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Cardinals send backup quarterback against 49ers

By WTOP Staff

BOB BAUM
AP Sports Writer

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have a hard time beating San Francisco. Now they will try to do it with a backup quarterback and a potential distraction.

Coach Bruce Arians said Friday that Drew Stanton will get his second start in a row in place of Carson Palmer, who has been unable to throw because of a nerve problem in his shoulder.

Cardinals running back Jonathan Dwyer was arrested Wednesday and accused of assaulting his wife. Police say he head-butted her, breaking her nose.

The Cardinals tried to move on, placing Dwyer on the reserve/non-football illness list. But the issue remains a backdrop to this matchup of NFC West foes.

The Cardinals have called this a rivalry. That’s a tough label to justify because Arizona has beaten San Francisco once in the past 10 tries. Arizona coach Bruce Arians certainly doesn’t think it is.

“It’s kind of like the Browns and the Steelers,” he said. “When you beat them 10 times it’s a rivalry for one team but not the other. I’d imagine they (the 49ers) think the Seahawks are their rival, not us.”

Arizona’s lone victory over San Francisco since 2008 came three years ago.

This time, the Cardinals enter the contest ahead of the 49ers in the standings. Arizona is 2-0 after beating the Giants on the road 25-14.

San Francisco is 1-1 after losing to Chicago 28-20 to spoil the debut of the 49ers’ swanky new Levi’s Stadium.

“We all understand we’re in the bouncing back business,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “That’s part of our job description. Nobody does it better than our team. Tough loss. Fortunately, we’re a tough team.”

The 49ers have a significant injury problem of their own with Vernon Davis and his sore ankle.

Davis was on crutches early in the week, but an MRI showed no significant damage.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt Vernon will be out there,” Arians said. “It’s too big of a game for them. They definitely don’t want to lose two in a row. Especially, they want to win the division, like we do. It’ll be all hands on deck.”

But Davis didn’t practice all week and was listed as questionable.

Here are things to look for when the 49ers and Cardinals meet.

CONFIDENT STANTON: Stanton will play with the confidence of managing a tough game on the road a week ago.

His numbers weren’t great: 14 for 29 for 167 yards. But he was not intercepted.

“I think that once you get a chance to get out there and see it unfold, it is more comforting going through this week for sure,” Stanton said.

ELLINGTON’S CONDITION: Arians says running back Andre Ellington is “fine,” even though he missed practice time for the second week in a row with what he’s described as a partially torn tendon in his left foot.

Despite the injury, Ellington showed some of his old acceleration ability against the Giants, rushing for 91 yards in 15 carries.

With Dwyer’s absence, Stepfan Taylor moves up to backup running back.

TIGHT END DEPTH: Davis hobbled out to the weight room Wednesday still using crutches for his injured left ankle, and also was listed on the injury report with a knee issue.

Backup tight end Vance McDonald also sustained a knee injury in a 28-20 loss to the Bears last Sunday night, though neither he nor Davis had any structural damage. McDonald was optimistic he would play.

Derek Carrier is the only healthy tight end.

TURNOVERS VS. TAKEAWAYS: San Francisco has had two drastically different games so far. It realizes it must take care of the ball to bounce back against Arizona, as has been a regular pattern under fourth-year coach Harbaugh.

The 49ers forced four turnovers in a season-opening win at Dallas, getting three interceptions against Tony Romo in as many Cowboys possessions.

In Sunday’s stunning loss to Chicago that spoiled the debut of the new stadium, the Bears rallied behind Jay Cutler’s three fourth-quarter touchdown passes. Colin Kaepernick threw three interceptions and lost a fumble. San Francisco also hurt its cause with 16 penalties for 118 yards, and the Bears got six of their 19 first downs via penalty.

By contrast, last week against New York, the Giants had four turnovers, Arizona none.

ESTABLISHING THE RUN: The 49ers know they must get Frank Gore and rookie Carlos Hyde involved. That begins with the offensive line doing its job.

There were breakdowns on offense all around against the Bears. San Francisco managed five of its 19 first downs on the ground, finishing with 127 yards rushing.

___

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

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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