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Patriots’ Hightower improving in solid defense

By WTOP Staff

HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Dont’a Hightower and the New England Patriots defense have made great strides since their season-opening loss.

Their past two opponents totaled one offensive touchdown. And the third-year linebacker had 15 tackles and two sacks in those games.

Those were against Miami, Minnesota and Oakland, three teams with mediocre quarterbacks. The defense’s job gets tougher Monday against the Kansas City Chiefs and Alex Smith on the road.

But Smith will have to figure out where the versatile Hightower is coming from. He’s solid against the running game and has unusual coverage skills for a 270-pounder.

“I’m able to rush, to drop, to cover, zone (defense), man (defense). I’m doing a lot,” Hightower said Wednesday. “Whenever I’m doing that, the offense doesn’t know if I’m dropping or if I’m covering or rushing or what’s going on so that opens up spaces for everybody else.”

Smith, though, has talented wide receivers Dwayne Bowe and Donnie Avery and running back Jamaal Charles. A sprained right ankle sidelined Charles in last Sunday’s 34-15 win at Miami, but Knile Davis stepped in and ran for 132 yards and a touchdown.

Another running back, Joe McKnight, had six catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. And Smith directed three touchdown drives of more than 60 yards.

“You don’t see a lot of backs with that speed, with that vision, with his skill,” Hightower said of Charles. “If he’s not playing then they have so many other playmakers to give the ball to.”

The Chiefs (1-2) won last Sunday in the same stadium where the Patriots lost their opener 33-20 when they were outscored by the Dolphins 23-0 in the second half. Hightower had just one tackle in that game.

“The first thing you see is speed when you look at their depth chart. You just look at their running backs,” Hightower said. “They definitely have a lot of speed. Then I feel like (coach) Andy Reid does a great job getting those guys open in space.”

But since that poor half in Miami, the Patriots beat the Vikings 30-7 then won their home opener 16-9 over the Raiders.

Hightower and defensive end Chandler Jones were drafted four spots apart (21st and 25th) in the first round in 2012.

Jones led the Patriots (2-1) with eight tackles and two sacks at Minnesota. Jones also blocked a field goal attempt and returned the ball for a touchdown.

Against the Raiders, Hightower had seven tackles and the 6-foot-5, long-armed Jones knocked down two passes.

“I wish I had his wingspan, but I don’t,” defensive end Rob Ninkovich said. “He’s a very talented young player. And for him, the more he’s doing it and the more experience he gets, he’s just going to get better.”

That’s what the Patriots defense is doing after allowing three drives of at least 50 yards in the second half against the Dolphins.

“We’re just moving forward,” Jones said. “Miami, that was Week One. A lot of things never happen the way you want it in Week One, good and bad. But you’re just moving forward and we have a big game Monday night.”

Smith is not one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, but has been more successful than Miami’s Ryan Tannehill, Minnesota’s Matt Cassel and Oakland rookie Derek Carr.

“He’s got great feet and he makes all the throws,” Ninkovich said. “He’s definitely somebody you have to account for, scrambling and making plays, getting out of the pocket, throwing down the field and running the ball as well.”

Smith will try to do that against a stingy defense.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo and defensive tackle Vince Wilfork have played well after being sidelined most of last season.

The addition of cornerback Darrelle Revis improved a deep secondary. And second-year players Logan Ryan at cornerback and Jamie Collins at linebacker have played well.

“I feel like we’re on the right track,” Hightower said. “We had two really good weeks. We’re definitely just trying to keep stringing them together.”

___

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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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