can’t tell you how they’re going to play, I just know we need to play well up front.

Now the Titans visit Cincinnati (2-0) on Sunday where Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill have given the Bengals a strong run game to make up for injuries to wide receivers A.J. Green and Marvin Jones. Together, they ran for 164 yards last week. Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt said the Titans must fit their gaps better to stop the run.

“I know that we’re going to get tested because we didn’t stop the run as well as we needed to last week,” Whisenhunt said.

Casey, who got two sacks before the Cowboys started running, agreed.

“Why should they pass the ball if we can’t stop the run?” Casey said.

Notes: CB Jason McCourty (groin) and Woodyard (ankle) both were limited again Thursday at practice. McCourty didn’t play the second half against Dallas but said he is getting better each day with the final decision to play not his. “I’m going to leave that up to coach Whiz to get into full details and deciding what Sunday looks like and all that,” McCourty said. “He decides who’s up and who’s down, so I’m going to leave that up to him. That’s his decision to make.” … RB Dexter McCluster (right foot) practiced fully along with QB Charlie Whitehurst (right pinkie).

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Online:

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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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