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Wes Welker isn’t holding back at all

By WTOP Staff

ARNIE STAPLETON
AP Pro Football Writer

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Anyone who thought Wes Welker was going to hold back following his third concussion in nine months was mistaken.

Denver’s diminutive slot receiver played 65 percent of the offensive snaps and ran right into the teeth of Seattle’s stout secondary in the Broncos’ 26-20 loss in overtime in his return from a two-game suspension.

He paid the price, too, when safety Earl Thomas blindsided him on Kam Chancellor’s fourth-quarter interception, although no flag was thrown.

Had a penalty been called and 15 yards marked off after the interception, the Seahawks might not have gotten into field goal range to take a 20-12 lead. In that case, Peyton Manning’s last minute TD drive could have given the Broncos the lead instead of a tie.

Welker said he wanted the penalty Sunday but isn’t interested in seeing Thomas get fined by the league now.

“Obviously, a fine does us no good,” Welker said. “I would have liked the flag, but that’s the way it goes. But I’m not really looking for a fine or anything like that. I know he’s trying to make a play. At the end of the day, we don’t really have a say on that.”

Welker caught six passes for 60 yards in his 2014 debut. He played 47 snaps after his four-game suspension for amphetamine use in the offseason was sliced in half.

“I feel like I stayed in shape and stayed on top of things while I was gone,” said Welker, who worked out on his own in Denver during his ban so he wouldn’t have to acclimate to the altitude again.

Welker asked the official nearest him why he didn’t throw a flag, “but there’s nothing you can really do about it,” he said. “Just got to move on to next week.”

The Broncos have an early bye, and Welker is wishing he had a game to play this weekend.

“I’ve had enough bye weeks,” he said. “But it fell when it fell, so I’m just going to rest up and get my mind right for the rest of the season.”

Before getting a four-day weekend furlough, the Broncos held light practices Tuesday and Wednesday: “It’s an opportunity for us to still get better, even though it’s early in the year,” Welker said. “There are some things we can correct over these three games that we can get better at.”

The Broncos’ offense has been inconsistent, with no ground game to speak of and way too many drops in the passing game.

In part because of Welker’s absence for the first two weeks, the Broncos’ air attack has been inconsistent, with too many regrets from just about everyone not named Emmanuel Sanders, who leads the league in catches (25) and yards (334).

Of Manning’s eight TD passes, just one has been to a wide receiver: Demaryius Thomas, who hasn’t been himself as he plays through a sore left foot. Thomas’s 13 receptions so far rank just 45th in the NFL. Thomas hasn’t been held out of any practices but he said the bye comes at a good time for him.

Sanders, on the other hand, set career highs in both catches and yards each of the last two weeks. His first career 100-yard game came against Kansas City (eight receptions for 108 yards) and he followed that with 11 grabs for 149 yards against Seattle.

This was the wide receiver heaven he spoke of when he signed this March.

“To have that kind of trust in me, that kind of confidence in me to throw me the ball is definitely a blessing,” Sanders said Wednesday. “I’m definitely enjoying it.”

Still, there is lots of room for improvement.

“Of course there’s another level. Last year they broke an NFL record,” Sanders said of Manning’s 55 TD throws and 5,477 yards passing, which led to Denver’s 606-point explosion. “And that’s something we’re trying to get back to — putting 40 points up on the board and scoring a lot of touchdowns.

“I think we have all the capabilities of getting there.”

NOTES: Coach John Fox said he can no longer admonish his players to “stay out of the paper unless you win the lottery” during their bye week. He needed open heart surgery during last season’s bye. “I kind of backed off that one, only because they read about me and I didn’t win the lottery by any stretch,” Fox said.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

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Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton

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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