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Texans and Giants in familiar territory early

By WTOP Staff

TOM CANAVAN
AP Sports Writer

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Houston Texans and New York Giants are in familiar territory a couple of weeks into the season.

The Texans are 2-0 for the fifth consecutive year. The Giants are 0-2 for the second straight year.

Heading into their game Sunday at MetLife Stadium, both teams know there is a lot at stake.

After going 2-14 last season, Houston is looking to show this will be a turnaround season under new coach Bill O’Brien.

“I can’t do any type of comparisons (with) last year because last year is different,” Texans linebacker Whitney Mercilus said. “This year the thing is just I think everybody is on the same page. … We’ve got a lot of hungry players on this team and everybody shares the same mindset. We just want to go out there and perform to the best of our abilities.”

The Giants had their season end early last year. Their losing streak at the start of the season reached six games and led to a 7-9 record and a second straight year out of the playoffs. If they want to get back to the postseason, things have to start turning around quickly.

“I think you treat every game as a must win,” Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. “You don’t want to put any extra pressure on guys, but we know we’ve got to get things going, we’ve got to start playing better football. It starts right here in the facility and in practice and having a great week, and then when it’s game time, we’ve got to step up and make some plays and do our job.”

The difference this season for these teams: The Texans are making plays and the Giants are not. Houston has a plus-5 turnover differential while the Giants have not recorded a takeaway and are minus-6 for the season, the worst in the NFL.

O’Brien isn’t worried about his team overlooking the Giants because they are not playing well.

“I was just saying something to someone downstairs here, every week is a big challenge in this league,” he said. “There are great coaches and great players on the other side that we have to be prepared for. Every week is a different matchup. Houston versus Oakland is a lot different than Houston versus New York. New York versus Arizona is a lot different than Houston versus New York. It is a matchup that is very difficult because of all the players that they have and the schemes that they run. It is a very difficult challenge for us on the road.”

Here are a few things to watch when the Texans and Giants meet:

STEADY FITZPATRICK: The rap against Texans quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has been that he is prone to turnovers. That’s not the case so far. He is 28 of 41 for 345 and three touchdowns. His quarterback rating of 118.4 is second best in the league.

“He has done a good job of preparing during the week and making good decisions in these games. That is what he needs to do. That is his job. Hopefully that continues,” O’Brien said.

NO CRUZ CONTROL: A long-time fan favorite, Giants wideout Victor Cruz was on the receiving end of some boos last week after dropping two fourth-quarter passes in the loss to Arizona, including one on the play that preceded Ted Ginn Jr.’s go-ahead punt return for a touchdown. Fans might also realize it’s been a while since Cruz had a salsa celebration. He has not caught a touchdown pass since the fourth game of last season.

OVERWORKED ARIAN: There is some concern Foster might be getting a little too much work. He has had 55 carries for 241 yards and a touchdown.

“Yeah, it’s part of the game,” Foster said. “I’ve felt soreness before. I’ll be OK.”

O’Brien said he will determine Foster’s workload on a game-by-game basis.

LINEBACKING SHORTAGE: New York is thin at linebacker. Rookie Devon Kennard pulled a hamstring in the season opener and middle linebacker Jon Beason injured a big toe last week. Facing a good Houston running game led by Foster, defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has to decide whether to use strong-side linebacker Jameel McClain in the middle or go with the slower Mark Herzlich, who replaced Beason last week. If McClain goes to the middle, look for Spencer Paysinger to play on the outside.

WATCH PARKER: With Jerrel Jernigan on injured reserve, Preston Parker will line up as the Giants’ third receiver in passing situations. The four-year veteran was out of the NFL last season and spent the year in Florida begging for money before eventually getting a job building tiki huts to support his son and girlfriend. He has one catch for 29 yards this season and has been the team’s punt returner.

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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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