Skip to main content

Bears hang together to start 2-1 despite injuries

By WTOP Staff

GENE CHAMBERLAIN
Associated Press

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — The Chicago Bears are showing unexpected depth on both sides of the football after recovering from a season-opening loss to win two injury-marred games.

A year after injuries devastated their defense, the Bears have bounced back from an 0-1 start to go 2-1 without numerous starters and with rookies like cornerback Kyle Fuller making critical plays. It happened again Monday night in a 27-19 road victory over the New York Jets.

“That’s a credit to our coaches,” safety Ryan Mundy said. “We get coached hard day in and day out. And we make sure that everyone is ready to play. And I think that has been evident over the past two weeks. Starting with San Fran (two weeks ago), guys went down, people stepped in and stepped up and the same thing can be said about (Monday night).”

The injury situation became so great late in Monday’s game that coach Marc Trestman looked out on the field to see his fourth safety, rookie Brock Vereen, teamed with Ahmad Dixon. They had signed Dixon off the Minnesota Vikings practice squad less than two weeks earlier.

“Our coaches have done a very good job of getting them ready, and our veteran players have certainly been a part of that preparation, teaching them what it takes to play in this league,” Trestman said. “And there’s no better way to learn than at 11 at night on Monday night. Sometimes that’s where you get your best learning in.”

Fuller was originally supposed to play only in the nickel defense before Charles Tillman’s season-ending muscle injury, yet he made his third interception of the season and knocked loose two fumbles Monday after a two-interception game against San Francisco. Rookie defensive tackles Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton rotated in as replacements for veteran Jay Ratliff, and the Bears defense allowed only 114 rushing yards to a Jets team that had been ranked No. 1 in rushing.

Second-year linebacker Jon Bostic led the Bears in tackles with 13, filling in for starter Shea McClellin. Willie Young, the third defensive end who was signed in free agency, recorded his career-best fourth sack of the season.

“These young guys are playing great, and I tell you what, it’s a testament to their attitude,” defensive end Jared Allen said. “I’ve been around some entitled rookies before where they think everything should be given to them. I can honestly say we don’t have one rookie on our team that thinks he’s entitled to anything.”

Players credited coaches for a new training camp this season. Backups were frequently brought in on both sides of the ball to work with starters instead of working first-team offense exclusively against first-team defense and second-team offense against second-team defense.

The extra experience seems to have helped, but linebacker Lance Briggs said essentially it’s up to the players themselves.

“You just can’t panic,” he said. “Next guy comes in, you’ve just got to read your keys and play ball. They’re all fighters.”

Depth has been as important on offense, where center Brian de la Puente and Michael Ola have replaced Roberto Garza and Matt Slauson two games due to ankle sprains.

The injury situation is uncertain heading into preparations for Sunday’s home game with Green Bay. Safety Chris Conte has a shoulder injury and Mundy suffered a stinger. Both left Monday’s game. Third safety Danny McCray was shaken up but returned. Fullback Tony Fiammetta left after aggravating a hamstring injury.

The Bears don’t return to practice until Thursday, but the status of all injured players will be updated Wednesday.

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
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote